Oral Answers to Questions

Alicia Kearns Excerpts

Tuesday 21st May 2024 Commons Chamber

[Amanda Solloway]

I encourage the hon. Lady to write to me on this particular issue and I will look into it.

[Alicia Kearns (Rutland and Melton) (Con)]

I put on record my heartfelt thanks to the Secretary of State and the Minister for Nuclear and Renewables for the action they took last week to put food security, alongside renewable energy, at the heart of local planning decisions. What are the Government doing to ensure that all councils immediately enact that policy, because it is both for local councils and for Government? Will existing soil assessments stand for nationally significant infrastructure projects, or will they be redone?

[Andrew Bowie]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question and her kind words. I am pleased to confirm to the House that my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety has written to all local authorities to draw their attention to the statement last week, which underlined our robust policy on solar farms on our best and most versatile agricultural land. Local planners should know this Government are serious about solar being put in the right places, and not on the best and most versatile agricultural land.