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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of facilitating biodiversity net gain for energy projects progressed through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime, as part of his Department’s plan for a Green Industrial Revolution.

The Government was clear in its 25 Year Environment Plan that its commitment to seek to embed a principle of environmental net gain for development applies to energy infrastructure as well as housing. However, it is important that any strengthening of biodiversity net gain requirements for the nationally significant infrastructure regime is done at the right time and in the right way.

There are a number of ways in which this could be implemented and it is important that time is taken to work with stakeholders to develop an appropriate approach. The Government will be consulting on further details in due course.