Supporting our high streets after COVID-19

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 8 Jul 2020 Closed: 17 May 2022 Parliament page
The inquiry will examine the long-term consequences of the Covid-19 outbreak on the future of the high street. It is interested in how government, at all levels, can mitigate the economic and social impact and develop policies to ensure high streets remain the centre of local communities. The Committee will … Read more
39 Recommendations
1 Conclusion
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
4 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 11 events
17 May
2022
Correspondence
29 Mar
2022
Report published
29 Mar
2022
Correspondence
10 Dec
2021
Report published
20 Jul
2021
Correspondence
5 Jul
2021
Oral evidence
10 Jun
2021
Oral evidence
13 May
2021
Oral evidence
11 Jan
2021
Oral evidence
2 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
8 Sep
2020
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
5 Jul 2021
View on parliament.uk
Oral evidence
Kate O'Neill · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Luke Hall · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Paul Scully · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
10 Jun 2021
View on parliament.uk
Oral evidence
Professor Carlos Moreno · Panthéon Sorbonne University, IAE Paris Professor Chan Heng Chee · Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities Professor Ricky Burdett · London School of Economics
13 May 2021
View on parliament.uk
Oral Evidence
Darren Pearce · Sheffield Meadowhall Lee Frankham · BT Group Nigel Connor · JD Wetherspoon Sir John Timpson CBE · Timpson Group
11 Jan 2021
View on parliament.uk
Oral evidence
Cllr Mark Crane · District Councils Network Martin McTague · Federation of Small Businesses Paul Swinney · Centre for Cities Ros Morgan · Heart of London Business Alliance Scott Corfe · Social Market Foundation
2 Nov 2020
View on parliament.uk
Oral evidence; Oral Evidence
Dominic Curran · British Retail Consortium Michael Wheeler · Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers Professor Aude Bicquelet-Lock · Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Professor Cathy Parker · Manchester Metropolitan University Robin Osterley · Charity Retail Association William Grimsey · Grimsey Review
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Sixth Report - Supporting our high streets after COVID-19 HC 37 10 Dec 2021 40 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Acknowledged
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
We commend the Government for acting decisively and quickly to implement a wide-ranging package that...
We commend the Government for acting decisively and quickly to implement a wide-ranging package that supported high street businesses during the covid-19 pandemic. We additionally commend the Government for taking steps to avoid a cliff- edge of support, both by … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the importance of learning lessons from the pandemic and states it continually monitored economic impacts and engaged with the retail sector. It has also commissioned an external evaluation of the Business Support Grant programme's delivery effectiveness.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
2 Recommendation Acknowledged
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
The Government’s commitment in its hospitality strategy to learning lessons from the pandemic for the...
The Government’s commitment in its hospitality strategy to learning lessons from the pandemic for the hospitality sector is a welcome start, but it should do so for high streets and town centres in the round. Learning lessons will not only … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the importance of learning lessons from the pandemic's impact on high streets and town centres, citing ongoing monitoring, engagement with the retail sector, and an external evaluation of the Business Support Grant programme.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
6 Recommendation Acknowledged
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
In line with our predecessor Committee’s recommendations and our report on the planning system in...
In line with our predecessor Committee’s recommendations and our report on the planning system in England, Local Plans and strategies for high streets and town centres must be updated regularly in order to keep pace with changing trends. This will … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the importance of up-to-date Local Plans and stated they are considering measures to support their implementation, but did not commit to annually publishing a list of high street strategies and their update status.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
13 Recommendation Acknowledged
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
The Government’s commitment in its Build Back Better High Streets strategy to work with stakeholders...
The Government’s commitment in its Build Back Better High Streets strategy to work with stakeholders on how property owners and community groups can be better engaged with Business Improvement Districts is welcome, albeit vague. This work should include consideration of … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the suggestions for additional BID models and stated they would keep them under consideration, but did not commit to a review or to collecting and publishing new examples, instead pointing to existing resources.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
18 Recommendation Acknowledged
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
It is important for the Government not just to evaluate the success of the individual...
It is important for the Government not just to evaluate the success of the individual funds, but also to have a clear framework for how the different funds will work together to achieve high street and town centre regeneration at … Read more
Government Response
The government states it will set out a plan for streamlining the funding landscape this year, including a commitment to help local stakeholders navigate funding opportunities, rather than directly committing to an overarching evaluation framework for its Build Back Better High Streets Strategy.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
26 Recommendation Acknowledged
Sixth Report - Supporting our high…
We welcome many of the Government’s reforms to business rates, in particular the more frequent...
We welcome many of the Government’s reforms to business rates, in particular the more frequent revaluations and the 12-month holiday from increases arising from investing in improvements. But we are concerned that they do not amount to long-term or fundamental … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need for business rate reform, outlining existing measures such as 3-yearly revaluations and a completed technical consultation. It highlights current support through the 50% relief and an extended multiplier freeze but does not explicitly set out a plan for when the current reliefs end.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 40 of 39 classified
Accepted 15
Accepted in Part 8
Acknowledged 6
Deferred 4
Not Addressed 5
Rejected 2
Total 39 recs + 1 conclusion
Correspondence 4 letters
17 May 2022 To committee Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Levelling Up, the Union and Constitution to the Chair dated 12 May 2022 concerning supporting high streets after COVID-19
Parliament page
29 Mar 2022 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Minister for Levelling Up, the Union and Constitution dated 29 March 2022 concerning the Government's response to the Committee's report on Supporting our High Streets after Covid-19
Parliament page
20 Jul 2021 To committee Letter from the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government and the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets to the Chair dated 14 July 2021 concerning their appearance before the Committee on 5 July
Parliament page
8 Sep 2020 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Housing to the Chair dated 23 July 2020 concerning Covid recovery and supporting high streets
Parliament page