Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the draft Energy National Policy Statements, what assessment she has made of the environmental impact of extending the proposed Critical National Priority presumption to any low carbon energy infrastructure (a) onshore and (b) offshore, including (i) nuclear generation and (ii) nature gas fired generation which is carbon capture ready.

The Department has published an Appraisal of Sustainability of the National Policy Statements. The Appraisal of Sustainability provides an assessment of Critical National Priority under several headline themes, including the natural environment, and includes proposed monitoring to examine the effects predicted through the Appraisal of Sustainability against the actual effects of the National Policy Statements when they are implemented.

The published Post Adoption Statement also addresses amendments to the National Policy Statements that have been informed by the Appraisal of Sustainability findings.