Found: Recommendation 26: The Government should explain what changes they have made to the Agriculture, Land

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of solar farms on the availability of agricultural land.

Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Solar and farming can be complementary, and the Government encourages deployment of solar technology that delivers environmental co-benefits, with consideration for ongoing food production.

The Government recognises the need to preserve our most productive farmland as far as possible. The recently published and updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out that planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside, including the economic and other benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land.

Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality. The availability of agricultural land used for food production should be considered, alongside the other policies in the NPPF, when deciding what sites are most appropriate for development.

Found: Sectors Transport Lead Business/industry Lead Buildings Lead Lead Power and greenhouse gas removalsLead Agriculture

Found: Recommendation 26: The Government should explain what changes they have made to the Agriculture, Land

Found: Land Management and Production (Level 3) 610/2933/6 All other T levels Checkpoint 08-Apr-24 30-Apr-24

Found: Land Management and Production (Level 3) 610/2933/6 All other T levels Checkpoint 08-Apr-24 30-Apr-24

Found: and programmes have been set up to facilitate a transition to a new policy and system of support for agriculture

Found: and programmes have been set up to facilitate a transition to a new policy and system of support for agriculture

Found: opinion in the Aberdeenshire Local Authority area, where farmers sought to restructure land under the Agriculture

Found: Agriculture, Land Drainage and Irrigation Projects (EIA) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 iv.

Found: Works (EIA) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 Town and Country Planning (EIA) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 Agriculture

Found: restoration targets , • building on minimum regulatory standards ; • Just Transition which supports agriculture

Found: restoration targets; • building on minimum regulatory standards; • Just Transition which supports agriculture

Found: restoration targets; • building on minimum regulatory standards; • Just Transition which s upports agriculture

Found: restoration targets; • building on minimum regulatory standards; • Just Transition which supports agriculture

Found: This will include areas such as agriculture, land reform, marine, islands, transport, housing, social