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Proposed Revision of the National Policy Statement for Ports

Today I am laying before Parliament the draft amended National Policy Statement for Ports (NPSP).

The extant NPSP was designated in 2012. It sets out the need for development of ports in England, and at reserved trust ports in Wales, currently Milford Haven. The NPSP provides guidance for applicants in preparing, and for the Secretary of State in determining, applications for development consent orders (DCOs) for sea port applications.

The previous Government announced a review of the current NPSP in a written ministerial statement in March 2023. In light of our missions and priorities, this Government has continued that review and has decided to amend the document.

Today, I have launched a public consultation on a draft revised NPSP, along with an Appraisal of Sustainability (AoS) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA). These are subject to a public consultation period of 8 weeks and to Parliamentary scrutiny in parallel. My Department is also publishing port freight demand forecasts for the United Kingdom as a whole, to which the draft NPSP refers. The documents are available on gov.uk.

I will place copies of the public consultation document, the Appraisal of Sustainability, and the Habitats Regulation Assessment in the Libraries of the House. The public consultation will close on 29 July 2025. The relevant period for parliamentary scrutiny will be from 4 June to 14 November 2025.

The review of the NPSP is proceeding in parallel with our wider programme of planning reforms, including the Planning & Infrastructure Bill currently before this House, designed to expedite and facilitate decision-making, and stimulate growth and green energy transformation.