Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what fiscal steps he is taking to ensure the sustainability of market towns in the UK.

The Government is fully committed to helping communities respond to the structural changes underway in our town centres. Since 2010 we have provided a total of £18.26 million, including support for Portas Pilots and town teams, business improvement districts and for markets.

In addition, in late 2013 we introduced a £1 billion business rate support package for 2014-15 including:

• a 2% cap in the Retail Price Index increase in the small business rates multiplier;
• a retail discount of £1,000 for around 300,000 shops, pubs and restaurants with rateable values below £50,000;
• a 12 month extension of small business rate relief doubling, benefitting over half a million businesses; and
• a 50 per cent discount for new occupants of long-term vacant shops.

All of these measures apply to England. The devolved administrations will have taken forward plans for their areas.