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High Street Businesses: Government Support — [Emma Lewell in the Chair]
04 June 2026
Lead MP
Olly Glover
Responding Minister
Kwasi Kwarteng
Tags
Policing & ResourcesCrime & Law EnforcementEconomyTaxationBusiness & TradeLocal Government
Word Count: 13851
Other Contributors: 13
At a Glance
Olly Glover raised concerns about high street businesses: government support — [emma lewell in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The Government should reform business rates, implement a 5% cut to VAT for hospitality businesses, modernise taxation arrangements given the rise of online retail, increase investment in public transport and walking/cycling infrastructure, and consider national 'buy local' schemes, independent shop zones, and high streets back home initiatives.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
High streets across the country are struggling due to issues such as empty shops, antisocial behaviour, and crime. Over half of small businesses believe that the traditional high street will be obsolete in ten years. In Olly Glover's constituency, Didcot's Broadway and Orchard Centre face challenges including antisocial behaviour and shoplifting; Wallingford has parking concerns related to car traffic and competition with nearby towns and cities for visitor levels; Wantage faces vacant premises due to closures of Argos and New Look, along with increased business rates causing financial strain.
Andrew Griffith
Con
Midhurst and Fishbourne
Expressed concern about the decision of local Lib Dem district councils to increase parking charges, impacting high streets. Emphasised the need for better understanding of business realities such as national insurance thresholds and business rates. Called on the Government to address the issue of permanently higher business rates through cross-party work.
Witney
He highlighted the alarming closure rates of pubs and shops, citing figures from the British Beer and Pub Association. He called for cutting VAT for hospitality to 15%, reforming business rates to reward occupancy, and strengthening planning policy to encourage town centre use. Maynard also addressed national insurance contributions and VAT increases as major issues affecting businesses. He emphasised the need for a consultation on NICs band changes and interim support measures such as extending relief schemes.
Chris Hinchliff
Lab
North East Hertfordshire
Chris Hinchliff highlighted the importance of high street businesses in fostering community identity and social cohesion. He pointed out that these businesses face significant challenges, including high energy bills and a burdensome business rates system. Hinchliff urged the Minister to address the unfair taxation practices that benefit large corporations over independent businesses and called for reforms to redistribute the tax burden more equitably. He also emphasized the need to reverse austerity measures affecting local councils, enabling them to better support thriving high streets through improved council funding.
Daniel Francis
Lab
Bexleyheath and Crayford
Mr. Francis discussed the changes in his constituency's high street businesses, noting the loss of shops to retail parks and the importance of diversifying opportunities for leisure and hospitality industries. He welcomed Government initiatives like Great British Summer Savings but also called for further measures such as reducing VAT rates and supporting cash services through post offices. He highlighted efforts by local policing teams against illegal working and shoplifting, while calling for more police numbers. Suggested the need to bring retailers back to the table and encourage them to reintroduce schemes for young and disabled people that were common in the '90s, highlighting a clear job for both Government and retailers.
David Chadwick
Con
Brecon and Radnorshire
He saluted the speech given by his hon. Friend, noting similar issues in Brecon with local businesses suffering from Government's decision to push through business rate revaluations.
Gagan Mohindra
Con
Hertford and St Albans
The high street is struggling with rising costs, including taxes and business rates, which hinder investment and growth. A former furniture retailer highlighted the impact of extended producer responsibility costs on local businesses. He called for a change in government policy to support wealth creation through bills like back our high streets Bill and get Britain working Bill.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Jim Shannon highlighted the steep decline in footfall on Northern Irish high streets, with Newtownards seeing an increase from six to eleven empty shop fronts. He pointed out that smaller independent retailers have been particularly affected, making up 84% of closures in 2024. Shannon also raised concerns about rising costs for businesses due to increased card payment fees and the burden of security measures related to crime and antisocial behaviour. He suggested the Government could work with credit card companies to reduce transaction fees and proposed solutions such as banking hubs and post offices in Spar shops to address bank closures.
Melanie Onn
Lab
Great Grimsby
Melanie Onn highlighted the importance of high streets for local economies and social cohesion, noting the growing criminality on some high streets. She mentioned the backing from over 50 Members for a campaign to shut down dodgy shops, and welcomed Government actions such as increased resources for trading standards officers, creation of a dedicated taskforce, recruitment of additional investigators and staff, and licensing scheme for retailers selling tobacco and vape products. However, she urged for faster progress in enforcement and stronger measures to encourage local authorities to address high street criminality.
Paul Kohler
LD
Wimbledon
Small businesses, hospitality, and the night-time economy support nearly 1.5 million jobs in London and generate £50 billion annually. However, independent shops are being squeezed out by international chains with deep pockets. The rise in employer's national insurance contributions disproportionately affects small businesses. Online shopping is a major factor, but the business rates system fails to address the unfair advantage enjoyed by online retailers.
Phil Brickell
Lab
Horwich
Phil Brickell highlighted the need to tackle illicit financial activities that are undermining legitimate local businesses on high streets. He cited examples of shops being overtaken by illegal operations, such as vape shops and barber shops. He mentioned the growth in the number of vape shops by nearly 1,200% over a decade and an increase in suspicious cash flows through card machines. Brickell also discussed Operation Machinize, which led to only 10 permanent closures out of 2,500 premises inspected.
Rachel Gilmour
Con
Tiverton and Minehead
High street businesses in Tiverton and Minehead are facing significant challenges including high energy costs, increased national insurance contributions, and difficulty hiring local young people due to the minimum wage increase. The Member expressed concerns about the impact of these issues on youth employment rates and mental health. She highlighted the importance of easing red tape for trade with Europe and improving public transport in rural areas to support local economies.
Tom Gordon
SNP
Airdrie and Shotts
Asked if additional measures could be provided for smaller communities and sub-neighbourhoods that are further from town centres, which often miss out on support from local chambers of commerce or business improvement districts.
High streets are under pressure due to business rates, energy costs, national insurance contributions, and the cost of living crisis. The closure of a local brewery in West Byfleet highlights the cumulative impact on businesses. There is a 340% increase in business rates for one salon over five years. Property taxes need reform, and high street rental auctions have not been effective in bringing empty properties back into use.
Government Response
Kwasi Kwarteng
Government Response
Local authorities have the power to provide discretionary relief for businesses suffering hardship, which includes the ability to reduce business rates. We are also considering measures to help high street businesses further and a consultation will be launched in due course. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Lewell. I congratulate the hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage on securing this important and passionate debate, and I thank him for his own thoughtful and passionate contribution. What is encouraging about this debate is that it has placed the role of high streets in its proper context. High streets are facing real pressures from changing consumer habits to crime and increasing costs. The Government's small business strategy aims to cut red tape, cut costs and make things just a little easier in challenging times. We will build on the strategy later this year as we bring forward a cross-Government high streets strategy that aims to support businesses and equip local authorities with the tools they need to drive long-term regeneration. The Government has already started taking significant action through its high streets innovation partnerships—a £301 million package—and there are really exciting plans under way from the Post Office to create a new community hub model for post offices in towns across the UK. We have put in a £4.3 billion support package in the face of the cost of the first revaluation since the pandemic. The Government is working on shifting some of the burden on to big warehouses and away from high street businesses through structural changes like lower multipliers, paid for by putting the burden on to the big warehouses. We are also tackling retail crime with 13,000 additional personnel in neighbourhood policing, 3,100 of whom are already in place. My officials have joined the Home Office in engaging with the Dutch Government to explore whether a similar approach could be taken here. This is all backed by funding for the organisations that we rely on to do this. High street rental auctions and £10 million of funding to support their expansion will help councils to identify opportunities, deepen engagement with landlords and get properties ready for use. We are supporting the roll-out of 350 banking hubs, 235 of which are already open.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.