The simple answer to that question is that I will not only listen, but I am listening and I am working with the industry to improve those consultations. It is important to mention that.

I appreciate Tess White’s support, given that pre-application consultation with the community is led by developers. Although pre-application consultation is mandatory in town and country planning systems for bigger infrastructure capacity of over 50MW, it is not mandatory. The Electricity Act 1989 could be reformed to include that.

I would very much welcome the support of Tess White and her UK Government colleagues not only to make community engagement mandatory in cases such as the one that she mentioned, but to make community benefits mandatory. I have been liaising with my UK Government counterparts on the issue, and I am afraid that I have not had agreement on that. I would therefore very much welcome Tess White’s support in those endeavours.