To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.

Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 to include similar provisions to those set out in section 19A of the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986.

Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)

Following consultation, the Government implemented new provisions to help resolve disputes relating to requests for variations to Agricultural Holdings Act tenancy agreements. This is because these agreements were negotiated over 30 years ago in a very different policy and commercial context than we have today, and they are more likely to need variation and modernisation. Consultation responses did not support the same changes to the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 because Farm Business Tenancies are modern agreements more recently negotiated and entered into by both parties.

The Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 enables the tenant and landlord to agree at the start of a tenancy that diversified activity (such as environmental activities) can take place on the holding whilst still confirming they intend it to remain a Farm Business Tenancy throughout the length of the agreement. The Government encourages landlords and tenants of Farm Business Tenancies to work together to find solutions to agreed diversifications including using the land for environmental improvements which can often be delivered alongside agricultural production. To encourage this further, the Tenancy Reform Industry Group, which includes representatives of tenants and landlords, has recently produced a Code of Good Practice providing guidance to help tenants, landlords and their advisers take a positive approach to agreeing variations to tenancy agreements.

The Government is working to ensure that the design of our future farming schemes is accessible to as many land managers as possible, including tenant farmers. As part of this, we are considering questions around landlord consent and length of scheme agreement and we are exploring and testing how our new schemes might work in practice across different types of holdings and different types and lengths of tenancy agreements. The Government is grateful for the ongoing constructive contribution that industry representatives of agricultural tenants and landlords are making to this process as we move through the agricultural transition period.

Written Question
Sustainable Farming Incentive
Monday 26th April 2021

Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why questions about land occupation were not asked of farmers submitting an expression of interest to take part in the pilot Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme; and whether they will now consider asking those farmers to provide information about their land occupation status.

Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble

To keep the expressions of interest for the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme pilot as simple as possible for farmers, we decided to ask only for information that was not already known to us. The Rural Payments Agency, our delivery body for this pilot, already holds the relevant information regarding land occupation (use and tenure) for those farmers who are eligible to take part. Any gaps in our information will be picked up and addressed through this pilot and any future piloting of this scheme.

Speech in Grand Committee - Thu 21 Jan 2021
Rural Landlords and Land Letting: Reform

"To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to their discussions with the Tenancy Reform Industry Group, what plans they have to reform (1) legislation, and (2) taxation, related to rural landlords and the letting of land...."
Baroness Rock - View Speech

View all Baroness Rock (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Rural Landlords and Land Letting: Reform
Speech in Grand Committee - Thu 21 Jan 2021
Rural Landlords and Land Letting: Reform

"My Lords, I declare my interests as set out in the register as a director of Wrackleford Farms, a tenanted farming business. I thank all noble Lords taking part in this important debate today, and greatly look forward to their contributions. I also thank my noble friend the Minister, who …..."
Baroness Rock - View Speech

View all Baroness Rock (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Rural Landlords and Land Letting: Reform
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 17 Sep 2020
Agriculture Bill

"My Lords, I declare my interest as a director of Wrackleford Farms Ltd, a tenant farming enterprise. I shall speak to Amendments 81, 82, 83, 85 and 86, which stand in my name. I am grateful for the support of the noble Baroness, Lady Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville, for these …..."
Baroness Rock - View Speech

View all Baroness Rock (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Agriculture Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 15 Sep 2020
Agriculture Bill

"My Lords, I declare my interest as a director of Wrackleford Farms Ltd, a tenant farming enterprise. I shall speak to Amendment 42. The amendment, supported by the NFU, would ensure that farmers entitled to payments receive those payments within guaranteed timescales to help ensure certainty of cash flow. I …..."
Baroness Rock - View Speech

View all Baroness Rock (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Agriculture Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 21 Jul 2020
Agriculture Bill

"My Lords, I declare my interest as a director of a tenant farming enterprise as set out in the register. I shall speak to my Amendments 150 to 153. Although there is an understandable desire to demonstrate that we are moving away from the old regime of the CAP, we …..."
Baroness Rock - View Speech

View all Baroness Rock (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Agriculture Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 21 Jul 2020
Agriculture Bill

"My Lords, again I declare my interests as a director of a tenant farming enterprise. I support Amendment 237 in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady McIntosh. I was pleased to add my name to Amendments 238 and 243 to 246. I welcome the clear intention to ensure that …..."
Baroness Rock - View Speech

View all Baroness Rock (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Agriculture Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 16 Jul 2020
Agriculture Bill

"My Lords, I speak to Amendment 128 in my name, and declare my interests as set out in the register.

Time is running out to have all necessary legislation and implementation decisions and processes in place in the timescale set. There are still many aspects of transition and the success …..."
Baroness Rock - View Speech

View all Baroness Rock (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Agriculture Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 09 Jul 2020
Agriculture Bill

"My Lords, I declare my farming interests as set out in the register. I too add my support to Amendment 12 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Curry of Kirkharle. I will speak to my Amendment 62, which would give the Secretary of State additional powers to enable …..."
Baroness Rock - View Speech

View all Baroness Rock (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Agriculture Bill