To ask the Minister for the Economy to outline any plans she has to introduce targeted support schemes before the end of the 2022-2027 Assembly mandate in order to assist town centre businesses facing ongoing cost pressures and help prevent further high street closures.

Supporting our town centres is a complex, crosscutting issue which cannot be addressed by a single department or through isolated interventions. Responsibility rests primarily with the Department for Communities, working in partnership with local councils, while responsibility for rating and rates relief lies with the Department of Finance.

The Finance Minister has recently concluded a consultation on Small Business Rate Relief and is currently assessing the findings from that process with a view to bringing proposals to the Executive. He has also stated that there is £10m set aside in his draft Multi-Year Budget to provide support for businesses in the context of that consultation.

However, my Department does provide a range of support for SMEs through Intertrade Ireland and Invest NI who offer a broad mix of export, innovation, capability building, and funding supports designed to help businesses grow sales, modernise operations, develop new products, and expand into new markets

I have also committed £45 million through the Regional Balance Fund to empower Local Economic Partnerships to address specific issues in their areas and drive productivity.

I remain committed to working collaboratively with Executive colleagues and councils to ensure coordinated and effective support for town centres.