Debate contribution: High Street Task Force

Debate contribution by Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly on 8 June 2026.

MLA: Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 8 June 2026
Type: Debate contribution (made as a minister)
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: High Street Task Force
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5600436

Text

Absolutely. Week in and week out, we see some of our favourite coffee shops, cafes, restaurants and bars closing because of the immense pressure that they are under. The cost of doing business is much too high in Northern Ireland and across the UK. We need the Chancellor to step up and ensure that there is a Budget that supports business and our economy. However, there are other things that we can do. I call on the Economy Minister to do what she can to support our businesses. I know that the Member wholeheartedly supports, as do I, the VAT reduction campaign. I raised that issue directly with the Prime Minister in our meeting with him. He engaged with us and promised to come back to us on the VAT reduction pilot for Northern Ireland. On the back of my engagement with Hospitality Ulster, and aware of all the good work that it has been doing, I indicated that organisations across the UK were content for Northern Ireland to be used for that pilot. That is important, because, as I said to the Prime Minister, the roll-out of that pilot provides an opportunity to evaluate it and determine its effectiveness in, importantly, protecting small businesses, many of which are the backbone of towns and villages across Northern Ireland.

218 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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