As you are aware, on 11th February, I bid for a Backbench Business Debate on large-scale solar farms. I am delighted to have now secured this for Thursday 15th May. This will take place in the House of Commons Chamber where I will be putting forwards the concerns both I and my constituents share about large-scale solar farms and their impact on agricultural land and our local area.
The debate I've secured will be an opportunity for myself and other MPs to bring further attention to the issue in the House of Commons and the debate will receive a response from the Minister at the dispatch box. This debate is about solar farms on a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project scale which are decided at a national level by the Secretary of State, Ed Miliband, rather than by local government.
The previous Government acknowledged the dangerous cumulative impact of clustering solar applications in one area. But Ed Miliband’s strategy seems to be to sign thousands of acres of farmland for these installations, with seemingly little thought provided to our rural communities and wider agricultural strategy.
I will be raising the cumulative effects of these proposals, the threat to our food security, the human impact on the villages the panels will surround and modern slavery concerns surrounding the production of solar panel components.
The debate will take place around lunchtime/ early afternoon on Thursday 15th May depending on other business in the Chamber that day. You will be able to:
- watch the debate live or on demand at Parliament TV https://parliamentlive.tv/Commons
- read my speech after at https://members.parliament.uk/member/4592/contributions
I have heard from many constituents about their concerns through my surveys, meetings and other Parliamentary debates on this topic and I will be representing your views on the matter. Please do contact me ahead of the debate with any further thoughts on the issue at: caroline.johnson.mp@parliament.uk.
