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 impact the development of solar farms on agricultural land on food (a) security and (b) production.

The Government recognises the need to preserve the UK’s farmland. Planning guidance encourages solar projects to use previously developed land, and be designed to avoid, mitigate, and compensate for their impacts.

The UK’s high degree of food security is based on diversified supply, strong domestic production, and stable imports. The UK produces 60% of all the food it needs, and 74% of food that can be produced in the UK. These figures have changed little over the last 20 years. It is possible to maintain and increase food production sustainably in some areas, while seeing land use change in others.