Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the letter he received from Professor Paul Ekins and colleagues on the climate impact of approving new coal mines.

The Department has noted the letter from Professor Ekins relating to coal and climate change.

The National Planning Policy Framework approach to coal extraction proposals is that planning permission should not be granted unless it is environmentally acceptable, or its likely effects are clearly outweighed by national, local or community benefits (taking all relevant matters into account, including any residual environmental effects).

We are currently consulting on a reform of the planning system which recognises that the planning system has a role to play in the efforts to combat climate change. There is an opportunity for Professor Ekins to engage in that consultation process and I would welcome his views on how our proposed planning system should address the concerns he raises.