Contributions
1,620 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsSurprise, surprise indeed. There is a clear incentive for a developer to report a lower grade of land in this context. The Minister has said to me that he would take steps to…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsUnsurprisingly, I quite agree with my right hon. Friend. It is important that we represent the constituents we are sent here to represent. If they are unhappy with solar farms…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsMy right hon. Friend is right: the scale of the panels is difficult to comprehend. My staff have worked hard on some maps comparing some of the larger projects that have been…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsI thank my hon. Friend for his contribution. I am also expecting to hear from Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire, Suffolk, Yorkshire, Redditch, the south-west and more from Lincolnshire—I…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsI see that the Minister is nodding. I also want to draw his attention to the widespread nature of this debate by listing some of the counties that we have heard from today:…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsI beg to move, That this House has considered large-scale solar farms. I will start with what we all agree on: that we need to live sustainably, that food security is important,…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsI thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention. I was not aware of the statement at the EFRA Committee, but I am aware, from my discussions with my right hon. Friend the…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsAs is usually the case, I completely agree with my right hon. Friend and parliamentary neighbour. He will be aware that 12 nationally significant infrastructure project…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsMy hon. Friend is completely right and he demonstrates that this menace stretches the length and breadth of the country. I will come later to his well- made point about the…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsI thank all my right hon. and hon. Friends for coming along to contribute either interventions or magnificent speeches. I started the debate with an agreement and I will finish it…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsMy right hon. Friend and, as he mentioned, constituency neighbour is absolutely right: it is very important that we look at the cumulative effect of the applications and the…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsThank you, Mr Henderson. It is great that the hon. Gentleman seems to be laying out some of the problems, but he does not seem to be talking about solutions. Labour wants to form…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsThe hon. Gentleman is talking about equitable distribution. I understand to some extent the point he is making, but surely there is some sense in saying that areas such as…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsHas my hon. Friend compared the land results proposed by the surveyors with the maps that DEFRA produces of what it expects the land to be and noticed the differences?18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsMy hon. Friend is making a good point about the obsolescence of products over time. Does he have any electrical appliances in his home, or is he aware of any, that have lasted for…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsI certainly think that local people should have more say in what happens in their area in this regard, but I am cautious about having a solar strategy for each area. In areas such…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsI completely agree with my right hon. Friend; in fact, he must have read my speech in advance, because my next point is that it is questionable to what extent solar is the most…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsI agree with my hon. Friend and thank him for supporting my calls for the Minister to ensure that the guidance is tightened up to protect our farmland. It is clear that developers…18 Apr 2024HANSARDLarge-scale Solar FarmsI thank my right hon. Friend for his intervention. He summarises large parts of my speech succinctly. Another issue that I want to raise is that although large-scale solar may…18 Apr 2024HANSARDTobacco and Vapes BillI rise in support of the Government’s Bill. One of the first speakers this afternoon was my hon. Friend the Member for Bosworth (Dr Evans), who talked about his first job in…16 Apr 2024