Written questions by Anderson.

What the role Great British Energy will be in energy (a) planning and (b) consenting when acting as a co-developer.

Great British Energy (GBE) will invest in, own, and develop clean energy projects throughout all stages of their life cycle, from early development through to successful operation. This will include leading on developing projects itself, as well as being an engaged and proactive co-developer with the private sector, public landowners, devolved and local government, community energy groups, and wider public finance institutions and bodies. Projects that GBE develops will be taken forward through the planning and consenting system in the same way as any other commercial project.

What steps he is taking to ensure consistency in his planning decisions on applications for solar farm with proposed generating capacity above 50 MW.

Decisions on consent applications for ‘nationally significant’ projects are made in accordance with legislation set out in the Planning Act 2008, and the relevant National Policy Statement made in accordance with that Act. For solar, this is the Renewable Energy National Policy Statement, which sets out how nationally significant solar projects should be assessed. For solar farms with a generating capacity below the ‘nationally significant’ threshold, planning decisions are made by Local Planning Authorities in line with the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The threshold for solar projects is currently 50MW but is increasing to 100MW from 31 December 2025.

What comparative assessment he has made of the average time taken for planning decisions for solar farm applications in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) nationally.

Nationally Significant Infrastructure decisions are taken by this department and the majority of solar farm applications have been taken within the statutory deadline, although extensions are occasionally required. This department does not hold information on the time taken for solar application decisions taken by Local Authorities.

What assessment his Department has made of the resilience of energy storage infrastructure co-located with solar energy developments in Buckinghamshire.

The Department has made no specific assessment on this. We have outlined our plans for the deployment of battery storage in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan and will work with industry, NESO and Ofgem to build on those actions through the Low Carbon Flexibility Roadmap announced in the Clean Power Action Plan. This will include actions to enable the deployment of batteries, on their own and co-located with generation.

What recent estimate his Department has made of the economic contribution of the solar supply chain including (a) manufacturers and (b) installers in Buckinghamshire.

No such estimate has been made by the Department. We recognise that manufacturers and installers will contribute significantly to our clean power ambitions. The Solar Roadmap sets out actions for Government and industry aimed at maximising the opportunities arising from further commercialisation of solar technologies and components and delivering a resilient, highly skilled, well-paid solar workforce throughout the UK.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of non-domestic rooftops with solar installation potential under the revised national solar deployment targets in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes.

No assessment has been made. However, the Government is aware of the significant potential that commercial rooftops have to play in our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower. The recently published Solar Roadmap sets out actions for government and industry to unlock this potential including developing guidance for landlords and tenants to navigate the complex lease agreements that often hold back rooftop solar deployment.

What steps his Department has taken to track the proportion of solar developments in Buckinghamshire that incorporate biodiversity net gain requirements.

Biodiversity net gain is a legal requirement under the Environment Act 2021. This means that, to acquire planning permission, biodiversity must increase by 10% compared to previous levels. This is currently only the case for projects being decided in the local planning system. Defra is consulting on mandatory biodiversity net gain for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) and any changes in policy will be reflected in future updates to the National Policy Statements.

What steps his Department is taking to provide up-to-date guidance on cumulative impact assessment for solar infrastructure to Buckinghamshire Council.

Planning guidance already sets out how decision-makers should consider cumulative impacts where a number of solar projects are deployed in close proximity, and is clear that projects are designed to avoid, mitigate and where necessary compensate for this. Solar farms can usually be easily screened by hedges and other vegetation, and visual impact is carefully considered during the planning process.

What steps his Department is taking to monitor the effectiveness of local authority engagement strategies with residents during the planning of solar developments in Buckinghamshire.

The Government does not set out or monitor how individual local authorities, including Buckinghamshire, engage residents in the planning of solar developments, in recognition of their autonomy and flexibility to deliver net zero according to each local area’s varying needs and opportunities. Nationally, Government engages with the public on solar and other low carbon technologies in the Public Attitudes Tracker, a triannual household survey tracking public awareness and attitudes relating to the Department’s policy areas. The Government is working with GBE to develop the Local Power Plan, to turbocharge the UK’s local and community energy sector. Charles Warren Academy in Milton Keynes was one of the first schools to receive solar panels funded by GBE alongside the Department for Education.

What steps his Department is taking with distribution network operators to help reduce grid connection delays for solar projects proposed in Buckinghamshire.

We are working closely with Ofgem and the network companies to develop and deliver fundamental reform of the grid connections process. National Energy System Operator’s proposals for connections reform were approved by Ofgem on 15 April. These reforms will release up to 500GW of capacity from the oversubscribed connections queue. This will enable accelerated connections, including for solar projects in Buckinghamshire connecting at both transmission and distribution level, where they are ready and aligned with our strategic needs, as set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.

What assessment his Department has made of the total area of low-grade agricultural land suitable for ground-mounted solar deployment in Buckinghamshire.

The Department currently monitors the geographical location of solar developments through the Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD). While we currently do not hold data on the type of land used in different counties, there are plans to broaden the scope of this database to provide information on the area and types of agricultural land used by existing solar projects and those in the planning pipeline.

What estimate his Department has made of the proportion of community solar project applications in Buckinghamshire that have progressed to commissioning since 2022.

Solar is at the heart of the Government's mission to make the United Kingdom a clean energy superpower. In 2025/26, we have set up £5 million in grant funding through the Great British Energy Community Fund (GBE:CF), which is available to community energy groups to help communities develop their own clean energy projects, including solar-powered generation. Since 2022, the department has funded a hydro project in the Buckinghamshire region through the Community Energy Fund. No solar projects have been funded to date. However, the Greater Southeast Hub is currently reviewing applications from the window that closed on the 7th July.

What discussions he has had with local authorities on supporting the development of green innovation investment zones.

As set out in the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, part of the Industrial Strategy, the department is launching a new Industrial Strategy Zones Net Zero Network, which will support collaboration between partners in Industrial Strategy Zones such as Investment Zones and Freeports, including local authorities.

With reference to the press release by EDF entitled EDF announces the principle of investment in Sizewell C project with a view to the final investment decision, published on 8 July 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) additional investment from EDF in the UK nuclear sector and (b) the agreements on civil nuclear co-operation on (i) industrial policy relating to the nuclear sector, (ii) domestic supply chains and (iii) export opportunities.

EDF has announced it will in principle invest into Sizewell C such that its stake in the project would be 12.5% following a final investment decision (FID). Details of the commercial structure of Sizewell C are commercially sensitive as we conclude the capital raise process – further details will be published at the point of FID. Sizewell C is expected to support around 10,000 jobs at peak construction and thousands more in the wider supply chain, as well as creating 1,500 apprenticeships. Sizewell C has 3500 UK suppliers and plans to award 70% of construction value to UK businesses. This Government is committed to attracting the investment required to deliver future nuclear projects. The UK has long established relationships with international partners considering civil nuclear deployment.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of EDF increasing its equity stake in Sizewell C to on the adequacy of the project's (a) commercial financing model and (b) risk allocation among public and private stakeholders.

EDF has announced it will in principle invest into Sizewell C such that its stake in the project would be 12.5% following a final investment decision (FID). Details of the commercial structure of Sizewell C are commercially sensitive as we conclude the capital raise process – further details will be published at the point of FID. Sizewell C is expected to support around 10,000 jobs at peak construction and thousands more in the wider supply chain, as well as creating 1,500 apprenticeships. Sizewell C has 3500 UK suppliers and plans to award 70% of construction value to UK businesses. This Government is committed to attracting the investment required to deliver future nuclear projects. The UK has long established relationships with international partners considering civil nuclear deployment.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the revised national policy statements for energy infrastructure on energy infrastructure development in Buckinghamshire.

Energy National Policy Statements are not spatial and therefore do not include reference to specific geographical impacts. National Policy Statements provide the framework for decision-making on development consent orders and include clear guidance for developers on stringent requirements to assess and address project-level impacts within their applications. Strategic environmental assessments (Appraisal of Sustainability and Habitats Regulations Assessment) of the draft National Policy Statements have been published on gov.uk for public consultation, alongside the revised draft National Policy Statements.

What estimate he has made of how many jobs carbon capture and storage network initiatives will create in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes over the next five years.

A strong UK CCUS sector will support well paid, highly skilled jobs across the UK, supporting 50,000 jobs in the 2030s across the CCUS industry. Whilst there are no projects that are currently being negotiated with HMG through the cluster sequencing process, in the mentioned areas, the CCUS sector is expected to have a positive impact with DESNZ analysis showing that CCUS has the potential to generate £4-5bn GVA per year by 2050.

What estimate he has made of the potential change in renewable energy capacity in (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire over the next five years.

The Department does not forecast changes in renewable electricity capacity at this level. The progress of UK renewable electricity projects over 150 kW through the planning system are published in the Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD).

What the current capacity is of renewable energy generation in Buckinghamshire.

Renewable electricity generation statistics for each local authority are published in Regional Renewable Statistics. At the end of 2023, Buckinghamshire’s recorded electricity generation capacity was 223 MW.

What estimate he has made of the contribution to the UK's 2030 net zero target of (a) Milton Keynes and (b) Buckinghamshire.

Central Government does not set net zero targets for local government, however, Government recognises the important role of local places, including Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire, to help realise our national 2050 net zero target. Great British Energy, our new publicly-owned energy company, will support local energy generation by partnering with Mayoral Strategic Authorities, Devolved Governments and local and community energy groups to increase the roll-out of renewable energy projects. Government also funds the Local Net Zero Hubs which support local authorities across England to develop net zero projects and attract commercial investment, including through information and knowledge-sharing.