Farming Road Map Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Earl of Devon
Main Page: Earl of Devon (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)Department Debates - View all Earl of Devon's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(1 day, 18 hours ago)
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Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
I assume the noble Lord is referring to the publication of the farming road map. I have said that it will be published by the end of this year. Civil servants are working extremely hard on this.
The Earl of Devon (CB)
My Lords, eight years ago, when we were dealing with the Agriculture Bill following Brexit, we were promised that there would be a period of consistency for farming while ELMS and SFI bedded in. Since then, we have had the land use strategy, the change in IHT rules, biodiversity net gain and the nature restoration fund—we have a constantly changing stream of strategies. Farming requires continuity, consistency and dependability. When will we see that?
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
I could not agree more with the noble Earl on the need for consistency. There has been an enormous churn in government over the last eight years, which has not helped at all. That is why we want to provide a 25-year farming road map.