It comes as primaries in parts of England have been considering closing due to falling rolls and funding pressures.

A ban on developing land reserved for a proposed bridge project cancelled 17 years ago has been withdrawn by the Government.

SSE’s hydro generation dropped by about 40% in the three months to June, compared with the same period a year ago.

The Prime Minister and Friedrich Merz signed the deal – to be known as the Kensington Treaty – at the V&A Museum on London.