Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Funding for Farming

Thursday 12 September 2024 · 7 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial funding for farming will be addressed through a spending review concluding in October.
  • The Secretary of State reaffirmed support for existing schemes like the Sustainable Farming Incentive.
  • The Secretary of State emphasized the need to restore confidence in the farming sector.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Martin Vickers Con Brigg and Immingham
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Farmers in Martin Vickers' constituency are concerned about the level of funding for farming.

Question

If he will maintain the level of funding for farming. Farmers in my constituency who receive funding through the sustainable farming incentive are concerned that some of the schemes are becoming over-subscribed and therefore their income is reducing. Will the Secretary of State give a reassurance that that particular initiative will continue and will do so at the existing funding levels?

Answer from Steve Reed

The Government will restore stability and confidence in the sector by introducing a new deal for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen food security alongside nature's recovery. The Government are currently conducting a spending review, which will conclude in October. Departmental budgets, including spending on farming, will be confirmed through this process.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide concrete assurances about maintaining the funding levels for specific schemes like sustainable farming incentive.

How: Spending Review Process

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Q2 Harriet Cross Con Gordon and Buchan
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The Labour party manifesto stated that food security is national security. Harriet Cross asked if there would be real-terms cuts to the agriculture budget.

Question

Will the Secretary of State confirm that there will be no real-terms cuts to the agriculture budget? The Labour party manifesto rightly stated that the Labour party “recognises that food security is national security.” I agree, but those words must be matched with actions. We have already asked today about future budgets, but have not heard any answers.

Answer from Steve Reed

As the hon. Member will know, there is a spending review process going on, which will culminate with announcements in the Budget. That is the point at which all of that will be made clear and apparent.

Not addressed: Did not confirm or deny real-terms cuts to agriculture budget.

How: Spending Review Process

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Q3 John Lamont Con Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The new Government have not provided clarity about future funding settlement for farmers in John Lamont's constituency.

Question

Can the Secretary of State commit not to cut the funding for farmers and food production? Being an MP for the Scottish Borders, I am lucky enough to represent some of the best farmers and food producers in the whole of the UK. However, as we have heard, the new Government have chosen not to give them any clarity about their future funding settlement.

Answer from Steve Reed

I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his appointment as shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. As I said previously, a spending review process is going on. No Government announce their Budget in advance of the Budget taking place.

Not addressed: Did not commit to not cutting funding for farmers.

How: Spending Review Process

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Q4 Martin Vickers Con Brigg and Immingham
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Farmers in Martin Vickers' constituency who receive funding through the sustainable farming incentive are concerned about over-subscription.

Question

Will the Secretary of State give a reassurance that the Sustainable Farming Incentive will continue and will do so at the existing funding levels? Farmers in my constituency who receive funding through the sustainable farming incentive are concerned that some of the schemes are becoming over-subscribed and therefore their income is reducing.

Answer from Steve Reed

I have been clear, throughout the election campaign and since, that we do not intend to overturn the applecart in respect of the old schemes in general, including the SFI. We support the principles behind the schemes and want to see them continue.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide reassurances about existing funding levels for Sustainable Farming Incentive.

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Q5 Steve Witherden Lab Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

British farmers have been let down by various issues such as trade deals, energy prices, and floods.

Question

Will the Secretary of State outline how he will restore confidence and support British farmers? British farmers have been badly let down by crippling trade deals, skyrocketing energy prices and devastating floods. Will the Secretary of State outline how he will restore confidence and support British farmers?

Answer from Steve Reed

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. There are all sorts of ways in which farmers have felt very let down over the past 14 years, and that has contributed to the tragic situation today in which we have the lowest levels of confidence ever recorded in the farming sector.

Not addressed: Did not outline specific measures for restoring confidence.

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Q6 Nick Smith Lab Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The previous Government underspent the agricultural budget by £130 million in the previous financial year.

Question

Has the Secretary of State had the opportunity yet to work out why there was an underspend of over £100 million in the agricultural budget last year? May I support your thanks to Terry Wiggins, Mr Speaker?

Answer from Steve Reed

My hon. Friend raises an important point. Opposition Members are asking me today about budget decisions that they know cannot be announced before the Budget, when presumably they are aware—because the statement has been laid—that they underspent the previous budget to the tune of £130 million.

Not addressed: Did not provide reasons for the underspend in agricultural budget last year.

How: Budget Decisions

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Q7 Sarah Dyke Lib Dem Glastonbury and Somerton
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

Somerset is home to 8,500 farmers and food producers who are worried about the £130 million support being stripped from them.

Question

Notwithstanding the previous comments, will the Secretary of State confirm that he will not be slashing their funding, and give farmers the confidence that they need to be able to invest in the future and secure the nation's food security? Somerset is home to 8,500 farmers and food producers, which is more than any other county in the UK. They are worried that the £130 million of support will be stripped from them because the previous Government replaced the basic payment scheme with systems that were too complicated for many farmers to access.

Answer from Steve Reed

I am delighted to congratulate those farmers, producers and growers in Somerset. It is a fine county and they do an incredibly good job, of which the hon. Lady is rightly proud.

Not addressed: Did not confirm or deny slashing funding for Somerset's farmers.

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