To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Environment Agency receives payment from money submitted as payment with wind farm planning applications to cover the cost of its contribution to the planning process; and if he will make a statement. (312564)

The Environment Agency does not receive any payment from money submitted as payment for wind farm planning applications, or from any other planning applications. The Environment Agency is a statutory consultee in the planning process, and this activity is funded by its grant funding from central Government.