Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made a local authority level assessment of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on retail shops on the high street.

This Government is fully committed to supporting the businesses and communities that make our high streets and town centres successful as the nation responds to the impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak. Now more than ever, it is vital that we continue to help our local economies by supporting town centres and high streets to adapt and evolve.

Our High Street Task Force collates and publishes data on the health of our high streets and town centres, making this information available to local leaders, communities and businesses.

Government recognises the impact that Covid-19 has had on business turnover since March. That is why we have provided a comprehensive package of support of £200 billion, including small business grants, business rate reliefs, coronavirus loan schemes, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, as well as deferral of income tax payments.

Further, Government has announced the £50 million Reopening High Streets Safely Fund to support local authorities with rolling out extra measures to support their business communities as they reopen, supporting our businesses and helping to reinvigorate our communities.

In addition to this support, Government has provided protection to businesses through a moratorium on landlords’ ability to evict tenants due to the non-payment of rent and restrictions on the servicing of statutory demands and winding-up petitions.