Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) are a suite of agri-environment programmes led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to incentivise farmers to adopt sustainable practices and environmental stewardship. The schemes include the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and are actively being rolled out, with ongoing policy development around funding mechanisms, common land eligibility, and alignment with climate and soil health objectives.
In response to: Land Use Framework
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increasing heat risk to UK dairy farms on grazing land and silage production to feed livestock.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department plans to support dairy farms in North Shropshire, who fall within the highest area for heat risk in the country and face escalating climate-related challenges.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that Environmental Land Management schemes include funding for (a) integrated, evidence-based management of predation pressure and (b) specialist far
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle inflation in the cost of produce caused by increased energy costs due to the conflict in Iran.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increased agricultural fuel costs on (a) UK food prices and (b) food security.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has used artificial intelligence to assist with drafting (a) legislation and (b) policy in the last 12 months.
To ask His Majesty's Government whether it is their policy that farmers farming on common land are provided with equivalent financial support to those occupying freehold land.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support rewilding in Devon.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the resilience of food supply chains to extreme weather events overseas.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of climate change on food prices.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the potential impact of climate change-driven food inflation on food security.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of recent changes in the level of fuel prices on farm profitability.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of fuel costs on the financial viability of farms during the spring planting and silage-making season.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to put in place a mechanism that would allow common land to be entered into Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) agreements for 2026.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish a list of training programmes used by civil servants in her Department since 2020.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Powering the farms of the future with £50 million tech investment, published on 14 April 2026, what assessment she has …
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Powering the farms of the future with £50 million tech investment, published on 14 April 2026, what steps her Department …
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications (a) her department has received to the Slurry Infrastructure Grant Scheme Rounds 1 and 2; (b) have been approved to progress; (c) have been submitted, …
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support farmers with recent changes in the level of price of fuel.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will set out the support currently available to farmers in West Dorset constituency given changes in the level of fuel costs.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing temporary financial support for farmers in England to offset increased fuel costs.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with HM Treasury on targeted relief or subsidies for agricultural fuel use.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will undertake a review of the Sustainable Farming Incentive application system; and whether she will make it her policy to enable smaller farmers to apply for …
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact on small farms of the Sustainable Farming Incentive application window opening after the previous scheme has closed.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to prevent biodiversity loss associated with deforestation globally.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to maximise UK food security in the context of climate instability.
How we can use our land more effectively to increase the resilience of our homes, communities, infrastructure, and food systems, while speeding up development and restoring nature.
UIN: HLWS1421 My Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Reynolds MP) has made the following statement.Today I am laying before Parliament this Government’s first Land Use Framework for England; setting out a …
UIN: HLWS1361 My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Reynolds MP) has made the following statement.British agriculture employs hundreds of thousands of people, sustains rural communities, shapes the countryside, and cont...
UIN: HCWS1358 British agriculture employs hundreds of thousands of people, sustains rural communities, shapes the countryside, and contributes billions to our economy. Today, I wish to update the House on a package of measures to support a productive, resilient and …
UIN: HCWS965 Today, I announce that this Government will offer one-year extensions to more than 5,000 farmers with Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier agreements expiring this year. Countryside Stewardship pays farmers and land managers for environmental work alongside s...
UIN: HCWS626 This Government inherited farming schemes which were underspent, meaning millions of pounds were not going to farming businesses. As set out in the Plan for Change, the Government is focused on supporting our farmers, driving rural economic growth …
UIN: HLWS625 My honourable friend, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner MP, has made the following Written Statement. This Government inherited farming schemes which were underspent, meaning millions of pounds were not going to farming bus...
UIN: HLWS510 My honourable friend, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner MP, has made the following Written Statement.With record numbers of farm businesses in farming schemes and the sustainable farming budget successfully allocated, yeste...
UIN: HCWS514 With record numbers of farm businesses in farming schemes and the sustainable farming budget successfully allocated, yesterday the Government has stopped accepting new applications for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI24).Our Environmental Land Manag...
UIN: HLWS408 My Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed MP, has made the following Written Statement.Last week, the Government opened its consultation on land use in England. This is the launch …
UIN: HCWS298 I have today confirmed this Government has injected more than £343 million into the rural economy in the first week of December, benefiting more than 31,000 farmers.This includes payments worth £223 million to Countryside Stewardship revenue customers and...
UIN: HLWS295 My honourable friend, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner MP, has made the following Written Statement.I have today confirmed this Government has injected more than £343 million into the rural economy in the first …
The Farming and Countryside Programme aims to reform English farming. The stakes are high for food production, farm viability and the environment. Report type: value_for_money | Departments: ['Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs'] | Topics: ['Energy and environment', 'Food …
UIN: HCWS491 Today, the government will publish the details of the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer, providing significant improvements and expansion to the scheme, so that they work for farmers and their businesses.In 6 months, almost a quarter of …
UIN: HLWS487 My Right Honourable friend the Minister of State (Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries)(Sir Mark Spencer) has made the following Statement.Today, the government will publish the details of the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer, provid...
UIN: HLWS461 My Right Honourable friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Steve Barclay) has made the following Statement.Today the Prime Minister will host the second UK Farm to Fork Summit alongside government Ministers at No.10 …
A Bill to establish a Tenant Farming Commissioner; to make provision about the powers and duties of the commissioner, including powers in respect of payments under an Environmental Land Management sch
UIN: HCWS266 Farming in England is going through the biggest change in a generation. The bureaucratic Common Agricultural Policy disproportionately rewarded the largest landowners and held back smaller farmers, while delivering little for food productivity or the envi...
UIN: HLWS262 My Right Honourable friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Steve Barclay) has made the following Statement.Farming in England is going through the biggest change in a generation. The bureaucratic Common Agricultural Policy ...
UIN: HCWS1061 This government is committed to backing British farmers who produce some of the highest quality food in the world, contribute billions to our economy, and are the custodians of our countryside. We plan to replace the Basic Payment …
UIN: HLWS1001 My Right Honourable friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Thérèse Coffey) has made the following Statement.British farmers play a crucial role in driving economic growth, supporting national food security, and achieving ou...
UIN: HCWS1021 Our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), collectively known as Protected Landscapes, are home to some of our most iconic and beautiful places. These remarkable landscapes support our nation’s health and wellbeing and are crucial...
UIN: HCWS894 I have today published the Lowland Agricultural Peat Task Force Report and government response. It is available on gov.uk.Peatlands, when restored and functioning healthily, abate carbon emissions and provide a long-term carbon store, while also deliverin...
In response to: Environmental Land Management update: how government will pay for land-based environment …
UIN: HCWS872 The Sustainable Farming Incentive is an important element of our new and improved offer for farmers through the agricultural transition. It pays farmers for actions that support food production and can help improve farm productivity and resilience, while …
UIN: HLWS858 My Right Honourable friend the Minister of State (Mark Spencer) has made the following Statement.The Sustainable Farming Incentive is an important element of our new and improved offer for farmers through the agricultural transition. It pays farmers for …
How farmers and land managers will be paid to deliver important outcomes for the climate and environment, alongside food production.
The scheme policy for Landscape Recovery, one of our 3 environmental land management schemes.
An update following the UK Farm to Fork summit held at 10 Downing Street on 16 May 2023.
UIN: HCWS527 We are undertaking the most significant reform of agricultural policy and spending in England in decades as we take England out of the EU’s bureaucratic and damaging Common Agricultural Policy. Today I am setting out detailed plans for …
UIN: HLWS517 My Right Honourable friend the Minister of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mark Spencer) has made the following Statement. We are undertaking the most significant reform of agricultural policy and spending in England in decades as …
UIN: HCWS483 We are undertaking the most significant reform of agricultural policy and spending in England in decades as we take England out of the Common Agricultural Policy. We are phasing out unfair and environmentally damaging farm subsidies, radically improving …
UIN: HLWS473 My Right Honourable friend the Minister of State for Food, Farming and Fisheries (Mark Spencer) has made the following Statement.We are undertaking the most significant reform of agricultural policy and spending in England in decades as we take …
Seeking views on our proposals for a lump sum exit scheme and delinked payments.
We told the Department that we were concerned about the lack of baseline data, and asked what data it will use to measure environmental improvements.70 In its written evidence, the Green Alliance emphasised the importance of being able to measure …
In response to: Environmental land management schemes: outcomes
Expected environmental outcomes from the 3 environmental land management schemes.
UIN: HCWS437 We are almost one year into the agricultural transition. Farming in England is moving away from the arbitrary land-based subsidies and top-down bureaucracy that epitomised the EU era, towards schemes that recognise the work that farmers do as …
UIN: HLWS425 My Right Hon Friend the Secretary of State (George Eustice) has today made the following statement.We are almost one year into the agricultural transition. Farming in England is moving away from the arbitrary land-based subsidies and top-down bureaucracy …
This report examines the strategic management of the Environmental Land Management scheme. Report type: value_for_money | Departments: ['Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs'] | Topics: ['Climate change and net zero', 'Energy and environment', 'Environmental sustainability', 'Food and f
Seeking views on our proposals for a lump sum exit scheme and delinked payments.
In response to: Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme pilot: launch overview
Defra’s plans for piloting the future Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme.
In response to: Environmental land management schemes: payment principles
The principles which Defra will use to set payment rates for environmental land management schemes.
Seeking views on our proposals for a lump sum exit scheme and delinked payments.
Seeking to open a discussion on our initial proposals for designing an Environmental Land Management scheme.
Commons Amendments 15:33:00 Lord Ashton of Hyde (Con): My Lords, I have it in command from Her Majesty the Queen to acquaint the House that Her Majesty, having been informed of the purport of the Agriculture Bill, has consented to …
Returned from the Commons The Bill was returned from the Commons with reasons and amendments. The Commons reasons and amendments were ordered to be printed.
Consideration of Lords message Queen’s consent signified. After Clause 42 Duty to seek equivalence on agri-food standards in relation to future trade 16:16:00 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Victoria Prentis): I beg to move, …
Commons Reasons 15:45:00 Motion A Moved by Lord Gardiner of Kimble: That this House do not insist on its Amendment 1, to which the Commons have disagreed for their Reason 1A. 1A: Because environmental objectives will be considered when setting …
Returned from the Commons The Bill was returned from the Commons on Monday 12 October with reasons and amendments. The Commons reasons and amendments were ordered to be printed. (HL Bill 141) House adjourned at 9.53 pm.
Consideration of Lords amendments Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans): I must draw the House’s attention to the fact that financial privilege is engaged by Lords amendments 3, 4 18 and 30. If any Lords amendment engaging financial privilege is …
Third Reading 14:01:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee Lord Ashton of Hyde (Con): My Lords, I have it in command from Her Majesty the Queen to acquaint the House that Her Majesty, having been informed of …
Report (3rd Day) 13:31:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee Debate on Amendment 74 resumed. Baroness Parminter (LD) [V]: My Lords, I thank the noble Baronesses, Lady Hodgson of Abinger and Lady Fookes, for this amendment, which …
Report (2nd Day) 14:22:00 Relevant document: 1 3 th Report from the Delegated Powers Commi ttee Clause 16: Support for rural development Debate on Amendment 43 resumed. Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Lab) [V]: My Lords, it seems only right that, …
Report (1st Day) 13:37:00 Relevant document: 1 3 th Report from the Delegated Powers Commi ttee Clause 1: Secretary of State’s powers to give financial assistance Amendment 1 Moved by 1: Clause 1, page 2, line 10, after “supporting” insert …
Order of Consideration Motion 13:14:00 Moved by Baroness Penn: That the amendments for the Report stage be marshalled and considered in the following order: Clauses 1 to 28; Schedule 1; Clause 29; Schedule 2; Clauses 30 to 34; Schedule 3; …
Seeking to open a discussion on our initial proposals for designing an Environmental Land Management scheme.
Committee (7th Day) 14:05:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee Clause 40: Power to make regulations for securing compliance with WTO Agreement on Agriculture: general Debate on Amendment 264 resumed. Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con) [V]: My Lords, I …
Committee (6th Day) 13:43:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee Clause 32: Identification and traceability of animals Debate on Amendment 209 resumed. Lord Wallace of Tankerness (LD) [V]: My Lords, as I was about to say before …
Committee (5th Day) 14:00:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Baroness Henig) (Lab): My Lords, a limited number of Members are here in the Chamber, respecting social distancing. If the capacity of …
Committee (4th Day) 14:47:00 Relevant documents: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee Clause 1: Secretary of State’s powers to give financial assistance Amendment 73 Moved by 73: Clause 1, page 2, line 35, at end insert “, and to …
Committee (3rd Day) 16:44:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Lord Faulkner of Worcester) (Lab): My Lords, a limited number of Members are here in the Chamber, respecting social distancing. If the …
Committee (2nd Day) 13:45:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Lord Duncan of Springbank) (Con): My Lords, a limited number of Members are here in the Chamber, respecting social distancing. If the …
Committee (1st Day) 13:45:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee The Deputy Chairman of Committees (Baroness Henig) (Lab): My Lords, a limited number of Members are here in the Chamber, respecting social distancing. If the capacity of …
Order of Consideration Motion 12:17:00 Moved by Lord Gardiner of Kimble: That it be an instruction to the Committee of the Whole House to which the Agriculture Bill has been committed that they consider the bill in the following order: …
Seeking to open a discussion on our initial proposals for designing an Environmental Land Management scheme.
Second Reading 12:45:00 Moved by Lord Gardiner of Kimble: That the Bill be now read a second time. Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord …
First Reading The Bill was brought from the Commons, read a first time and ordered to be printed. Virtual Proceeding adjourned at 9.45 pm.
[Relevant documents: Tenth Report from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Scrutiny of the Agriculture Bill, Session 2017-19, HC1591, and the Government response, Session 2019-21, HC273, and evidence taken by the Committee on 11 March 2020.] Consideration of Bill, …
[ Relevant d ocument: Tenth Report of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee of Session 2017-19, Scrutiny of the Agriculture Bill, HC 1591 ] Second Reading Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Eleanor Laing): I must inform the House that Mr …
UIN: HCWS43 Today, I am introducing the Government’s landmark Agriculture Bill to the House of Commons. This Bill delivers a new settlement for agriculture and those involved in this vital industry should be in no doubt of this Government’s absolute …
Second Reading Mr Speaker: I inform the House that I have selected the amendment in the names of the representatives of the official Opposition. 13:06:00 The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Michael Gove): I beg to …
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A( 7 )), That the following provisions shall apply to the Agriculture Bill: Committal (1) The Bill shall be committed to a Public Bill Committee. Proceedings in Public Bill Committee (2) …
Queen’s recommendation signified. Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 52(1)( a )), That, for the purposes of any Act resulting from the Agriculture Bill, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of money provided by Parliament …
Seeking views on our proposals for future agricultural policy in England.
Seeking views on our proposals for future agricultural policy in England.
Seeking views on our proposals for future agricultural policy in England.