To ask the Minister for the Economy for his assessment of (i) the number of vacant commercial properties in town centres across East Londonderry; (ii) the trends seen in this number, over the last five years; and (iii) the issues dissuading traders from (a) maintaining; and (b) establishing commercial premises in these centres; and (iv) what steps his Department has (a) taken; and (b) planned, to encourage and incentivise more businesses, particularly independent traders, into commercial premises in the constituency’s town centres.

(i) the number of vacant commercial properties in town centres across East Londonderry; (ii) the trends seen in this number, over the last five years; I have consulted with colleagues in the Department of Finance and the Department for Communities and the number of vacant commercial properties in town centres is not recorded by constituency.(iii) the issues dissuading traders from (a) maintaining; and (b) establishing commercial premises in these centres; (iv) what steps his Department has (a) taken; and (b) planned, to encourage and incentivise more businesses, particularly independent traders, into commercial premises in the constituency’s town centres.While development of policies to improve town centres and draw in more traders is primarily a matter for the relevant district council to take forward, the Department for Communities also has responsibility for regeneration of towns and I understand it has undertaken work in this constituency in recent years. I intend to work with Executive colleagues to consider the recommendations of the High Street Task Force report to address some of the issues facing high street businesses.