Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of data centres on local energy infrastructure, particularly during periods of extreme temperature.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Energy resilience is a top priority for the Government, which works continuously with industry to improve and maintain the resilience of energy infrastructure to a range of risks, including extreme weather events.
The Government is committed to ensuring electricity networks can meet rising electricity demand, including from data centres, throughout the year.
Government is also looking at how AI can improve resilience in the network. AI offers a way to run the electricity grid more intelligently, shifting from overbuilding and manual intervention towards real-time risk management, autonomous optimisation and consumer-led flexibility.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of data centres on nearby protected nature sites, including the proposed Norwich Apex Data Centre in the River Yare valley in Norfolk.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Due to the quasi-judicial role of Ministers in the planning system, I am unable to comment on specific planning cases. By law planning applications are determined in accordance with the local development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that plans should identify, map and safeguard the hierarchy of international, national and locally designated sites of importance for biodiversity. Furthermore, it sets out that planning policies and decisions should protect sites of biodiversity value in a manner commensurate with their statutory status or identified quality in the development plan.
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on changes to the NPPF. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here (and attached), included proposals relating to protected sites. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the water usage requirements of large-scale data centres, particularly in times of drought.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department of Business, Innovation, Science and Trade engages regularly with relevant organisations such as DEFRA and the Environment Agency, recognising the need to ensure data infrastructure does not compromise the resilience of public water supplies.
The Government supports the adoption of efficient cooling technologies, including closed-loop systems and alternative water sources such as rainwater harvesting, and national planning policy embeds consideration of sustainable water use and resource efficiency in decision making. In 2025, a joint techUK-Environment Agency survey found that 51% of surveyed sites use closed loop cooling systems, and 64% use less than 10,000m³ of water per year.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, or intend to have, about the public health benefits associated with trees and green spaces as part of the development of the forthcoming England Trees Action Plan.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government recognises the significant public health and wellbeing benefits that trees and green spaces provide. Evidence shows that green neighbourhoods and access to trees and woodlands can improve health outcomes by encouraging physical activity, increasing mental wellbeing, improving air quality and by helping to create healthier, more attractive places to live and work.
The England Trees Action Plan is currently being developed and will be published later in 2026. We are working closely with industry, researchers and other stakeholders to shape the vision, priorities and content of the plan.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relationship between tree canopy cover in urban areas and measurable outcomes for public health.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognise the link between mental and physical wellbeing and access to nature. Natural England research shows that we could save the NHS more than £2 billion a year if everyone had good access to green space. Urban green spaces alone support 2.1 million people to meet their weekly physical activity guidelines, avoiding health service costs of around £1.4 billion.
Forest Research has estimated that one additional tree per kilometre of street is associated with 1.18 fewer medical prescriptions per thousand population. If this represents a causal relationship it would translate to a value of £16 million of UK urban street trees through avoided antidepressant costs.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to incentivise collaboration between community energy organisations and local authorities in order to deliver renewable energy targets at a local level.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
DESNZ is supporting local government capacity work, including funding Regen to deliver training and guidance for planners on renewable energy and storage technologies. This will provide invaluable capacity support when partnering with community energy groups on projects.
In addition, the Local Power Plan, backed by up to £1 billion of funding from Great British Energy (GBE), sets out plans to support local projects. This includes GBE’s Partnerships Grant which will fund joint Local Government and Community Energy Projects – more detail expected later this year.
Alongside direct investment, GBE will also provide a team of experts to help communities plan and build their projects. GBE will act as a convener and coordinator to connect communities, community energy groups, local government and others to help projects to be developed.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they plan to strengthen co-ordination between high-level spatial development strategies and local energy planning to support community energy projects.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The preparation of spatial development strategies (SDS) will be a matter for strategic planning authorities. An SDS may specify or describe infrastructure, including infrastructure for mitigating or adapting to climate change, and there is a requirement to have regard to sustainable development when preparing an SDS. Any SDS will also have to take into account the National Planning Policy Framework which contains policy about both SDSs and energy. Local plans will have to be in general conformity with an adopted SDS.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support early pipeline renewable energy generation projects to move into construction and operation.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The Government is supporting early-pipeline renewable projects by pulling every lever to move them into construction and operation faster. The Government is taking multiple actions to speed up the planning process and grid connections, while providing greater investor certainty through regular Contracts for Difference auctions and measures to strengthen supply chains, so projects can be delivered swiftly.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support businesses with (1) accessing climate information, (2) adaptation planning, and (3) managing the health of employees during extreme weather.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government supports businesses to adapt to climate change through National Adaptation Programmes under the Climate Change Act 2008. The Third Programme (2023) prioritises better climate information, guidance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and identifying climate-related economic opportunities for UK growth.
The Met Office Local Authority Climate Service, launched in 2024 with Defra, provides free, localised climate data to help manage risks and reduce disruption. Further SME support comes from the Small Business Plan (2025).
The Climate Change Committee recently published its Well-Adapted UK report, HMG will carefully consider the CCC's recommendations as it develops its Fourth National Adaptation Programme, to be delivered in 2028.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to mandate climate adaptation measures in urban planning.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published on 12 December 2024, makes clear that the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change should be considered in preparing and assessing planning applications.
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new NPPF. The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to climate change adaptation.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.