Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with Ministers in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on farmers' experiences of obtaining planning permission for agricultural planning applications, including slurry stores and livestock accommodation.

Defra and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) have had discussions at an official level about how to improve farmers’ experience of the planning process for agricultural developments, focusing on improved slurry storage. A similar approach will be used for grants to improve livestock housing. Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) are responsible for making decisions about agricultural planning applications and have statutory duties to consider the environmental impacts of applications in their area based on the evidence provided. In November, Defra published information to empower LPAs to make decisions about slurry stores funded through the Slurry Infrastructure Grant, which DLUHC signposted to in its Chief Planners Newsletter to LPAs.