Chris Suggests Thatched Roofs Exclusion To Solar Bill
Christopher Chope Conservative, Christchurch
Does my right hon. Friend agree that an unintended consequences of this Bill could be that it is no longer possible to build a new thatched house? In Dorset and Hampshire, we welcome people who are developing new thatched houses. How will that work with this Bill?
Roger Gale Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Ways and Means
The Bill does accommodate exemptions, and my hon. Friend makes a case in point. In the village I live in, we have thatched buildings, and I would like to see more of them. There may be cases where an exemption should be permitted, but looking at the Bill as it stands, it seems that these loopholes are wide open to exploitation, and they will have to be tightened up. That, however, is the purpose of the Committee. Let us give the Bill its Second Reading, get it into Committee, amend it and bring it back on Report and Third Reading, and then let us see it become law.
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In the same debate:
Christopher Chope Conservative, Christchurch
Will the hon. Member explain why his Bill excludes the use of solar thermal panels?
Max Wilkinson Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)
The Bill focuses on solar photovoltaics. Solar thermal panels are a different type of technology and are not covered by the Bill.
I would also like to thank CPRE. Wendy Morton spoke earlier about the preservation of land and fields in green areas, and the CPRE is specifically interested from that perspective.
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