To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the amount of closures of unlawful high street shops in a) England, b) Essex and c) South Basildon and East Thurrock.

19 May the Government announced a £30 million crackdown targeting cash intensive business such as barber shops, vape stores, mini-marts and sweet shops operating on our high streets, over three years. This includes £20million in funding towards an enhanced law enforcement response and the creation of a new cross-government High Street Organised Crime Unit to tackle this threat.

Closure powers are implemented by the police and local authorities. The Home Office does not hold data on the number of closure orders in relation to unlawful high street shops in England nor on specific counties or specific areas.

The Home Office is however looking at how powers used by local responders to address high street illegality can be strengthened. As part of this effort, a targeted consultation has recently launched on increasing the duration of closure orders. More information can be found here: Increasing the duration of closure orders under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 - GOV.UK