Transport Minister (): Development of ports in
England, as in other parts of the United Kingdom, is essential
for supporting growth, energy resilience and energy transition.
It is equally important that this development should take place
with consideration for the environment, and that port facilities
should be well designed with both those ends in mind.
The National Policy Statement for Ports (NPSP), which applies
to England, and in Wales, to the reserved trust port, Milford
Haven, sets the policy framework for decisions on nationally
significant infrastructure in the sector.
It continues the long-standing policy of enabling our competitive
ports sector to respond in an agile manner to rapidly evolving
market demands, using the department's port freight demand
forecasts (which we published alongside our consultation) as a
yardstick but not as a constraint on local commercial judgements.
It also updates the policy in detail to reflect the wider present
institutional and regulatory framework and the government's
priorities.
I am grateful to everyone who responded to the consultation on
earlier drafts, and to the Transport Committee for its
thorough scrutiny of the proposals.
Following that consultation and scrutiny, I am today, pursuant to
section 9(5) Planning Act 2008, presenting a response to the
Transport
Committee's Report (HC 1028) on its scrutiny and to the
consultation, and pursuant to section 9(8), laying before
Parliament the final proposed text of the amended national
policy statement for the prescribed consideration period of
21 sitting days.
Copies of these documents will be made available in the libraries
of both Houses and on the department's website, where a
post-adoption statement will also be published in due course.
