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Written Question
Batteries: Storage
Tuesday 8th October 2024

Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to introduce (a) new national standards for the construction of facilities and (b) operational safety regulations for battery energy storage systems.

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

The Government recognises the importance of having robust measures in place to manage battery energy storage system (BESS) safety. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates BESS under a regulatory regime which requires BESS designers, installers, and operators to take the necessary health and safety measures throughout all stages of the system’s construction, operation and decommissioning.


Written Question
Local Plans: Horsham
Monday 2nd September 2024

Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether it is her policy that the Horsham District Council local plan should be allowed to progress without alteration in the context of her proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I regret that due to the Deputy Prime Minister’s quasi-judicial role in the planning system, I am unable to comment on the details of a specific local plan.

More generally, as part of our current consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework, we have proposed transitional arrangements to maintain the progress of plans at more advanced stages of preparation. These will apply differently depending on what stage of preparation the plan has reached and the extent to which it is meeting the Government’s housing growth aspirations.

We would encourage any views on the proposed transitional arrangements, or any alternatives that we should consider, to be submitted in response to the consultation.


Written Question
Housing
Monday 2nd September 2024

Asked by: John Milne (Liberal Democrat - Horsham)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to amend the standard method formula for calculating housing need.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government has set out changes to how we plan for the homes we need as part of the consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework launched on 30 July. This includes a proposal to amend the standard method formula for calculating housing need.