The UK’s Energy Secretary, Claire Coutinho, has questioned the approval of a waste-burning incinerator in Environment Secretary Steve Barclay’s constituency, despite her department granting approval last month. German firm MVV Environment is set to build the waste-to-energy incinerator in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. Incinerators normally process non-recyclable waste to generate energy for local industrial use. Despite the decision to construct the incinerator already being approved, Coutinho’s department has confirmed that Coutinho had sought clarification on the process that led to the site’s approval. However, allegations that she had sought to overturn its approval were denied.
According to a leaked legal note, Claire Coutinho “sought to overturn” the decision to approve the incinerator. The legal note claimed that Coutinho’s intervention could lead the decision to block the incinerator being deemed illegal by the courts. Coutinho’s department denies these claims, stating that she only sought clarification on the process and concluded the process had been followed correctly before upholding the approval decision.
The decision to approve the incinerator in Wisbech was triggered by the Planning Inspectorate’s recommendation. Lord Callanan, a junior energy minister who approved the proposal while Coutinho was out of the country, took the decision. Upon Coutinho’s return, she questioned why the decision had been delegated to Callanan and whether it had been appropriate.
As the scheme moves forward, it still requires a permit from the Environment Agency (EA), which is sponsored by Steve Barclay’s department. Last week, the BBC reported that civil servants had raised concerns about Barclay’s relationship with the project. This triggered discussions with Whitehall’s propriety and ethics unit, which led to Barclay delegating that decision to a junior minister.
The legal advice’s leaked document raises concerns over the approval process and claims a perception of bias with regard to Mr Barclay’s opposition to the scheme. The document maintains that pausing permit applications for up to a year would be illegal as there were already issues with the approval process. The legal team raised questions about whether the decision was politically motivated, rather than based on a strong policy foundation
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