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Written question asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative) on Thursday, 7 April 2022, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 25 April 2022. It was answered by Lord Callanan (Conservative) on Monday, 25 April 2022 on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Agriculture: Land

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government how they expect to reconcile food security and self-sufficiency with plans to install solar panels on agricultural land.

Answer

Solar is a cheap, versatile, and effective technology that will help limit household electricity bills and ensure Britain is less affected by fluctuations in volatile global gas prices.

The Government recognises the need to preserve productive arable farmland. Planning guidance prioritises the effective use of land and encourages the deployment of large- scale solar farms on previously developed and non-agricultural land. Where greenfield sites are considered, projects should be designed to avoid, mitigate and, where necessary, compensate for impacts. The government supports solar that is co-located with other functions (for example, agriculture, onshore wind generation, or storage) to maximise the efficiency of land use.

The UK has a high degree of food security built on supply from diverse sources; strong domestic production, as well as imports through stable trade routes.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL7818
Session
2021-22
Subjects
Agriculture Land Food Production Solar power
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk