Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide guidance or support to existing county councils with council farm estates to explore placing those estates into trusts or alternative legal entities to safeguard their integrity and management continuity following their plans for local government reorganisation.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
During the local government reorganisation process, it is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils. These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. These provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves, and can include farm estates. We will review and if necessary update relevant legislation to ensure that powers currently designated to county councils are provided to new unitary councils.
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of local government reorganisation on council farms. Although local government reorganisation may impact who administers farming tenancies, it will not alter council farm tenants' succession rights.
We are committed to working with colleagues across Government, and with the LGA and its sector support group to ensure councils have the information, tools and expertise to develop the solutions that are right for their area, so new authorities are set up for success. I am happy to meet Noble Lords at any point to discuss local government reorganisation, and Baroness Hayman and I stand ready to meet Baroness Rock to discuss the issues she has raised.
Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have considered legislative changes to allow newly formed or reorganised local authorities, including unitary and combined authorities, to be designated as smallholding authorities in order to maintain the protections provided under sections 38 and 39 of the Agriculture Act 1970.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
During the local government reorganisation process, it is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils. These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. These provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves, and can include farm estates. We will review and if necessary update relevant legislation to ensure that powers currently designated to county councils are provided to new unitary councils.
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of local government reorganisation on council farms. Although local government reorganisation may impact who administers farming tenancies, it will not alter council farm tenants' succession rights.
We are committed to working with colleagues across Government, and with the LGA and its sector support group to ensure councils have the information, tools and expertise to develop the solutions that are right for their area, so new authorities are set up for success. I am happy to meet Noble Lords at any point to discuss local government reorganisation, and Baroness Hayman and I stand ready to meet Baroness Rock to discuss the issues she has raised.
Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that economies of scale and the viability of council farms are maintained where county councils are reorganised; and whether they have considered placing such estates under the management of a strategic authority or consolidated trust structure.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
During the local government reorganisation process, it is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils. These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. These provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves, and can include farm estates. We will review and if necessary update relevant legislation to ensure that powers currently designated to county councils are provided to new unitary councils.
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of local government reorganisation on council farms. Although local government reorganisation may impact who administers farming tenancies, it will not alter council farm tenants' succession rights.
We are committed to working with colleagues across Government, and with the LGA and its sector support group to ensure councils have the information, tools and expertise to develop the solutions that are right for their area, so new authorities are set up for success. I am happy to meet Noble Lords at any point to discuss local government reorganisation, and Baroness Hayman and I stand ready to meet Baroness Rock to discuss the issues she has raised.
Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of local government reorganisation and the English Devolution White Paper on the future of county council-owned council farms, particularly with regard to their statutory role as smallholding authorities under the Agriculture Act 1970.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
During the local government reorganisation process, it is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils. These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. These provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves, and can include farm estates. We will review and if necessary update relevant legislation to ensure that powers currently designated to county councils are provided to new unitary councils.
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of local government reorganisation on council farms. Although local government reorganisation may impact who administers farming tenancies, it will not alter council farm tenants' succession rights.
We are committed to working with colleagues across Government, and with the LGA and its sector support group to ensure councils have the information, tools and expertise to develop the solutions that are right for their area, so new authorities are set up for success. I am happy to meet Noble Lords at any point to discuss local government reorganisation, and Baroness Hayman and I stand ready to meet Baroness Rock to discuss the issues she has raised.
Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the abolition or restructure of county councils on council farm tenants under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986, including the impact on succession rights.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
During the local government reorganisation process, it is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils. These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. These provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves, and can include farm estates. We will review and if necessary update relevant legislation to ensure that powers currently designated to county councils are provided to new unitary councils.
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of local government reorganisation on council farms. Although local government reorganisation may impact who administers farming tenancies, it will not alter council farm tenants' succession rights.
We are committed to working with colleagues across Government, and with the LGA and its sector support group to ensure councils have the information, tools and expertise to develop the solutions that are right for their area, so new authorities are set up for success. I am happy to meet Noble Lords at any point to discuss local government reorganisation, and Baroness Hayman and I stand ready to meet Baroness Rock to discuss the issues she has raised.
Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they anticipate that the number of equipped council farms is likely to fall as a result of their proposed local government reorganisation, and if so, what plans they have to ensure continued access to residential starter and progression holdings for new entrants into the farming sector.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
During the local government reorganisation process, it is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils. These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. These provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves, and can include farm estates. We will review and if necessary update relevant legislation to ensure that powers currently designated to county councils are provided to new unitary councils.
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of local government reorganisation on council farms. Although local government reorganisation may impact who administers farming tenancies, it will not alter council farm tenants' succession rights.
We are committed to working with colleagues across Government, and with the LGA and its sector support group to ensure councils have the information, tools and expertise to develop the solutions that are right for their area, so new authorities are set up for success. I am happy to meet Noble Lords at any point to discuss local government reorganisation, and Baroness Hayman and I stand ready to meet Baroness Rock to discuss the issues she has raised.
Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following their blog post "Update on the farming budget", published on 12 March, what plans they have to meet the National Farmers' Union, the Country Land and Business Association and the Tenant Farmers Association to discuss the reopening of the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State attended the National Farmers Union (NFU) conference in February. Minister Zeichner has had 1:1 bilateral meetings on the Sustainable Farming Incentive specifically with the NFU, National Beef Association, British Poultry Council, Soil Association, Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, National Pig Association, National Sheep Association, British Egg Industry Council, National Federation of Young Farmers, British Free Range Egg Producers Association, LAA, Tenant Farmers Association and Country, Land and Business Association.
Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following their blog post, "Update on the farming budget", published on 12 March, how many Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme applications had been started, but not submitted, by close of business on 11 March.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Sustainable Farming Incentive Expanded Offer (SFI EO) is an online application and by close of business on the 11 March there are 6,626 applications currently started but not submitted on the Rural Payments Portal.
We have closed SFI for new applications on the 11 March because the current SFI budget had been successfully allocated, with large-scale uptake of the scheme and 37,000 live SFI agreements delivering towards our environmental target.
Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following their blog post "Update on the farming budget", published on 12 March, when they expect (1) to reopen applications under the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme, and (2) new contracts under the reopened scheme to begin.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We will be reforming the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer to direct funding towards SFI actions which are most appropriate for the least productive land and have the strongest case for enduring public investment.
We expect to publish more information about the reformed SFI offer in summer 2025. This will include an indication of when we expect to re-open SFI for applications.
Asked by: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following their blog post "Update on the farming budget", published on 12 March, what is the committed expenditure for the next financial year for agreements currently in place under each of the schemes listed; and what funding is available for new agreements under each of those schemes.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The farming blog published on Wednesday 12 March set out Defra’s spend over the next two years (24/25 and 25/26).
Defra will manage that budget flexibly to respond to demand, and achieve our intended outcomes for farm productivity, environment, climate and animal health and welfare.
In line with its obligations under the Agriculture Act 2020, Defra regularly publishes an annual report setting out commitments in the previous financial year. Defra intends to publish the annual report for the financial year 2024/25 later this year, which will set out how money was spent in that financial year.