Select committee: Transport Committee
Conclusion 10
4th Report - National Policy Statement for Ports
Published 14 Nov 2025
Addressed to Department for Transport
Transport Committee National Policy Statement for Ports All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Decarbonising the maritime sector is a complex and long-term challenge that requires coordinated action across government, industry and planning frameworks. While the National Policy Statement for Ports is not the vehicle for setting decarbonisation policy, it plays a critical enabling role. By embedding decarbonisation considerations into planning decisions, the NPS can help ensure that future port development aligns with the UK’s broader climate commitments. (Conclusion, Paragraph 64)
From: Transport Committee, 4th Report - National Policy Statement for Ports (HC 1028), 14 November 2025
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 21 July 2026 (deadline 14 January 2026).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the Committee's general support for the revised National Policy Statement for Ports, says it is making further detailed amendments in line with its response, and states that the broad thrust of the NPSP "will, however, be unchanged".
- On Critical National Priority status, the government "does not intend to accord ports Critical National Priority (CNP) status at this juncture". It says CNP projects are likely to create port demand, and that it has strengthened the needs case in the NPSP in relation to CNP infrastructure.
- It accepts the recommendations to clarify the NPSP's applicability to projects directed under section 35 of the Planning Act 2008 and to make clear that good design is primarily functional, safe and low-impact. It will do both in the final revised NPSP.
- On the Finch judgment, it agrees the NPSP should include specific guidance on Scope 3 emissions and is providing it in the final text, but says this does not create an "automatic presumption" that a full Scope 3 analysis will be required.
- On dredging, it intends to keep a separate section in the final proposed NPSP, saying that on balance highlighting it is "justified". On deemed marine licences for harbour orders, it notes the suggestion and says it is a matter for DEFRA to consider further.