Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many Countryside Stewardship agreements will end in each of the next six months.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are almost 5,820 Countryside Stewardship (CS) Agreements that are due to expire within the next six months (November 25 – April 26). This figure covers all Countryside Stewardship Agri-environment schemes, including Mid-Tier, Higher-Tier, Capital Agreements and Wildlife Offers.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help retain farm businesses.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have allocated £11.8 billion this parliament to sustainable farming and food production, targeting public money where it delivers most value: actions that support nature to produce good food and grants for cutting-edge technology.
We are making supply chains fairer to protect farmers in their contracts and unlocking new markets for British produce.
We are carefully looking at the Farming Profitability Review (FPR) recommendations and will publish the Review in December, before Christmas.
The FPR will feed directly into the Farming Roadmap, due next year, ensuring its recommendations are embedded in that plan. Alongside the Land Use Framework, the Roadmap will set out the government’s vision for agriculture and give farmers the certainty to make informed, long-term decisions.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to (a) reopen the water management grant for farmers and (b) introduce new support to improve farm productivity through more efficient use of water and secure water supplies, in the context of the latest Environment Agency figures showing much of the country continues to be in drought or prolonged dry weather.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Water Management Grant is designed to help improve farm productivity and water resilience through supporting investment in irrigation infrastructure and construction of reservoirs on-farm. Our last round, worth up to £6 million, closed to new applications in October 2024.
We are working to simplify and rationalise our grant funding from 2026 onwards to ensure it is targeted towards those who need them most and where they can deliver the most benefit for food security and nature.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much money has been allocated to the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
£46.7 million was allocated to the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund in 2025. Funding for future years is yet to be decided and is subject to departmental business planning.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many hectares of land have been taken out of food production in the last year.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Agricultural land can be taken out of human food production for a variety of reasons, including for agricultural purposes (for example when it’s used to produce animal feed, as bare fallow within the annual crop rotations or for temporary crops such as leguminous mixes for environmental and soil health benefits). It is therefore not possible to provide accurate data on how much land has been taken out of food production as this can differ each year.
Estimates of the utilised agricultural area in England (which also includes bare fallow and land for environmental benefit) stands at 8.8 million hectares in 2025 and this area has remained broadly stable over the past decade.
Agricultural land area statistics are available here.
Detailed statistics on domestic food production are available in Chapters 7 and 8 in Defra’s Agriculture in the United Kingdom publication.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the 2025 harvest on (a) farm profitability and (b) business viability.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We regularly publish statistics on farm incomes and profitability. The latest figures on Farm Business Income covering the 2024/25 year were published on 20 November 2025: Farm business income - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 57090 on Rivers: Flood Control, how much of the £200 million funding for river asset management will be allocated to Suffolk County Council.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) is allocating approximately £200 million for the management of flood and coastal risk management assets in 2025/26.
This funding, which is managed by the EA and not allocated to other risk management authorities, will enhance our ability to manage flood risks and ensure public safety. £4 million of this funding is allocated to asset management activities within Suffolk County Council’s boundaries in 2025/26.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 57090 on Flood Control and the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57092 on Flood Control: Finances, if he will set out how the £2.65 billion of funding for flood and coastal erosion risk management for 2024 to 2026 (a) has been and (b) will be spent.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are investing a record £2.65 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The full list of over 700 schemes to benefit from fresh funding this year was announced on 31 March 2024 and can be found here. Information on spend can be found here, and information on plans can be found here.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
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) people and (b) groups have been prosecuted by the Environment Agency for damaging (i) watercourses and (ii) rivers.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Information on prosecutions by the Environment Agency under its regulatory powers is available on gov.uk. Cases completed from January 2000 that resulted in a conviction are included.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 57090 on Flood Control and the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57092 on Flood Control: Finances, how much of the £2.65 billion funding for flood and coastal erosion risk management for 2024 to 2026 (a) has been and (b) will be allocated to Suffolk County Council.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are investing a record £2.65 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The full list of over 700 schemes to benefit from fresh funding this year was announced on 31 March 2024 and can be found here.
In 2024/25, Suffolk County Council received a funding allocation from the investment programme of £900,000. In 2025/26, Suffolk County Council received an allocation of £500,000. Information on spend can be found here, and information on plans can be found here.