Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of private equity ownership on long-term investment in UK high street businesses.

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of private equity ownership on long-term investment in UK high street businesses. Decisions on ownership structures and investment strategies are matters for individual businesses and investors.

The Small Business Plan sets out the Government’s approach to supporting high street businesses to thrive, including through expanding access to finance, reductions to business rates, and supporting and nurturing a range of alternative business models like co-operatives and mutuals.