Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the minimum safe permitted distance between residential and office buildings and (1) high voltage transmission wires, and (2) electrical equipment such as battery energy storage units.

Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Government does not prescribe a minimum separation between occupied buildings, such as homes and offices, and electricity transmission lines or battery energy storage units. However, for battery energy storage units Planning Practice Guidance advises applicants and planning authorities to consider National Fire Chiefs Council guidance, which recommends an initial 30-metre distance before mitigations are considered. For electricity transmission lines appropriate separation distances are determined on a case-by-case basis through compliance with applicable safety requirements, relevant planning and consenting considerations, and site-specific assessments.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they follow internationally recognised safety standards in the siting of high voltage transmission lines.

Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Transmission operators (TOs) plan their projects in line with the Security and Quality of Supply Standard, which sets criteria for the safe operation of the National Electricity Transmission System. TOs also have regard to the Electricity Transmission Design Principles which includes principles for safe siting.

Siting must comply with Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002, which sets requirements such as the height, position and insulation of overhead lines. British Standards for overhead line design are based on IEC/EN international standards.

TOs must also comply with International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection guidelines on exposure to electric and magnetic fields.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether water companies will be made statutory consultees for planning applications.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Water companies are consulted as part of the preparation of local development plans. Strategic water issues, such as water capacity, drainage and wastewater management, are best addressed through the plan-making process, where it is easier to identify and mitigate capacity issues or damaged infrastructure early, and which steers planning application decisions. We are maintaining the current moratorium on the creation of new statutory consultees on planning applications, subject to periodic review.

All stakeholders can of course comment on any planning application about which they have concerns.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the costs of delivering energy storage solutions in the event of renewable energy shortfalls.

Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government considers the costs and benefits of energy storage through its wider assessment of future energy system requirements. NESO is assessing the relative costs of delivering different generation, network and storage technology types as part of its Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) analysis. The Government has now received NESO’s SSEP Pathway Options Report, which we are carefully considering. Electricity storage projects are delivered through private investment and participation in energy markets.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the environmental impact on rural and coastal areas of energy storage solutions in the event of renewable energy shortfalls.

Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government has not undertaken a specific assessment of the environmental impact on rural and coastal areas of energy storage solutions in the event of renewable energy shortfalls. Individual energy storage projects are subject to relevant planning and environmental assessment requirements, with potential impacts considered on a site-specific basis by the appropriate decision-making authority in line with relevant planning policy and environmental legislation.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government to what extent the differential in farm payments between farmers in England and those in Scotland is affecting the competitive position of the former.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Agriculture is devolved. Defra administers farming policy in England, while the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive determine their own agricultural policies and support schemes. As part of this arrangement, funding for agriculture and fisheries was baselined and un-ringfenced in each devolved governments block grant from 2024-25. It is for devolved governments to allocate funding as they see fit and they are accountable to their devolved legislatures for those decisions. The devolved governments’ settlements for 2025-26 are the largest in real terms of any settlements since devolution.

The UK government is acting in England to support farmers and give them clarity to plan and invest. The recently published Farming Roadmap and Farming Profitability Review response set out a range of short-term and long-term actions. These include investment in ELM funding, support for and investment in innovation and technology, and action to make supply chains fairer. The government has also established the Farming and Food Partnership Board, bringing together senior leaders from farming, food, retail and finance to drive profitability and strengthen food security. Defra continues to cooperate openly and transparently with devolved government colleagues on these frameworks – as well as ongoing policy development across the four nations - via informal and formal structures established under the Common Framework for Agricultural Support.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government how the Sustainable Farming Initiative will apply to upland farms, and in particular, graziers.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

SFI26 is an improved version of SFI (Sustainable Farming Incentive). Upland farms below the moorland line can apply for all conventional SFI actions, provided their land is eligible, so will benefit from these improvements. Farms above the moorland line can additionally benefit from increases to some moorland payment rates.

SFI is just part of a range of support Defra offers the uplands, with other support coming from Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, Landscape Recovery, Farming in Protected Landscapes, and the place-based, community-led uplands project Defra is undertaking with Dr Hilary Cottam.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk to food and animal product exporters of a decline in official veterinarian capacity delaying export health certification ahead of the removal of sanitary and phytosanitary checks.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The UK is currently negotiating an SPS Agreement with the EU. These negotiations are at an advanced stage and expected to remove the requirement for Export Health Certificates (EHC). The Agreement will have implications for Official Veterinarians undertaking export certification, including the demand for EHC services. Defra isworking with the veterinary profession and wider industry stakeholders to monitor this capability and ensure an effective and well-managed transition.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to UK exporters of any disruption to certification capacity during the period before dynamic alignment with the EU-UK sanitary and phytosanitary agreement takes effect.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The UK is currently negotiating an SPS Agreement with the EU. These negotiations are at an advanced stage and expected to remove the requirement for Export Health Certificates (EHC). The Agreement will have implications for Official Veterinarians undertaking export certification, including the demand for EHC services. Defra isworking with the veterinary profession and wider industry stakeholders to monitor this capability and ensure an effective and well-managed transition.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to revise the minimum capacity of large raised reservoirs as set out in the Reservoir Act 1975.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Safety regulation applies to raised reservoirs holding 25,000m³ or more of water. Research over the next two years gathering evidence about reservoirs storing between 10,000m³ and 25,000m³ of water - their number, condition and hazard posed for communities downstream - will inform a decision whether to reduce the threshold to 10,000m³. Regulation, if taken forward, would also be dependent on a new reservoir safety regime being established.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of EU policies such as the Made in Europe initiative and Rules of Origin requirements on the UK motor trade and manufacturing sector.

Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Government continues to engage closely with the UK and European automotive industry to understand the potential impacts of the EU’s Industrial Accelerator Act and to make the case for an outcome that supports our shared automotive sector. The current proposal is still subject to changes whilst the file goes through the EU’s legislative process. We are also working with industry and EU counterparts to find potential solutions ahead of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement Electric Vehicle Rules of Origin rule change on 1 January 2027. Now is the time to work together as like-minded partners to boost Europe’s growth, resilience and economic security.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representation they are making to the European Union on issues affecting the UK motor sector, including those relating to supply chains and the manufacture of component parts.

Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

Maintaining frictionless trade and a close, mutually beneficial relationship with the EU for the automotive sector and its wider supply chains is a top priority for this Government. This includes securing a workable outcome on Trade and Cooperation Agreement Electric Vehicle Rules of Origin and making the case for UK inclusion in the EU’s Industrial Accelerator Act. We continue to engage with the European Commission, EU Member States, MEPs and industry on these issues to secure an outcome that supports our closely integrated supply chain with the EU. This result will ultimately benefit businesses on both sides of the Channel.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to reform agricultural tenancy agreements.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

A review of agricultural tenancy legislation which provides the framework for agricultural tenancy agreements will be delivered by the Law Commission as part of their fourteenth law reform programme. The Government will consider and respond to outcome of the Law Commission review and recommendations as part of any plans to reform agricultural tenancy agreements in future. In the meantime, Defra is working with the Farm Tenancy Forum to ensure a thriving and collaborative farm tenancy sector.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many small reservoirs have been built on farmland in the last year.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The number of small reservoirs built on farmland in the last year is not collected centrally. Many small reservoirs are not subject to regulation and there is no requirement for farmers to report on these.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the working party on farm tenancy agreements last met.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Farm Tenancy Forum most recently met on 18 June 2026 as part of its regular quarterly meeting schedule.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Land Use Framework for England and Wales and the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, particularly the use of agricultural land for renewable energy, on tenant farmers.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Whilst the impact of the Land Use Framework and Clean Power 2030 Action Plan on tenant farmers has not been directly assessed, this Government is committed to ensuring tenant farmers are included and treated fairly in land use decisions including the use of agricultural land for renewable energy.

The Land Use Framework provides data and principles to help safeguard our best agricultural land, and commits to giving tenant farmers a greater role in land use decision making through reforming the Farm Tenancy Forum, supporting farmers to stay on their land and improving access to business opportunities.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that the overnight visitor levy will have on (1) families on fixed incomes taking holidays in England, and (2) small business in the hospitality sector.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The impacts of the overnight visitor levy will be determined by local decisions. It will be for Mayors and local leaders to decide whether to introduce a levy, subject to local consultation on specific proposals. We expect local leaders to engage constructively with businesses and communities, and to publish an assessment of the impact of their proposals.

Found: 09.45am on Wednesday 9 September 2026 Present: Baroness Coffey Lord Jay of Ewelme Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

Found: Members present: Baroness Sheehan (The Chair); Baroness Coffey; Lord Jay of Ewelme; Baroness McIntosh of Pickering