Debate contribution: High Street Task Force
Debate contribution by Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly on .
- 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 5600444
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The Member is absolutely right, but it is important that we do not punish success. The towns and villages that are doing well have put in a huge amount of effort, but there is no doubt that they still require additional support. The way that we shop is changing — we are all guilty of it — and that is having an impact. Businesses on the high street are often disadvantaged because they pay for rent, rates, electricity and everything else, while online businesses do not have those overheads. It is really important that we start to look at what the high streets of the future will look like. That is about much more integration. For example, I would like to see the Department of Finance looking at public-sector estates to see what support it can give to our towns. I am always happy to welcome the Finance Minister to Lisburn, for example, where there are great opportunities to put more public-sector jobs in the city centre to support it. We have to be realistic, however. People's behaviour and the way that they shop have changed, and our high street needs to change to keep pace with that. It has not done so thus far, but support from government, Departments and elected representatives will be critical in making sure that we can create the new, re-envisaged and fit-for-purpose high streets of the future.
233 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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