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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support local authorities in utilising licensing and high street regeneration funding to reduce commercial vacancy rates.

The Government has published a new High Streets Strategy, Hope on the High Street, setting out action to bring down vacancy, which can have a damaging impact on high streets and local pride. This includes £125 million to bring prominent, long term vacant and derelict high street buildings back into productive use, and £10 million to support delivery of High Street Rental Auctions, as well as funding for community ownership and co-operative development. We have committed to exploring how licensing can better support growth including considering placing the National Licensing Policy Framework on a statutory footing. Which can be found here.