Contributions
1,962 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDFarming Practices: Sustainable Farming IncentiveWhen we brought in the new offer, we wanted to take away the uncertainty as to what was happening with SFIs in the longer term. We have made it clear that we will keep the main…13 Jul 2026HANSARDFarming Practices: Sustainable Farming IncentiveWe have tried to bring SFI into new areas because it is really important that smaller farms and different types of farms have the opportunity to get the grants to do regenerative…13 Jul 2026HANSARDFarming Practices: Sustainable Farming IncentiveWe are looking at the uptake of the current round of SFI, which has been very encouraging. We recently said that 50% of the SFI budget has been allocated, and we will be reviewing…13 Jul 2026HANSARDFarming Practices: Sustainable Farming IncentiveThe new SFI, which we announced fairly recently and which runs through to September, was very much aimed at smaller farms and those that do not already have an agreement. The fact…13 Jul 2026HANSARDFarming Practices: Sustainable Farming IncentiveOur encouragement of all sorts of farms that did not already have grants and support demonstrates that we are keen to look at food production. We also have a farming innovation…13 Jul 2026HANSARDFarming Practices: Sustainable Farming IncentiveIt is absolutely right that farmers need clarity and certainty, which is why we have brought in the 25-year farming road map. With regard to larger farmers, that is also why, from…13 Jul 2026HANSARDFarming Practices: Sustainable Farming IncentiveI am not sure how many SFIs one farm would ever get; it depends on what it is looking to support, for example. There are different things—there is catchment-sensitive farming and…13 Jul 2026HANSARDClean Water Bill: Chalk StreamsThat is probably a cost for the water companies to assess.13 Jul 2026HANSARDFarming Practices: Sustainable Farming IncentiveI am very aware of the issue the noble Baroness refers to; we have discussed it in Parliament. The issue is that common land and shared grazing are in principle eligible for both…13 Jul 2026HANSARDFarming Practices: Sustainable Farming IncentiveIt is important to assure noble Lords that, just because something is not specifically in the farming road map, that does not mean that it will not be part of this long-term plan.…13 Jul 2026HANSARDFarming Practices: Sustainable Farming IncentiveThat is an important question. We do not see large farms as the enemy; they are incredibly important if we are going to meet our food security targets. I really understand what…13 Jul 2026HANSARDClean Water Bill: Chalk StreamsMy Lords, the clean water Bill was announced in the King’s Speech in May, to be introduced during this Session. We have set out our ambitious programme of reforms in the water…13 Jul 2026HANSARDClean Water Bill: Chalk StreamsWe are very aware that chalk streams are an important ecological resource and we are doing a number of things that will make a difference, which is what we have to do. We are…13 Jul 2026HANSARDClean Water Bill: Chalk StreamsAs I just mentioned, there are encouragements through the existing ELMS, but I take the noble Lord’s point. As we develop our support for farmers going forward, it is important…13 Jul 2026HANSARDClean Water Bill: Chalk StreamsWe have said that we will create a powerful new regulator. We will abolish Ofwat and bring together the different functions of Ofwat, the DWI, the Environment Agency and Natural…13 Jul 2026HANSARDClean Water Bill: Chalk StreamsI am sure my noble friend is aware that, as a Government, we have created the ability to hold the directors and higher-up members within the water industry to account, including…13 Jul 2026HANSARDClean Water Bill: Chalk StreamsWe are investing a lot into chalk streams. As well as the £2 billion that water companies are investing over the next five years into targeted actions towards chalk stream…13 Jul 2026HANSARDClean Water Bill: Chalk StreamsMy noble friend is absolutely right that this is a long-term problem that has been going on for many years. Unfortunately, the water industry has simply not been held to account…13 Jul 2026HANSARDClean Water Bill: Chalk StreamsWhen the NPPF was revised fairly recently, for the first time it included a lot of positive actions on the environment—for example, about how it needs to be taken into account…13 Jul 2026HANSARDClean Water Bill: Chalk StreamsThe noble Baroness must have misheard me. I absolutely did not say that the Bill was not coming in this Session. It is absolutely our intention to fulfil the pledge made in the…13 Jul 2026