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Written Question
Countryside Stewardship Scheme
Wednesday 27th May 2026

Asked by: Sam Rushworth (Labour - Bishop Auckland)

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 Higher Tier agreements have been accepted since September 2025; and how many farmers have been invited to apply for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier since September 2025.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Since September 2025, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has invited 903 farmers to apply for a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) agreement. Over the same period the number of CSHT agreements that have been accepted is 431.

The RPA continues to streamline the application process and ensure that agreements are progressed as efficiently as possible.

Written Question
Countryside Stewardship Scheme
Wednesday 27th May 2026

Asked by: Sam Rushworth (Labour - Bishop Auckland)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether everyone with a legacy Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement that expired on 30 December 2025 secured a new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) service opened for applications in September 2025 for groups who had been invited to apply. This included farmers land managers with existing Higher Tier agreements due to expire in December 2025.

Not all agreement holders will have secured a new Higher Tier agreement: This is reflected by a number of factors including if the applicant has engaged in the application process taking into account their individual requirements, whether a suitable new agreement proposal can be offered and the impact of site-specific environmental requirements and assessments.

Division Vote (Commons)
21 May 2026 - Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill - View Vote Context
Sam Rushworth (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 231 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 68 Noes - 242
Division Vote (Commons)
20 May 2026 - Defence Readiness - View Vote Context
Sam Rushworth (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 304 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 104 Noes - 317
Division Vote (Commons)
20 May 2026 - Defence Readiness - View Vote Context
Sam Rushworth (Lab) voted Aye - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 300 Labour Aye votes vs 0 Labour No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 307 Noes - 171
Division Vote (Commons)
20 May 2026 - Defence Readiness - View Vote Context
Sam Rushworth (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 302 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 104 Noes - 316
Division Vote (Commons)
20 May 2026 - Defence Readiness - View Vote Context
Sam Rushworth (Lab) voted No - in line with the party majority and in line with the House
One of 301 Labour No votes vs 0 Labour Aye votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 78 Noes - 408
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 14 May 2026
Getting Britain Working Again

"rose—..."
Sam Rushworth - View Speech

View all Sam Rushworth (Lab - Bishop Auckland) contributions to the debate on: Getting Britain Working Again
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 14 May 2026
Getting Britain Working Again

"I hear what the hon. Lady is saying—we have exactly the same challenges in my rural community, where people cannot get to job interviews or to jobs—but we passed the Bus Services Act 2025 in the last Session...."
Sam Rushworth - View Speech

View all Sam Rushworth (Lab - Bishop Auckland) contributions to the debate on: Getting Britain Working Again
Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 14 May 2026
Getting Britain Working Again

"I certainly do. It is this Labour Government and it is getting people off NHS waiting lists and back into work. However, it is not for me to answer the questions; my intervention was simply to give the hon. Lady another opportunity to answer the question that was put to …..."
Sam Rushworth - View Speech

View all Sam Rushworth (Lab - Bishop Auckland) contributions to the debate on: Getting Britain Working Again