UK Inquiry Tracker

Energy National Policy Statements

Business and Trade Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 3 Nov 2021 Closed: 27 Apr 2023 Parliament page

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee is to carry out an inquiry into the revised energy National Policy Statements (NPS). The current suite of energy National Policy Statements were designated by the Department of Energy and Climate Change in 2011. The revised energy NPS were tabled by the Government … Read more The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee is to carry out an inquiry into the revised energy National Policy Statements (NPS). The current suite of energy National Policy Statements were designated by the Department of Energy and Climate Change in 2011. The revised energy NPS were tabled by the Government on 20 September 2021 (HCWS295). They set out the Government’s policy for the delivery of energy infrastructure and provide the legal framework for planning decisions in key energy policy areas: fossil fuels (EN-2); renewables (EN-3); gas supply and gas and oil pipelines (EN-4); electricity networks (EN-5); and nuclear (EN-6). They each sit below an overarching energy NPS (EN-1) which sets out the need for new energy infrastructure. The Government announced a review of the current suite of energy National Policy Statements (NPS) in the Energy White Paper: Powering our net zero future in December 2020. The Government launched a public consultation on the draft revised energy National Policy Statements, supporting habitats and sustainability reports and associated appendices on 6 September 2021. This is a separate process to the Select Committee’s inquiry. Inquiry background The Government’s Energy White Paper set a long-term strategic vision for the energy system, consistent with net zero emissions by 2050. The White Paper establishes a goal of moving away from fossil fuels to clean energy and the Government reviewed all the National Policy Statements for energy infrastructure and determined that EN-1 to EN-5 documents should be amended to reflect the policies set out in the White Paper and support the investment required to build the infrastructure needed for transition to net zero. A review of EN-6 concluded that it will not be amended and therefore it does not form part of the Government’s consultation or this inquiry. The NPS has effect for the decisions by the Secretary of State on applications for energy developments that are nationally significant under the Planning Act 2008. For such applications this NPS, combined with any technology specific energy NPS where relevant, provides the primary policy for decisions by the Secretary of State. Under the Planning Act 2008 the Secretary of State must also have regard to any local impact report submitted by a relevant local authority, any relevant matters prescribed in regulations, the Marine Policy Statement (MPS) and any applicable Marine Plan, and any other matters which the Secretary of State thinks are both important and relevant to the planning decision. The NPS must receive Parliamentary approval before new major energy infrastructure can be delivered. The Secretary of State will decide all applications for nationally significant infrastructure projects in England and Wales, adjacent territorial waters and the offshore Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) (except any part in relation to which Scottish Ministers have functions). In Northern Ireland, planning consent for all nationally significant infrastructure projects is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. Show less

14 Recommendations

6 Conclusions

1 Report

2 Oral sessions

6 Letters

2 Events

Activity timeline 12 events

27 Apr
2023

Report published

Fourth Special Report - Revised (Draft) National Policy Statement for Energy: Government response to the Committee’s Ninth Report of Sessio…

25 Feb
2022

Report published

Ninth Report - Revised (Draft) National Policy Statement for Energy

25 Jan
2022

Correspondence

Letter from the Chair to the Committee for Climate Change on the Energy National Policy Statements

18 Jan
2022

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

18 Jan
2022

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster

NPS

14 Jan
2022

Correspondence

Letter from the Chair to Ofgem on energy network resilience

14 Jan
2022

Correspondence

Letter from the Chair to the Energy Networks Association on energy network resilience

14 Jan
2022

Correspondence

Letter from the Chair to the National Infrastructure Commission on investment in electricity transmission and distribution networks

14 Jan
2022

Correspondence

Letter from the Energy Networks Association on electricity networks' response to Storm Arwen

14 Jan
2022

Correspondence

Letter from Ofgem on network resilience arrangements

7 Dec
2021

Oral evidence

Oral evidence session

7 Dec
2021

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster

Scrutiny of National Policy Statement - Energy

Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions

18 Jan 2022

View on parliament.uk

Oral evidence session

Gareth Phillips · National Infrastructure Planning Association Jan Bessell · National Infrastructure Planning Association Jeremy Allen · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Julian Boswall · National Infrastructure Planning Association Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Rt Hon Greg Hands · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

7 Dec 2021

View on parliament.uk

Oral evidence session

Aled Rowlands · National Grid Chris Richards · Institution of Civil Engineers Danielle Lane · Offshore Wind Industry Council Dr. Nick Hughes · University College London Institute for Sustainable Resources Emma Pinchbeck · Energy UK James Richardson · National Infrastructure Commission Paul McGimpsey · Energy Networks Association Tania Davey · The Wildlife Trusts

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Ninth Report - Revised (Draft) National Policy Statement for Ene…	HC 1151	25 Feb 2022	20	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

6 results

15 Conclusion

Ninth Report - Revised (Draft) Nat…

We welcome the clarity in the NPS on undergrounding which will speed up the process...

We welcome the clarity in the NPS on undergrounding which will speed up the process for planning electricity connections through designated areas.

Department for Business and Trade

View details

16 Recommendation

Ninth Report - Revised (Draft) Nat…

We recommend that Ministers consider whether reference to undergrounding should be extended to include application...

We recommend that Ministers consider whether reference to undergrounding should be extended to include application in areas where network resilience, for example to extreme weather events, is considered more likely in the future. We ask that Ministers write to this … Read more

Department for Business and Trade

View details

17 Conclusion

Ninth Report - Revised (Draft) Nat…

We welcome the review of the NPS for energy which updates the planning framework for...

We welcome the review of the NPS for energy which updates the planning framework for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects in line with the Government’s policy commitments as set out in the Energy White Paper. In doing so, it should help … Read more

Government Response

Department for Business and Trade

View details

18 Recommendation

Ninth Report - Revised (Draft) Nat…

Overall, we recommend that the revised (draft) NPS needs to place greater emphasis on the...

Overall, we recommend that the revised (draft) NPS needs to place greater emphasis on the impact of climate change and the speed at which new infrastructure will need to be built to meet the Government’s net zero target. It must … Read more

Department for Business and Trade

View details

19 Recommendation Not Addressed

Ninth Report - Revised (Draft) Nat…

The revised NPS for energy should be a clear and unambiguous statement of the key...

The revised NPS for energy should be a clear and unambiguous statement of the key principles underpinning the planning framework, thereby allowing a clear statement of intent while also allowing sufficient flexibility to take into account new and emerging technologies. … Read more

Government Response

Incomplete response. Appears to be the start of a statement about the NPS for energy and technology roadmaps.

Department for Business and Trade

View details

20 Recommendation

Ninth Report - Revised (Draft) Nat…

We recommend that Government reviews the NPS for energy at least once every five years...

We recommend that Government reviews the NPS for energy at least once every five years and that Ministers ensure the resilience of our energy infrastructure is included in these reviews going forward. (Paragraph 76) 24 Revised (Draft) National Policy Statement … Read more

Department for Business and Trade

View details

Government Response AI assessment · 12 of 14 classified

Accepted 5

Accepted in Part 1

Acknowledged 2

Deferred 2

Not Addressed 1

Rejected 1

Total 14 recs + 6 conclusions

Correspondence 6 letters

25 Jan 2022 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Committee for Climate Change on the Energy National Policy Statements

Parliament page

14 Jan 2022 To committee Letter from the Chair to Ofgem on energy network resilience

Parliament page

14 Jan 2022 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Energy Networks Association on energy network resilience

Parliament page

14 Jan 2022 To committee Letter from the Chair to the National Infrastructure Commission on investment in electricity transmission and distribution networks

Parliament page

14 Jan 2022 To committee Letter from the Energy Networks Association on electricity networks' response to Storm Arwen

Parliament page

14 Jan 2022 To committee Letter from Ofgem on network resilience arrangements

Parliament page