Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of solar farm developments on the availability of agricultural land for food production.

The Government recognises that food security is national security. We need a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British farmers and food producers.

To support this commitment, the Government has launched a consultation on Land Use in England. The outcome will inform the publication of a Land Use Framework, planned for later this year, which will provide certainty and clarity to landowners and land managers as they transition towards new farming models in a way that protects the most productive agricultural land, and best secures the nation’s long term food security. The National Planning Policy Framework is also clear that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.