Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of designating data centres as Critical National Priority within the planning system.

The Government recognises the critical role of data centres in supporting economic growth, innovation, and the UK’s national resilience and sovereignty. We are developing a Data Centre National Policy Statement, which will set out the framework for decisions on projects seeking consent through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime. Critical National Priority status is one of the policy approaches we will consider through this process. Whatever approach is taken, the NPS will reflect both the strategic importance of enabling data centre development and the need to avoid and mitigate environmental and local impacts appropriately.