Mr. Nicholas Soames (Mid-Sussex) (Con): I am afraid there were parts of the Minister’s speech that I was unable to hear clearly, so I should be grateful if he could just deal with a few points. First, on the question of the territorial extent and application, I understand that the IPC would not take decisions on infrastructure projects falling within Scotland except for cross-border oil and gas pipelines. How will he handle the many applications that are coming in for wind farms? In the Solway firth, for example, given the width of the Solway, some of the pylons on a wind farm will clearly fall on the Scottish side and some on the English side. How will that be determined?

Secondly, in the context of the integration of environmental, social and economic objectives, which is a fine aspiration, including, as I understand it, climate change commitments for the delivery of sustainable development, I should be grateful if the Minister defined for the Committee this afternoon his concept of what sustainable development means. It is a phrase that is much bandied around, little understood and seems to mean almost everything to everyone. I would be very grateful if he defined for us what it means in terms of major infrastructure projects. Quite clearly, when his Government talk about development in terms of housing, which they do incontinently, it does not mean quite the same thing as sustainable development in terms of building a major nuclear power station. I look forward to having his definition on the record this afternoon, without which these proceedings could not continue.

Thirdly, what assessments or consultations will the commission be obliged to make when it deals with these major projects? As we know, consultation under his Government has achieved notoriety. For example, in the consultation over the closing of post offices, there was vast public outcry in my constituency, but not a blind bit of attention was paid; the post offices were closed. Will there be genuine consultation or will the IPC merely bulldoze through what it wants? What regard will the decision maker have to the question of climate change? It would be impossible to build some of these great infrastructure projects, as defined by the Minister, without there being a substantial impact on climate change. How will that be helped, again within the context of sustainable development?

Finally, if landscape, one of the great treasures of this country, is not to be a factor, what regard and change will this measure make to the canon of planning laws concerning areas of outstanding natural beauty? I noticed the Minister mentioned the national parks, but I could not hear in what context. Will the measure undermine the rest of the planning law that applies to AONBs and national parks elsewhere? I would be grateful for elucidation on these matters.

Sixth Delegated Legislation Committee

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