Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the pause on permitting school solar projects to put in place a standardised power purchase agreement and lease template on schools' ability to lower their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint through working with community energy groups and other suppliers.

The government recognises the challenges education providers face in meeting rising energy costs. We are developing a standardised Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and associated land documentation as one of several measures to help schools access affordable energy. The PPA will be available for use by all, including community energy groups, with robust terms that protect schools and secure value for money.

Applications for consent to enter non-pilot solar PPAs are temporarily paused while this work is completed, so schools can use the approved documents once published. We recognise the delays this has caused.

Meanwhile, schools can access competitively priced energy through DfE Energy for Schools. Building on the Great British Energy Solar Partnership, we are also taking forward grant-funded solar installations through the Renewal and Retrofit Programme to support longer-term reductions in energy bills and carbon emissions.