Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Recommendation 38
38
Deferred
Paragraph: 177
Resource planning bodies adequately and embed net zero targets into the planning system
Recommendation
The Government should ensure that bodies within the planning system (such as local authorities, the Planning Inspectorate, and the Marine Management Organisation) are adequately resourced to process and comment on applications faster. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero should work with the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities, as well as local government and the devolved administrations, to ensure that the planning system embeds and gives priority to the UK’s legally binding net zero target and the UK Government’s target to decarbonise power by 2035.
Government response summary AI-generated
The Electricity System Operator's (ESO) response details its role in balancing the electricity network, integrating low-carbon technologies into the Balancing Mechanism, and monitoring carbon intensity, without addressing the committee's recommendations for resourcing planning bodies or embedding net zero targets in the planning system.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
177
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
87. In February, the Government published its Action Plan for reforming the planning system for Nationally Significant Infrastructure. This recognises the resource, capacity and skills issues that face the system. The Action Plan was published by the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities and was co-signed by the Secretaries of State for Energy, for Transport and for the Environment. Decarbonisation of the energy system is a priority for the Government, as is the natural environment, food production and transport infrastructure. All of these areas will benefit from the additional resource that will be put into the planning system as a result of measures going the House in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. Government will shortly be publishing a consultation document on implementing the Action Plan.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗