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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) review, and (2) reduce, the amount of productive farmland being taken out of food production for clean energy schemes.

The Land Use Framework (LUF) included a review of the demand for productive farmland from clean energy schemes and makes clear that land use change should be focussed away from our most productive farmland to prioritise resilient food production.

The key decision-making principles in the LUF are already reflected in the National Planning Policy Framework, which supports the effective use of land. Defra is also working with the National Energy System Operator and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to ensure that energy infrastructure needs are balanced with other national priorities such as food production and based on the same land use data.