§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to zero-rate inner-city shops; [8590]
(2) if he will make it his policy to select Hillfields in Coventry as a pilot area for zero-rating. [8595]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe Government have no plans to zero rate inner-city shops.
§ Mr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many vacant shops there are in inner-city areas in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Coventry. [8592]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordWe do not hold such information for England centrally.
As part of our advice on planning town centres and retail developments in planning policy and guidance note No. 6—PPG6—we advise local authorities to monitor vacant properties in their town centres. I understand that Coventry city council will shortly be publishing information about vacant shops in its unitary development plan.
The information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received from organisations concerned with the blighting of inner-city areas and shopping centres. [8591]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordWe occasionally receive correspondence about blight. Most of my correspondence on shopping centres relates to the damaging effects on them of out-of-centre and out-of-town shopping developments.
§ Mr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the difficulties of letting vacant shops in inner-city areas. [8594]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordNone. This is primarily the responsibility of local regeneration partnerships, including local authorities.
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§ Mr. CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many vacant shops have been deliberately damaged to avoid paying the business rate levy in the last two years. [8596]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThis information is not available.