Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will instruct the Health and Safety Executive to provide information on their planned inspections of battery storage units at Cleve Hill Solar Park before they are switched on.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) received your correspondence dated 19 March 2024 and 28 March 2025 regarding Cleve Hill Solar Park. HSE sent a reply to both pieces of correspondence on 27 March 2024 and 10 April 2025 respectively. I have asked HSE to re-send these replies in case you have not received them.

As HSE has stated in their responses, based on their current understanding of the activities proposed at the Cleve Hill Solar Farm it would be unlikely that they would undertake an inspection prior to the facility becoming operational. Responsibility for the safety of the operations remains with the operator of the facility who should ensure compliance with the relevant regulations. HSE has recently developed web guidance for Grid Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems to assist duty holders with compliance - Grid-scale battery energy storage systems - HSE