Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department has taken to track the proportion of solar developments in Buckinghamshire that incorporate biodiversity net gain requirements.

Biodiversity net gain is a legal requirement under the Environment Act 2021. This means that, to acquire planning permission, biodiversity must increase by 10% compared to previous levels. This is currently only the case for projects being decided in the local planning system. Defra is consulting on mandatory biodiversity net gain for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) and any changes in policy will be reflected in future updates to the National Policy Statements.