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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will determine a maximum period for a high street property to be empty before mandating that the property be sold.

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 COVID-19. In July, we published the Build Back Better High Streets strategy which sets out the Government's long-term plan to support the evolution and regeneration of all high streets across every part of the UK into thriving places to work, visit and live.