Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the new chair of Great British Energy was appointed through open competition; what his remuneration is; and what provisions have been put in place to prevent potential conflicts of interest.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 2492.
Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to consult local residents prior to the approval of (a) solar farms and (b) onshore wind farms.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There are established routes in the planning system which enable communities to raise concerns about solar and onshore wind developments in their area. The level and quality of community engagement, amongst other factors, will be taken into account by decision-makers.
We want both solar and onshore wind developers to continue to engage with local communities as we increase renewable deployment to meet net zero. That is why we are retaining important checks and balances in relation to community engagement and consultation.
Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Chair of Great British Energy was appointed through open competition; what his remuneration is; and whether he has registered his business interests and shareholdings.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Secretary of State considered a range of candidates for the role of Start Up Chair for Great British Energy and directly appointed Juergen Maier as the strongest candidate. DESNZ intends to run an open, fair and transparent competition to recruit the permanent Great British Energy Chair in due course. The Chair's salary is £114,400 per annum. Salaries for public appointments made by the department are usually published as part of the annual report and accounts for the relevant body. As the process for the annual report and accounts for Great British Energy is still being finalised, the department has released this information in the interests of transparency to Parliament. Juergen Maier has declared his interests as part of the appointment process.
Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to invest in technology and skills relevant to the armed forces throughout the UK.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Ministry of Defence is investing more than £6.6 billion in research and development over the next four years to ensure our Armed Forces have the technologies and skills they need to meet new and emerging threats.
In addition, the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy includes commitments to work with industry to nurture and develop relevant skills in the sectors.
Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that agricultural land on Green Belts is being preserved for agricultural purposes.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Farming efficiently and improving the environment will be rewarded through our future farming policy. The Government recognises the need to protect the natural assets which are essential to the production of food in this country.
We regularly assess the effectiveness of environmental protections and work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that planning supports agriculture and food production as well as protecting and enhancing the environment. This is reflected in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Framework requires local planning authorities to take into account all the benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land. Where significant development of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, planning authorities should seek to use poorer quality land in preference to that of a higher quality.
We are committed to protecting and enhancing the Green Belt, as set out in our manifesto, which is created by local authorities to prevent urban sprawl and the merging of settlements. Green Belt policy in the National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that open land is an essential characteristic of Green Belt, and that most new buildings in a Green Belt are inappropriate and should be refused planning permission unless justified by very special circumstances.
Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of special environmental protection for agricultural land in the Green Belt.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
Farming efficiently and improving the environment will be rewarded through our future farming policy. The Government recognises the need to protect the natural assets which are essential to the production of food in this country.
We regularly assess the effectiveness of environmental protections and work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that planning supports agriculture and food production as well as protecting and enhancing the environment. This is reflected in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Framework requires local planning authorities to take into account all the benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land. Where significant development of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, planning authorities should seek to use poorer quality land in preference to that of a higher quality.
We are committed to protecting and enhancing the Green Belt, as set out in our manifesto, which is created by local authorities to prevent urban sprawl and the merging of settlements. Green Belt policy in the National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that open land is an essential characteristic of Green Belt, and that most new buildings in a Green Belt are inappropriate and should be refused planning permission unless justified by very special circumstances.
Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of potential merits of expanding the Chilterns Area of National Beauty to include the areas of Colne Valley Regional Park and Burnham Beeches.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
Natural England, the statutory advisor to the Government on landscape, announced in June 2021 an ambitious Landscape Designations Programme. This programme includes consideration of an extension of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
The proposal submitted to Natural England for consideration to extend the Chilterns AONB includes Burnham Beeches. Before any technical designation assessments are carried out,an evidence-based area of search will be agreed with partners. The purpose of agreeing an area of search is to ensure areas that are considered likely to meet the designation criteria are included in the assessments. Inclusion of the Colne Valley would be considered at the time of determining the area of search.
Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what impact assessments his Department has undertaken on the effect of the Government's proposed changes to planning on the preservation of Green Belt.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government will continue to protect the Green Belt in line with our manifesto commitment. The new method for calculating local housing need introduced last year and reforms to the planning system through the Planning Bill will not change national planning policy on the protection of Green Belt. Local communities will still use local plan policies to establish and protect their Green Belts, and the National Planning Policy Framework will remain a material consideration. The Government has also made clear that local authorities should consider local constraints, such as Green Belt, in the process of planning for new homes.
Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the preservation of the Green Belt of increased housing targets in the Government's proposed changes to planning.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government will continue to protect the Green Belt in line with our manifesto commitment. The new method for calculating local housing need introduced last year and reforms to the planning system through the Planning Bill will not change national planning policy on the protection of Green Belt. Local communities will still use local plan policies to establish and protect their Green Belts, and the National Planning Policy Framework will remain a material consideration. The Government has also made clear that local authorities should consider local constraints, such as Green Belt, in the process of planning for new homes.
Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of construction developments in the Ivers on (a) biodiversity and (b) local wildlife welfare.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We do not centrally hold information on the potential effect of individual developments. The potential effects of developments are to be considered by local planning authorities as part of the plan-making and decision-taking process. Our partners in local government have the requisite local knowledge that allows them to make the best decisions for their own areas when it comes to development.
The Government has pledged that this generation will leave the natural environment in a better state than when we inherited it. To contribute towards this goal, the Environment Bill will legislate for mandatory 10% biodiversity net gain as a condition of most new development. Ensuring new development leads to more nature, not less, the Government will additionally legislate to introduce biodiversity net gain for new Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects in England through an amendment to the Environment Bill.
The reformed planning system will continue to protect the places of environmental and cultural value which matter to us. In line with the ambitions in our 25 Year Environment Plan, we want the reformed system to play a proactive role in promoting environmental recovery and long-term sustainability.