To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of allowing qualifying datacentres to opt into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime on local authorities' ability to scrutinise such developments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of allowing qualifying datacentres to opt into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime on local authorities' ability to scrutinise such developments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many datacentre developments are awaiting planning permission in England, and how many of these have opted, or are eligible to opt, into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many datacentre developments are awaiting planning permission in England, and how many of these have opted, or are eligible to opt, into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project scheme.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was first published in March 2012 and sets out the government's planning policies for England. This briefing focuses on the government's proposals for significant changes to the NPPF which were consulted on between December 2025 and March 2026.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was first published in March 2012 and sets out the government's planning policies for England. This briefing focuses on the government's proposals for significant changes to the NPPF which were consulted on between December 2025 and March 2026.

Motion that this House has considered the impact of the Peak Cluster Pipeline and project. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered the impact of the Peak Cluster Pipeline and project. Agreed to on question.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the impact of the Peak Cluster Pipeline and project.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Roger.

It is good to see the Minister in his place. I hope to get some meaningful answers from him today on this project; up...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered the impact of the Peak Cluster Pipeline and project.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Roger.

It is good to see the Minister in his place. I hope to get some meaningful answers from him today on this project; up...

I fully support the right hon. Lady’s efforts on behalf of her constituents. I have an understanding of the issues. Does she agree that any final approval for the Peak Cluster project must include cast-iron, legally binding guarantees to protect landowners’ rights, and that local environmental objections and community safety...

I fully support the right hon. Lady’s efforts on behalf of her constituents. I have an understanding of the issues. Does she agree that any final approval for the Peak Cluster project must include cast-iron, legally binding guarantees to protect landowners’ rights, and that local environmental objections and community safety...

I agree, but none of that has been forthcoming to the public, no matter how hard they have tried, and the public do not want the project. Right across the region, there have been demonstrations and councils have voted against it. At a recent public meeting in Byley, close to...

I agree, but none of that has been forthcoming to the public, no matter how hard they have tried, and the public do not want the project. Right across the region, there have been demonstrations and councils have voted against it. At a recent public meeting in Byley, close to...

The North Sea Transition Authority deals with many private sector companies around oil and gas drilling. I agree that it is a public quango, but surely the right hon. Member agrees that it does not have responsibility for what Shell or BP do in the North sea any more than...

The North Sea Transition Authority deals with many private sector companies around oil and gas drilling. I agree that it is a public quango, but surely the right hon. Member agrees that it does not have responsibility for what Shell or BP do in the North sea any more than...

I thank my neighbour for asking that question. If he listens to the rest of the debate, he will see that this is not a private project; it has deep structural and financial ties to, and sign-off by, the Government. It is not, as he wrongly refers to it, a...

I thank my neighbour for asking that question. If he listens to the rest of the debate, he will see that this is not a private project; it has deep structural and financial ties to, and sign-off by, the Government. It is not, as he wrongly refers to it, a...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Roger, although the debate has probably not been conducted in the best way to discuss this topic. I draw the attention of the right hon. Member for Tatton (Esther McVey) to the recent Adjournment debate secured by her colleague the...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Roger, although the debate has probably not been conducted in the best way to discuss this topic. I draw the attention of the right hon. Member for Tatton (Esther McVey) to the recent Adjournment debate secured by her colleague the...

That is not what I said at all, Sir Roger. The debate has been perfectly in order, but I do not think the public watching will have got much from it. That is my assessment and, I am sure, the assessment of many others watching. As I was saying, I...

That is not what I said at all, Sir Roger. The debate has been perfectly in order, but I do not think the public watching will have got much from it. That is my assessment and, I am sure, the assessment of many others watching. As I was saying, I...

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

No, I will not just now, because the right hon. Lady has just given a speech. I will respond to some of her points.

No, I will not just now, because the right hon. Lady has just given a speech. I will respond to some of her points.

Then don’t be so dismissive!

Then don’t be so dismissive!

Let me respond to the right hon. Lady’s points. She has now accused me twice in this House of being “elusive” and of “obfuscation”. I have answered every single one of her written parliamentary questions. I am not responsible for the fact that she may or may not like the...

Let me respond to the right hon. Lady’s points. She has now accused me twice in this House of being “elusive” and of “obfuscation”. I have answered every single one of her written parliamentary questions. I am not responsible for the fact that she may or may not like the...

Will the Minister give way?

Will the Minister give way?

I will give way in just a second. The right hon. Lady’s point about the NSIP regime was quite wrong. Decisions are made based on applications that are submitted, but no application has been submitted. They are based on all the facts, including the community engagement that takes place—I will...

I will give way in just a second. The right hon. Lady’s point about the NSIP regime was quite wrong. Decisions are made based on applications that are submitted, but no application has been submitted. They are based on all the facts, including the community engagement that takes place—I will...

Can the Minister confirm that the final sign-off on this project, via a development consent order, will be done by the Secretary of State for Energy—by, in other words, the Government? Is that true or false?

Can the Minister confirm that the final sign-off on this project, via a development consent order, will be done by the Secretary of State for Energy—by, in other words, the Government? Is that true or false?

I think I just said that the nationally significant infrastructure project regime exists so that decisions can be made at a national level by different Secretaries of State. In this case, it is an energy project, so yes, the decision will be made by the Secretary of State for Energy....

I think I just said that the nationally significant infrastructure project regime exists so that decisions can be made at a national level by different Secretaries of State. In this case, it is an energy project, so yes, the decision will be made by the Secretary of State for Energy....