Contributions
1,962 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSustainable Farming Incentive: Small FarmsMy Lords, the new sustainable farming incentive offer for 2026 builds on the 2024 scheme but is simpler and more streamlined. When applications open in June this year, priority…11 Mar 2026HANSARDSustainable Farming Incentive: Small FarmsThe short answer is yes, I very much hope that they will be. We are keen to support organic farming and to see more farms become more, shall we say, environmentally friendly.11 Mar 2026HANSARDSustainable Farming Incentive: Small FarmsThe noble Lord raises a really important point. There are a number of challenges for farming around things such as electricity prices, and oil is now being affected by the ongoing…11 Mar 2026HANSARDSustainable Farming Incentive: Small FarmsThe noble Lord is absolutely correct that there is a cap of £100,000. The first tranche is open to small farms and those who do not have an agreement, and then there will be…11 Mar 2026HANSARDSustainable Farming Incentive: Small FarmsWe have tried to reduce the complexity of the scheme. We want to make it more straightforward for more farms and different types of farms to access. There are opportunities for…11 Mar 2026HANSARDSustainable Farming Incentive: Small FarmsI am beginning to wish I lived in Norfolk so that I could come—it is a long way from Cumbria. I reassure the right reverend Prelate that one of the things we have been working…11 Mar 2026HANSARDSustainable Farming Incentive: Small FarmsThe Farming Minister has spent a long time looking at the different options to try to target the types of farm and types of productivity that she wants to increase. The noble Lord…11 Mar 2026HANSARDSustainable Farming Incentive: Small FarmsOne of the recommendations in the Batters review is about active farming and ensuring that the payments that we make from government go to people who are farming and supporting…11 Mar 2026HANSARDPFASAs I said, this is very much the starting point. We are in negotiations with the EU. The EU is looking at what it wants to do in this space. We wanted to lay out a plan that…05 Mar 2026HANSARDPFASThe simple answer is that we are carrying out a lot of stakeholder engagement. We are working very closely with industry and business. As I said, the textiles industry is moving…05 Mar 2026HANSARDPFASAbsolutely. Diversity in the rural economy is important. I just wondered whether there is a particular explosion of PFAS in pubs.05 Mar 2026HANSARDPFASClearly, we want to move forward as quickly as we can. The noble Baroness and others will be aware that we are working with the EU at the moment. There are negotiations. We know…05 Mar 2026HANSARDPFASAs the noble Lord says, the EU is developing a broad ban on PFAS. We know that industry is concerned about any plans being workable, which is why this is the starting point in…05 Mar 2026HANSARDPFASI can assure the noble Lord that I am always happy to be brave when I can and I will encourage the department to push forward as best it can in this area. It is important and I…05 Mar 2026HANSARDPFASAs I said, we will be taking a precautionary principle approach. The noble Baroness talked about school uniforms; it is important that we make sure that children are protected as…05 Mar 2026HANSARDPFASThe water White Paper and the Bill that will follow it are a central part of the Government’s programme and a priority for Defra. We are looking at the Cunliffe report extremely…05 Mar 2026HANSARDPFASMy Lords, the PFAS plan was published on 3 February this year. It sets out for the first time the Government’s approach to minimising the harmful effects of PFAS while moving to…05 Mar 2026HANSARDPFASMy noble friend raises a really important issue. When deciding what action they will take to address any PFAS risks, the Government will have due regard to the environmental…05 Mar 2026HANSARDBritish Farming: CompetitivenessMy noble friend is absolutely right that working with the European Union around sanitary and phytosanitary issues regarding veterinary medicines is very important and something…03 Mar 2026HANSARDBritish Farming: CompetitivenessIt is important to say that the UK values its relationship with the Mercosur countries and we are committed to identifying ways to continue to strengthen our trade relations. We…03 Mar 2026