Government Response to the Committee's Eleventh Report: High streets and town centres in 2030

This is the government's response, published 7 May 2019.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government welcomes the Committee's report and says its recommendations will be taken into account, agreeing with several, disagreeing with others, and relying on Our Plan for the High Street.

• On business rates, the government states that it "does not agree that the burden of business rates falls unfairly", and it does not intend to publish a separate detailed assessment of the alternative tax proposals.
• It agrees that planning tools such as Compulsory Purchase Orders and Local Development Orders can regenerate high streets, and says it will set out "over the coming months" practical ways to support local planning authorities.
• On the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, Part II, it "will consider options for reviewing" the Act. It says rent reviews are a commercial decision and it has no plans for a conciliation service "at present".
• It expects the High Streets Task Force to provide "on the ground support" but says it will not be able to support every high street. It does not expect the Task Force to give local authorities financial advice on commercial property decisions.

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