To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to Question 18620 of 23 July 2026, on Housing: Land Use, what spatial modelling her Department has undertaken to assess how the Government’s target of 1.5 million new homes will be distributed between (a)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to Question 18620 of 23 July 2026, on Housing: Land Use, what spatial modelling her Department has undertaken to assess how the Government’s target of 1.5 million new homes will be distributed between (a)...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to Question 18620 on 23 July 2026, on Housing: Land Use, whether her Department has estimated the number and proportion of homes in the Government’s 1.5 million homes target that will require (a) Green...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer to Question 18620 on 23 July 2026, on Housing: Land Use, whether her Department has estimated the number and proportion of homes in the Government’s 1.5 million homes target that will require (a) Green...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department provides to homeowners seeking to a) challenge, b) renegotiate or c) clarify electricity wayleave agreements that affect the use or sale of their property.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department provides to homeowners seeking to a) challenge, b) renegotiate or c) clarify electricity wayleave agreements that affect the use or sale of their property.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether proposed reforms to electricity network infrastructure, consents, land access and rights will include protections for homeowners where inherited wayleave agreements may delay or impede a property transaction.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether proposed reforms to electricity network infrastructure, consents, land access and rights will include protections for homeowners where inherited wayleave agreements may delay or impede a property transaction.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of making crop-based biofuels eligible under the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate on UK (a) food security and (b) agricultural land use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of making crop-based biofuels eligible under the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate on UK (a) food security and (b) agricultural land use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the draft National Planning Policy Framework on the amount of development expected to take place on (a) greenfield land and (b) land outside defined settlement boundaries; whether his...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the draft National Planning Policy Framework on the amount of development expected to take place on (a) greenfield land and (b) land outside defined settlement boundaries; whether his...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the Government’s target of 1.5 million new homes that will be delivered on (a) previously developed land, (b) greenfield land within settlements, (c) greenfield land outside settlements, (d) Green...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the Government’s target of 1.5 million new homes that will be delivered on (a) previously developed land, (b) greenfield land within settlements, (c) greenfield land outside settlements, (d) Green...

My Lords, the land use framework strengthens our commitment to maintain overall food production in England. A resilient food system requires a thriving natural environment. The vast majority of agricultural land will continue to prioritise resilient food production alongside nature and climate benefits. The framework sets out how we can use land more efficiently, using a mixture of productivity improvements, multifunctional land use and the safeguarding of our most important agricultural land.

My Lords, the land use framework strengthens our commitment to maintain overall food production in England. A resilient food system requires a thriving natural environment. The vast majority of agricultural land will continue to prioritise resilient food production alongside nature and climate benefits. The framework sets out how we can use land more efficiently, using a mixture of productivity improvements, multifunctional land use and the safeguarding of our most important agricultural land.

My Lords, as the Minister is aware, England is now the only UK nation no longer receiving direct farm payments, leaving an enormous gap to be filled between the direct farm payments and the environmental payments coming into play. In that regard, the land use framework is a wasted opportunity. There should have been a greater focus on profitability and productivity. Instead, land is being taken out of food production, with livestock losing out to greenery and rewilding. She need look no further than her own area of Cumbria and Northumbria. Will the Government put the top priority on food production and food security?

My Lords, as the Minister is aware, England is now the only UK nation no longer receiving direct farm payments, leaving an enormous gap to be filled between the direct farm payments and the environmental payments coming into play. In that regard, the land use framework is a wasted opportunity. There should have been a greater focus on profitability and productivity. Instead, land is being taken out of food production, with livestock losing out to greenery and rewilding. She need look no further than her own area of Cumbria and Northumbria. Will the Government put the top priority on food production and food security?

I can absolutely reassure the noble Baroness that the land use framework makes a clear commitment to maintain overall food production in England. Analysis shows that this is achievable alongside the proposed land use changes. Also, food will be produced more sustainably from less land if we have a proper combination of multifunctional land use. We need to safeguard our most important agricultural land and look at how we improve productivity. We also know that many of the improvements that are coming through sustainable farming, such as improved soil quality, increase that productivity.

I can absolutely reassure the noble Baroness that the land use framework makes a clear commitment to maintain overall food production in England. Analysis shows that this is achievable alongside the proposed land use changes. Also, food will be produced more sustainably from less land if we have a proper combination of multifunctional land use. We need to safeguard our most important agricultural land and look at how we improve productivity. We also know that many of the improvements that are coming through sustainable farming, such as improved soil quality, increase that productivity.

My Lords, bearing in mind the current crisis over our defence budget and the fact that feeding our population will be as important to our nation’s survival as the efforts of our defence forces, I wonder whether the Minister considers it sensible land use planning to allow large tracts of our best agricultural land to be used for solar panels—sometimes 3,000 or 4,000 at a shot. When we have so many roofs, reservoirs and lesser-quality land available, it seems unwise, unstrategic and against all the best principles of the land use framework agenda.

My Lords, bearing in mind the current crisis over our defence budget and the fact that feeding our population will be as important to our nation’s survival as the efforts of our defence forces, I wonder whether the Minister considers it sensible land use planning to allow large tracts of our best agricultural land to be used for solar panels—sometimes 3,000 or 4,000 at a shot. When we have so many roofs, reservoirs and lesser-quality land available, it seems unwise, unstrategic and against all the best principles of the land use framework agenda.

The recent global instability has shown that we need to be more self-sufficient and strengthen our energy independence. Doing so can also help to lower costs and tackle climate change. In addition, farmers and landowners can choose to diversify their income through solar projects on their land, which can also increase the resilience of their farming businesses. I agree with the noble Lord that solar installations on rooftops and reservoirs are important, but on their own they cannot deliver the scale and capacity required to meet the nation’s needs. The land use framework demonstrates how we can safeguard our most productive agricultural land while

adapting land use to support nature recovery, climate resilience, housing and infrastructure. Expanding land use for renewable energy will not come at the expense of our best agricultural land, and solar developments will need to be located in the most appropriate places.

The recent global instability has shown that we need to be more self-sufficient and strengthen our energy independence. Doing so can also help to lower costs and tackle climate change. In addition, farmers and landowners can choose to diversify their income through solar projects on their land, which can also increase the resilience of their farming businesses. I agree with the noble Lord that solar installations on rooftops and reservoirs are important, but on their own they cannot deliver the scale and capacity required to meet the nation’s needs. The land use framework demonstrates how we can safeguard our most productive agricultural land while

adapting land use to support nature recovery, climate resilience, housing and infrastructure. Expanding land use for renewable energy will not come at the expense of our best agricultural land, and solar developments will need to be located in the most appropriate places.

My Lords, will the Minister say more about the promised reforms to the farm tenancy forum and what it will actually deliver? Tenants manage a third of England’s farmland yet have little say when landlords respond to new environmental or energy incentives. Can she confirm whether a tenant farmer commissioner, as recommended by the Rock review, remains under active consideration?

My Lords, will the Minister say more about the promised reforms to the farm tenancy forum and what it will actually deliver? Tenants manage a third of England’s farmland yet have little say when landlords respond to new environmental or energy incentives. Can she confirm whether a tenant farmer commissioner, as recommended by the Rock review, remains under active consideration?

I cannot confirm that question specifically—I would have to go back to the department and check—but I can say that the department is keen to work very closely with tenant farmers. That is why we have a tenant farming commissioner: we want to do everything we can to support more tenant farmers to become profitable and more secure.

I cannot confirm that question specifically—I would have to go back to the department and check—but I can say that the department is keen to work very closely with tenant farmers. That is why we have a tenant farming commissioner: we want to do everything we can to support more tenant farmers to become profitable and more secure.

My Lords, can my noble friend knock this nonsense about solar development on the head, once and for all? Is it not a fact that, if you were to take all the schemes that have been proposed to develop solar energy on agricultural land, it would amount to a very small percentage of agricultural land?

My Lords, can my noble friend knock this nonsense about solar development on the head, once and for all? Is it not a fact that, if you were to take all the schemes that have been proposed to develop solar energy on agricultural land, it would amount to a very small percentage of agricultural land?

My noble friend is right that it is a very small percentage. People sometimes think that solar panels are on agricultural land when in fact they are on brownfield. A very large solar development near where I live has just been given permission; it looks like it will be built on a lot of fields but, actually, it is an old mining site and brownfield.

My noble friend is right that it is a very small percentage. People sometimes think that solar panels are on agricultural land when in fact they are on brownfield. A very large solar development near where I live has just been given permission; it looks like it will be built on a lot of fields but, actually, it is an old mining site and brownfield.

My Lords, the land use framework identified the need for greater intensity and yields from our best farmland to compensate for the loss of production elsewhere. Market prices for agricultural commodities do not currently support an incentive to intensify this production and underpin our food security. Can the Minister clarify what support is given to farmers with this land through ELMS to meet the Government’s goals and enhance our food security? I declare my interest as a farmer.

My Lords, the land use framework identified the need for greater intensity and yields from our best farmland to compensate for the loss of production elsewhere. Market prices for agricultural commodities do not currently support an incentive to intensify this production and underpin our food security. Can the Minister clarify what support is given to farmers with this land through ELMS to meet the Government’s goals and enhance our food security? I declare my interest as a farmer.

The Government are supporting farmers through a number of different schemes. For example, we have committed at least £200 million through the farming innovation programme to support productivity improvements. We are also supporting skills development, farmer collaboration and adoption of innovative land management practices. There is a lot going on and a lot of options for farmers who are looking for support.

The Government are supporting farmers through a number of different schemes. For example, we have committed at least £200 million through the farming innovation programme to support productivity improvements. We are also supporting skills development, farmer collaboration and adoption of innovative land management practices. There is a lot going on and a lot of options for farmers who are looking for support.

My Lords, is the Minister aware that one of the solutions to food production and the use of land lies in the agritech sector? The sector can produce a lot of food under glass, et cetera, which will reduce the carbon footprint of imports, use less land and help provide food security.

The problem is the cost of energy, which defeats the business plan of the agritech sector. Are the Government prepared to look at this?

My Lords, is the Minister aware that one of the solutions to food production and the use of land lies in the agritech sector? The sector can produce a lot of food under glass, et cetera, which will reduce the carbon footprint of imports, use less land and help provide food security.

The problem is the cost of energy, which defeats the business plan of the agritech sector. Are the Government prepared to look at this?

This comes right back to the beginning: if we are to bring down energy costs, we need to be more self-sufficient in energy, and, if we are to be more self-sufficient in energy, we need to invest in renewable energies and nuclear.

This comes right back to the beginning: if we are to bring down energy costs, we need to be more self-sufficient in energy, and, if we are to be more self-sufficient in energy, we need to invest in renewable energies and nuclear.