Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with representatives from Aquind Interconnector on running a route for cables through open country west of the A3 road area from Portsdown Hill to Hambledon Road, along the B2150.

The application for development consent for the proposed Aquind Interconnector has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate and is currently being examined by them. Neither my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State, who has recused himself from any part in the decision-making process, nor his Ministers have had any discussions with representatives of Aquind Limited, the developer of the Aquind Interconnector, about route options for the proposed Interconnector.