Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 10 Feb 2020
Flood Response
"My right hon. Friend has twice mentioned the planning system. In my view, too many houses are still being built on floodplains, causing problems not only for them but for houses downstream from them. Will she work with colleagues from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government so that …..."Geoffrey Clifton-Brown - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 03 Feb 2020
Agriculture Bill
"This is the first chance I have had, Mr Deputy Speaker, to pay tribute to you for being back in your rightful place in this House.
I also pay tribute to the six excellent maiden speeches from my hon. Friends the Members for Ynys Môn (Virginia Crosbie), for Rushcliffe (Ruth …..."Geoffrey Clifton-Brown - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 03 Feb 2020
Agriculture Bill
"And industrious too, no doubt—industrious in particular.
I declare my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, in that I am a farmer and receive income from farming.
As my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham reminded us, this is the first debate that we have had since we …..."Geoffrey Clifton-Brown - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 03 Feb 2020
Agriculture Bill
"My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. That is precisely what I am trying to get at—our farmers can compete with any farmers in the world, provided they have a level playing field.
It is not only regulation that could be an obstacle to them. There could be a tariff …..."Geoffrey Clifton-Brown - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 23 Oct 2019
TB in Cattle and Badgers
"I am grateful to have caught your eye, Mr Wilson, and also to the hon. Member for High Peak (Ruth George) for the reasoned way she introduced the debate. I did not agree with all her conclusions, but her demeanour and the tenor of her remarks were very reasonable.
I …..."Geoffrey Clifton-Brown - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 23 Oct 2019
TB in Cattle and Badgers
"Will the hon. Gentleman give way?..."Geoffrey Clifton-Brown - View Speech
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 23 Oct 2019
TB in Cattle and Badgers
"I am grateful to my constituency neighbour for giving way. He is aware of the latest figures, which show very clearly that in Gloucestershire, far from there being a perturbation effect, the opposite has actually been the case: there has been a reduction in the level of the disease on …..."Geoffrey Clifton-Brown - View Speech
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Written Question
Wednesday 20th June 2018
Asked by:
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness of the introduction of the mid-tier countryside stewardship scheme and (b) the effect of the introduction of that scheme on processing existing (i) entry and (ii) higher level stewardship claims.
Answered by George Eustice
Almost 6,000 mid-tier agreements under Countryside Stewardship (CS) are currently in place. A further 10,500 Mid-Tier applications packs have been requested for agreements that would start on 1 January 2019, an increase of 39% on last year.
Natural England, who currently administer the scheme, have been under severe pressure and this has resulted in delays to the issuing of agreements and the processing of payments. We have been working hard to address this, by, for instance introducing 75% bridging payments to CS agreement holders who have yet to receive either an advance or full payment. Agreement offers for the 2018 period were all issued by end-May, allowing agreement holders to submit their claim by 15th June.
Written Question
Thursday 14th June 2018
Asked by:
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) entry level and (b) higher level Stewardship payments remain outstanding for (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017; and whether his Department has set a date for all such outstanding payments to be resolved.
Answered by George Eustice
A table containing the requested information can be found below. Defra has recently approved additional recovery actions and we now expect Environmental Stewardship advanced and final payments to be substantially completed by mid-August 2018 and mid-October 2018 respectively.
Claim period | Scheme | Payments due | Claims withdrawn or rejected | Payments complete | Payments outstanding |
2016 end of year | ELS | 22,234 | 137 | 21,976 | 121 |
| HLS | 13,978 | 50 | 12,988 | 940 |
| | | | | |
2017 mid-year | ELS | 11,534 | 140 | 11,117 | 277 |
| HLS | 13,190 | 142 | 8,266 | 4,782 |
| | | | | |
2017 end of year | ELS | 11,530 | 117 | 9,081 | 2,332 |
| HLS | 13,146 | 15 | 1,889 | 11,242 |
Written Question
Thursday 12th April 2018
Asked by:
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many claims for payment for work under the Higher Level Stewardship scheme which took place in (a) 2015-16 and (b) 2016-17 are unresolved; and whether he has set a target date for the resolution of those claims.
Answered by George Eustice
Holders of Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements receive two payments: an advance and a final payment.
1,111 (20%) of HLS agreements are still to receive their final payment for 2016.
6,774 (52%) of HLS agreements are still to receive a payment for 2017.
There is no set deadline for Environmental Stewardship payments. Natural England is focused on making the payments and we are keeping farming groups regularly updated on progress.