Dr Al Pinkerton

I would thank you for calling me, Sir Desmond, but you have given me a real challenge. Nevertheless, it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. I thank the hon. Member for Stockton West (Matt Vickers) for securing this important debate. We all know that for generations, high streets have been at the heart of our communities—providing spaces for our local businesses to thrive, for social connections to flourish and for economic growth to be driven from the grassroots, yet across the United Kingdom, high streets are in decline. Businesses are closing at an alarming rate, there is crime and antisocial behaviour, depressing footfall, and outdated business rate systems stifling local enterprise. In my constituency of Surrey Heath, we have numerous high streets across market towns and villages, all of which are interconnected to a larger ecosystem. Camberley, our historic market town, has struggled to grow over the past five years. Despite being just 28 miles from central London, the town centre is suffering from increased vacancy rates, crime, antisocial behaviour and public infrastructure that persistently fails to meet the needs and expectations of local businesses and residents. Our high streets should be hubs of activity, but they have been undermined by the long-term absence of Government support and mounting economic pressures. One of the greatest challenges that I hear about from local businesses is related to the broken business rates system. In 2025-26, for example, despite paying business rates in excess of £30 million, businesses in Surrey Heath will see just £900,000 of their contributions re-invested into their local community, which is just 3% of the business rates raised. The vast majority of revenue raised through business rates is spirited away from the place of generation and collection by central Government. Of course, that is not in any way unique to Surrey Heath. It is a national problem that discourages investment in our high street while allowing online retailers and large multinationals to operate under a significantly lighter tax burden. The Lib Dems have long argued that the business rate system is outdated, unfair and penalises bricks and mortar businesses, which are vital to our communities,