Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what proportion of the capacity required to meet the 47GW solar target by 2030 will come from (a) rooftop installations, (b) brownfield and previously developed land and (c) greenfield development; and what steps he is taking to prevent the greenfield element falling disproportionately on high-quality agricultural land.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has not set discrete targets for rooftop and ground-mounted solar by 2030.
However, modelling suggests that, even in the most ambitious scenarios, only up to 0.4% of UK land (0.6% of agricultural land) would be devoted to solar in 2030.
Planning guidance makes clear that, wherever possible, developers should utilise brownfield sites. Where the development of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, lower-quality land should be preferred. Each project is subject to a rigorous planning process, in which any impact on land use or food production is considered.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what Natural Flood Management projects are currently funded by the Environment Agency within Central Suffolk and North Ipswich constituency; what their total value is; and what evidence has been gathered on their effectiveness in reducing flood risk for downstream properties.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Anglian Eastern Regional Flood Coastal Committee has a Local Levy funding stream for Risk Management Authorities to support delivery of Natural Flood Management (NFM) projects. Successfully funded projects within the constituency include:
Further bids within the constituency are under review. Evidence on the effectiveness of NFM measures has been compiled through national research programmes, into the Natural Flood Management Evidence. This provides an evidence base to help assess the likely flood risk reduction benefits that NFM can deliver.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether independent Agricultural Land Classification surveys conducted by a qualified soil scientist are a mandatory requirement before solar farm applications on potential BMV land are determined.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Agricultural Land Classification surveys are typically conducted using existing site survey reports, where available.
Where this isn’t the case, the developer commissions a new survey, which should be conducted by soil scientists, or experienced soil specialists who are members of the British Society of Soil Science, the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants, or similar professional bodies.
The quality and accuracy of Agricultural Land Classification reports are reviewed by Natural England. Their findings are reported to planning decision-makers.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the new flood funding policy will change the Government Outcome Rate threshold that schemes in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich constituency must meet to qualify for Environment Agency capital funding.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In October 2025, following consultation, the government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. The reforms will make it quicker and easier to deliver the right flood defences in the right places by simplifying our funding rules.
Under the new rules, which came into effect on 1 April 2026, flood and coastal erosion risk management projects are eligible for 100% for the first £3 million of their costs, and 90% above £3 million. Projects will be prioritised by their benefit-to-cost ratios to drive value for money, with partnership contributions boosting a project’s prioritisation.
To support our new floods funding policy, on the 3 March 2026 the Environment Agency published a suite of guidance to support the development of projects. The information is available on GOV.UK here.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2026 to question 11989, if she will provide further information relating to plans to review the funding formula for capital funding to local highways authorities; when the review will be conducted; how the review will be conducted; and how long the review will take.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Highways maintenance block allocations have been made up to and including financial year 2029/30.
The Department has not yet set a date for the review. It will be important to ensure that the review takes place close to the point that allocations for 2030/31 are made to ensure evidence gathered during the review does not become out of date.
When conducting the review, the Department expects to engage with local highway authorities about any future changes to the allocation methodology to understand how any changes might impact on their services.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what process will determine the final geographic boundaries of the three new unitary authorities in Suffolk; who will conduct that process; and what the timetable is for its completion.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The final geographic boundaries of the three new unitary authorities in Suffolk have been decided by the Secretary of State who has announced that he will exercise his power to modify the base proposal received from West Suffolk, Babergh, Mid Suffolk, East Suffolk and Ipswich district councils. This modfication will set the boundaries of the three new councils as requested in the proposal. These boundaries will be reflected in the structural changes order that establishes the new councils, expected to be laid later this year.
We expect elections to the new shadow councils for these areas to be held in April 2027, with new unitary councils with these geographic boundaries going live in April 2028.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what guidance his Department issues to planning inspectors on the weighting to be given to Best and Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land when determining solar farm appeals; and whether he plans to update that guidance.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Appeals against planning refusal are decided in accordance with the applicable planning policies – in most cases, these are the National Planning Policy Framework and the Planning Practice Guidance.
These state that, wherever possible, developers should utilise previously developed land; where the development of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, lower-quality land should be preferred. Decision-makers should also consider whether the proposal allows for continued agricultural use where applicable and/or encourages biodiversity improvements around arrays.
The Government keeps planning policy under constant review. The Planning Practice Guidance will be updated in due course.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which flood defence schemes are included in the capital programme for flood and coastal erosion risk management in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich constituency for 2026-2036; and what the (a) expected completion date and (b) number of properties protected is for each scheme.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is investing at least £10.5 billion until 2036 to construct new flood schemes and repair existing defences, protecting communities from the devastating impacts of climate change. Through the largest flood programme in history, this record investment will benefit nearly 900,000 properties.
The list of schemes receiving funding for 2026/27 was published in March and can be found here.
Projects to receive future government funding will be agreed in the usual way, on an annual basis, through the Environment Agency’s annual refresh process, which includes local representation from Regional Flood and Coastal Committees.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the highways maintenance block formula on rural counties such as Suffolk.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Every area faces its own unique challenges. That is why highways maintenance funding is based on established national datasets like road lengths, to help make the system as fair as possible across the country.
The Government plans to review the funding formula that it uses to distribute capital funding to local highways authorities to see whether it can be adjusted to consider, for example, the conditions that affect the wear and tear of local roads. Any review would be conducted to align with the end of the period for which highways maintenance block allocations have already been made.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the closure of applications for SFI agreements on farm businesses that had not entered one; and what bridging support is available ahead of the SFI 2026 application window.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has allocated a record £11.8bn to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament. This is being invested in a range of grants and schemes to support farmers, including the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, Landscape Recovery, and ELM capital grants. There are now over 44,500 multi-year live SFI agreements.
Defra expects to open the first SFI26 application window from 30 June. This window will be for small farms and farms without environmental land management revenue agreements, so as many farmers as possible can benefit from agreements.