Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he will announce Government plans for community benefit funds for solar developments following the Community Benefits and Shared Ownership for Low Carbon Infrastructure consultation which closed in July 2025.

This government has made clear that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, we will ensure they benefit from it.

We are in the process of reviewing responses to our community benefits and shared ownership for low carbon energy infrastructure working paper and intend to publish a response setting out our next steps in due course.

In the meantime, Solar Energy UK, the industry trade body, are planning to publish a voluntary community benefit protocol later this year.