Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether (a) marine and maritime and (b) tourism and creative industries will be included in the Industrial Strategy.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Industrial Strategy Green Paper identified eight growth-driving sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services, Life Sciences and Professional and Business Services.

Sector Plans for the eight growth-driving sectors will be published alongside the Industrial Strategy in Spring 2025, aligned with the multi-year Spending Review. The Sector Plans will set out the specific sub-sectors of focus, identify key barriers to growth, and describe how government and industry intend to achieve long-term growth for the sector.

All sectors will benefit from wider policy reform through the Industrial Strategy’s cross-cutting policies alongside the broader Growth Mission. This will create the pro-business environment for all businesses to invest and employ, and consumers to spend with confidence.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his department has made of the potential merits of (a) promoting and (b) mandating the installation of solar panels on new large industrial developments.

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

Accelerating the deployment of solar on commercial rooftops is at the heart of our clean energy mission.

The Government promotes commercial solar by various means, including permitted development rights and fiscal incentives.

Future Buildings Standards will be introduced later this year to ensure that all newly built commercial buildings are fit for a net zero future. We expect these standards to encourage the installation of solar panels.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of installing solar panels in the unused space between train tracks.

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

Installing solar between train tracks could be a feasible solution, particularly in urban areas where the track is electrified, as there will likely already be an adequately sized grid connection. However, there are some obstacles that may inhibit the deployment of this technology, such as the challenge of grid connections in rural areas, obstruction of track maintenance, and the cost of additional transformers required to convert electricity from solar to useable high voltage DC or AC electricity for trains. Decisions on specific locations of solar deployment ultimately rest with developers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on the chalk stream recovery pack for the river Test and Itchen.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams, is a top Government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system works.

Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams, namely over abstraction, phosphorous pollution, and physical modifications of habitats. Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health is part of our overall programme of reforms for the water sector. Alongside this, we are continuing to direct investment to projects that will improve chalk streams. Through the Water Industry National Environment Programme, over 1000 improvement projects are planned within chalk stream catchments between 2024-2029.

Natural England is supporting the Environment Agency’s Test and Itchen Restoration Strategy. The aim of the project is to restore the Test and Itchen to a more functioning chalk stream habitat. This involves projects to improve the river habitat and reconnecting the river with its floodplain. The work undertaken to date has improved the chalk stream habitat, creating a more resilient river for the species which rely on it such as southern damselfly, invertebrates and fish species such as Atlantic salmon.