Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will instruct officials in his Department to discuss with their counterparts in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs the feasibility of monitoring the loss to development of best and most versatile soil.

The use of best and most versatile farmland is for local planning authorities to lead through their Local Plans. This enables local communities to be consulted and to decide where development should go, and what local food-growing opportunities should be taken forward.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the importance for local planning authorities of taking account of the benefits of the best and most versatile farmland in preparing their Local Plans, including consideration of access to affordable, sustainable and healthy food.

Local planning authorities must consult Natural England before permitting non-agricultural development on significant areas of such land if this is outside the Local Plan.