Domestic Farming and Food Supply

Stephen Morgan Excerpts

Tuesday 27th October 2026 Westminster Hall

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Sir Jeremy. I want to start by thanking the hon. Member for Upper Bann (Carla Lockhart) for securing this debate. She knows agriculture is a devolved issue. We are committed to working closely with the devolved Governments as we work to support UK farmers and boost the nation’s food security. I welcome her focus on UK matters today, alongside the various insights she has brought from Northern Ireland.

Before I respond to the debate, Chair, allow me to begin by stating that farmers are the backbone of our food system, rural economy and national resilience. Yet I recognise that many are working under extraordinary pressure, with volatile markets, extreme weather, animal disease, and rising input and energy costs.

[Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP)]

The Minister has outlined accurately that although matters are devolved, there are issues that fall to the Treasury and to his own responsibility. He has heard the concerns, which I am sure he has heard many times before. Can he outline the representations that I am sure he has made to the Treasury on behalf of the farming community ahead of tomorrow’s Budget?

[Stephen Morgan]

Matters of taxation are for the Chancellor. More will be known in the Budget tomorrow, but I can certainly share that I work closely with my colleagues in Northern Ireland. Under my previous ministerial responsibility, I was delighted to visit Northern Ireland, and hope to do so in future on the important issues being discussed today.

The importance of the pressures that I have mentioned cannot be overstated. Agriculture alone contributes £14.5 billion to the economy, and the wider food and drink sector contributed £153 billion in 2023. The agrifood sector employed 4.1 million people in 2025. Food security is about national security.

[Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth) (Ind)]

After months of drought, 175 wildfires and 369 cases of bluetongue this summer alone, Cornish farmers have had an exceptionally hard year. Rising fertiliser costs, driven by disruption from a completely avoidable conflict with Iran, have placed a particular burden on British farmers. Can the Minister comment further on media reports that the Government are going to support the cost of fertiliser in tomorrow’s Budget? If that is the case, that will be very good news indeed.

[Stephen Morgan]

The hon. Member is a real champion on farming issues, as was very evident from my time in Cornwall over the summer with the Prime Minister. I know that he is a real champion on those issues. I obviously cannot comment on speculation. There is an indication that there might be announcements tomorrow that will be supportive of our farming community, but I ask him for a little more patience ahead of the Chancellor’s statement tomorrow.

I thank the hon. Member for Upper Bann for identifying specific issues. Trade is a very important matter that of course affects Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. To address the pressures that were raised by farmers in Northern Ireland and across the country, markets must work fairly. UK farmers should not be undercut by imports produced to lower standards. We will maintain our food and animal welfare standards. We will use quotas, exclusions and safeguards where necessary, and open new export opportunities for high-quality UK produce.

The last four deals we concluded, with Switzerland, India, the Gulf Co-operation Council and South Korea, created new opportunities for Northern Irish exports, while protecting sensitive sectors such as pork, poultry and eggs. Tariffs on Northern Irish beef, lamb and dairy exports will be removed in the Gulf and reduced further in Switzerland. Tariffs on whisky exports to India have been halved and will continue to go down over the next 10 years.

We also have a global network of 16 agrifood and drink attachés who create new opportunities for export and help businesses to access markets around the globe. So far this year they have removed 26 barriers, worth nearly £90 million annually. The proposed SPS agreement with the European Union is intended to remove the routine border checks and costly paperwork, reducing friction for exporters and supporting the UK’s food supply and security. The agreement will remove almost all SPS checks and certificates between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. That will reduce costs for a whole range of businesses and increase choice for consumers. I know Northern Irish farmers welcome the deal. They see the benefit in removing checks on used agricultural machinery such as tractors, which are often bought from Great Britain. As another example, seed potatoes will be easier to bring in, and Northern Irish farmers will be operating under the same rules, for example on pesticides, as the rest of the UK.

We are also supporting farmers across the United Kingdom, including in Northern Ireland, through our programme of fair dealing reforms. On 2 October, the first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza of this season was confirmed in Scotland, and we have now had our first case in England. Stringent biosecurity remains the best defence for protecting the health and welfare of birds, and reducing the risk of avian influenza entering kept bird populations. On bovine tuberculosis, it is worth stating that the Government are developing a cattle vaccine and a DIVA—detect infected among vaccinated animals—skin test, widening sensitive testing, expanding badger vaccination and working towards TB-free status for England by 2038.

The reason I stress those points is that the hon. Member for Upper Bann made a number of points about enforcement at our borders and illegal meat. I can confirm that the Government continue to work across Departments to develop a new framework, in partnership with the Home Office, Border Force, the Food Standards Authority and others. More details will be published in due course.

With regard to tax matters that have been raised in the debate, I recognise that when the Government initially announced reform to the agricultural property relief and business property relief in 2024, there was significant concern in the industry about the impact. The Government listened to those concerns and acted, going further to protect more farms and businesses. Up to £5 million can still be passed on free of inheritance tax, depending on people’s individual circumstances. Farming families will be able to pass the family farm down to their children, just as previous generations have done.

Let me turn to the points raised about the certainty to invest and planning issues. The farming roadmap was published earlier this year. We recognise that those in the sector need confidence to invest to grow their businesses, plan for the future and secure farms for the next generation. These are important for profitable food production and resilience to global shocks. In England, through our farming roadmap, we have set a new long-term direction for the sector—one that is more profitable, productive, sustainable and resilient, and that will be better able to withstand climate, market and geopolitical shocks. Through the roadmap, we have committed to maintaining domestic food production at least at current levels, and our commitment to farmers is backed by a record £11.8 billion for sustainable farming and food production over this Parliament. This year, £788 million in new funding has been committed to boost productivity, develop new technologies and maintain a healthy natural environment. Support includes £225 million for capital grants, £173 million for productivity and innovation, and £15 million for on-farm reservoirs to strengthen drought resilience.

On red tape and bureaucracy, I recognise farmers’ frustration with ever-increasing bureaucracy. Regulation is necessary to address risks, but compliance requirements can be a burden and slow growth. We are delivering actions through the Government’s regulation action plan to reduce these burdens on farmers and will take further action.

The pressures facing UK farming are real, and no responsible Government should dismiss them. I thank the hon. Member for Upper Bann for her insight into the issues raised in today’s debate. Our task is to stand alongside farmers, strengthen profitability and resilience, and to ensure that UK farming can continue to produce the food on which we all depend.

Question put and agreed to.

Carbon Dioxide Stunning of Pigs: Consultation

Stephen Morgan Excerpts

Monday 26th October 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

As set out in the animal welfare strategy for England, the Government have committed to consulting on banning the use of carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs.

I can announce that this consultation launches today, 26 October 2026. The proposal being consulted on is the banning of the use of carbon dioxide to stun pigs in the UK, following an appropriate transition period to allow impacted slaughterhouses to convert to suitable alternative stunning systems.

The Government encourage the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter, and are committed to working closely with industry to support a sustainable future for British pig production. We want to ensure that animals receive the care, respect and protection that they deserve, while working with producers to maintain a resilient meat processing sector.

We wish to address the long-standing welfare concerns associated with the high-concentration carbon dioxide stunning of pigs. Evidence shows that exposure to this gas causes significant pain, fear and respiratory distress for pigs at the point of slaughter.

The Animal Welfare Committee provided an up-to-date animal welfare assessment of the evidence on this stunning method, and potential alternatives, in October 2025. The Committee recommended that high-concentration carbon dioxide, along with carbon dioxide in gas mixtures, should be removed from the list of approved pig stunning methods.

We believe that a transition away from carbon dioxide stunning of pigs would result in a significant improvement to pig welfare at the time of killing. This transition should be managed in a way that allows the industry to make the necessary technological changes and maintain economic viability.

The consultation will provide all stakeholders with the opportunity to share views and evidence on the proposal, including on costs, feasibility, welfare impacts and implementation considerations.

The consultation will be published on www.gov.uk and will be open until 21 December 2026.

[HCWS414]

Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 22nd October 2026 Commons Chamber

[John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

6. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK–EU sanitary and phytosanitary agreement on the farming sector.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

The Government are in the final stages of negotiating a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the EU to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier by removing trade barriers for British producers. An SPS agreement could increase the volume of UK exports of major primary agricultural commodities to the EU by around 16%. A regulatory impact assessment will be prepared as part of the normal process. Details are subject to ongoing negotiations, and we will not be providing a running commentary.

[Charlie Dewhirst]

England has become a world leader in gene editing and precision breeding. That has increased crop yields and eradicated diseases, and it helps to protect domestic, and potentially global, food security. But much of this technology is banned in the European Union, and dynamic alignment will mean that we cannot use it. What representations has the Minister made to the Cabinet Office and to Ministers in negotiations with the European Union to ensure that gene editing and our world-leading technologies are protected?

[Stephen Morgan]

I am committed to the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023. Details of the agreement are subject to negotiation, and the EU-UK “Common Understanding” sets out the agreement, which will include a short list of exceptions. I can confirm that the UK has been clear about the importance of being able to support the use of new and innovative technologies.

[John Cooper]

CropLife UK warns that the heedless rush to align with the EU could cost British farming £810 million. That is £810 million off bottom lines, which are already very marginal. Further, it could also hit production in this country, so we cannot export what we are not even growing. What assessment is the Government making of CropLife UK’s report that says this EU alignment could be dangerous for farming?

[Stephen Morgan]

The CropLife UK report is clear that the numbers presented are a worst-case scenario. We are building a new pragmatic relationship with the EU, markedly different to what has gone before, which will bring clear benefits with closer alignment. Negotiations are in their final stages, and the Government will set out further details as they conclude.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

My Carlisle constituency is home to one of only two herds of European bison in the country. To expand the herd and maintain a healthy breeding population, they will require access to high-quality genetic material—I will leave that to the imagination. As part of the assessment of the SPS agreement, will the Minister ensure that the UK’s import regime supports the access that herd needs?

[Stephen Morgan]

My hon. Friend is a real champion of these issues, especially the innovation in that industry. We recognise the importance of access to high-quality genetic material for maintaining healthy breeding populations. Zoo technical arrangements facilitate trade in breeding animals and genetic material, but the details of future arrangements will depend on the outcome of the ongoing UK-EU SPS negotiations.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Robbie Moore (Keighley and Ilkley) (Con)]

The EU summit is to take place in just 28 days’ time, but the Farming Minister cannot answer key questions, not just from us but from our farming community. We still have no confirmation that the precision breeding Act—widely recognised as a huge success—will be 100% protected. We have no reassurance that our current freedom to innovate in gene editing and bovine TB vaccine development will be a red line, and we have no acknowledgment that the alignment with the EU on plant protection products could slash £810 million from farming incomes in the first year alone. What guarantees can the Farming Minister give our farmers right now that this Labour Government will not sell them out to the EU, just like they sold out our British fishermen last May when they previously negotiated with Brussels?

[Stephen Morgan]

The shadow Minister has some brass neck, given all the deals that his Government did and tried to get over the line, selling out our British farmers. DEFRA continues to work closely with industry. When negotiations conclude, we will be able to provide more definitive answers on the exact nature of any alignment. I cannot comment on the specifics of the agreement, but we have been clear that we will only pursue an SPS agreement that has British interests at its heart.

[Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes) (Lab)]

5. What steps she is taking to help tackle fly-tipping.

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[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

The wine sector is a British success story and we want to grow it further. We are supporting innovation, ensuring that vineyards can access essential labour and helping British producers access new export markets through our global network of agrifood and drink attachés.

[Sir John Whittingdale]

Is the Minister aware that Essex is now a centre of English wine production, with producers such as Danbury Ridge, Missing Gate, New Hall, Crouch Valley and Crouch Ridge all producing in my constituency? A number of them also offer vineyard tours, which are an important source of revenue. Will he support WineGB’s campaign for a wine tourism relief, to reduce the excise duty on cellar-door sales?

[Stephen Morgan]

I was waiting for the invitation to visit those vineyards. Supporting trade and exports is a priority for this Government, which is why DEFRA supports the UK wine industry to succeed both at home and abroad. On the campaign that the right hon. Gentleman mentioned, obviously, matters of duty relief are for the Treasury, but DEFRA recognises the growth potential of the wine tourism industry, including its contribution to rural jobs and rural communities.

[Adrian Ramsay (Waveney Valley) (Green)]

9. What steps her Department is taking to prepare communities for flooding in winter 2026-27.

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[Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab)]

10. What assessment she made of the potential impact of the definition of single malt included in the English whisky geographical indication on Scotch whisky’s protected status.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

Scotch whisky is a national treasure and I am pleased to inform my hon. Friend that its protected status and production requirements remain unchanged following the registration of English whisky geographical indication.

[Douglas McAllister]

The Department has recently confirmed that English producers who do not comply with the English whisky GI can still call their products single malt, leading to the possibility of three single malts, with three differing production processes, being on the shelves as a result of that decision. How does that align with the Minister’s previous statement, asserting that the definition of single malt whisky will not be watered down?

[Stephen Morgan]

The English whisky GI has no effect on single malt Scotch whisky, which retains its own definition, as set out in the Scotch whisky product specification and Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009. Other whisky definitions, including Welsh, Irish and EU definitions, already co-exist with the Scotch whisky definition without affecting its protected status.

[Seamus Logan (Aberdeenshire North and Moray East) (SNP)]

I hear the Minister saying that the decision had no impact, but in a written response to a question from a colleague recently, the Minister failed to clarify whether an impact assessment had been carried out. Will he confirm whether such an impact assessment was carried out and its impact on the Scotch whisky industry?

[Stephen Morgan]

We recognise that stakeholders may have different views, and legislation provides a process for objections and appeals. I understand that the Scotch Whisky Association has appealed to the first tier tribunal; the matter will be determined in due course. I say politely to the hon. Member that due process has been followed, and rigorous scrutiny processes have been adhered to.

[Callum Anderson (Buckingham and Bletchley) (Lab)]

T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.

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[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

T2. Since the Iran war began, fishermen have seen their fuel costs roughly double, but the Minister has offered no tailored support, instead pointing to schemes that existed long before the conflict began, including rebated red diesel, marine voyages relief and the fishing and coastal growth fund. Meanwhile, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy and Germany have provided millions in fuel support to help fishermen catching food for their tables. When will the Government stop making excuses and back Britain’s fishing industry?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

As a Member of Parliament who represents a coastal community, engaging with our fishing community is a priority of mine. That is why I have visited Cornwall and the south-west on a number of occasions. We are working with our fishing and seafood sector to secure a vibrant, profitable and sustainable future, and I continue to listen to the industry on its demands and concerns.

[Baggy Shanker (Derby South) (Lab/Co-op)]

T5. Given the failures of the privatised water model, what steps is the Department taking to explore alternative ownership models, such as mutualisation, to put the interests of people and communities first? That would give communities a meaningful stake in the governance and accountability of water companies to ensure that people, not profits, are put first.

[Sir John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)]

T3. As well as producing extremely fine wines, Maldon produces excellent oysters—I would be delighted to welcome any members of the ministerial team to visit. Will the Department do more to promote the shellfish industry? In particular, will it look to introduce a specific aquaculture qualification to try to attract more apprentices into the industry?

[Stephen Morgan]

The right hon. Member will have heard what I said about the value of the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement, but more broadly, Seafish obviously has a role in promoting seafood around the world. It was a real pleasure to be in Paris earlier this week at one of the world’s largest food and drink expos, promoting British products, including oysters.

[Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes) (Lab)]

T6. Staff at the Sewing Shop in Grimsby are keen to see the rapid introduction of the deposit return scheme, so when can we anticipate seeing it, and will the Minister make sure that retailers do not derail that initiative?

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[Dr Sam Rushworth (Bishop Auckland) (Lab)]

Farmers in my constituency are concerned about the rising cost of fertiliser, which risks making them uncompetitive. On their behalf, can I ask the Minister whether she will engage with the Treasury to consider delaying the carbon border adjustment mechanism, and also do more to ensure we can develop domestic, low-carbon fertiliser?

[Stephen Morgan]

The Government recognise the pressures facing farmers and the food and farming sector. Fertiliser CBAM liabilities are expected to be below 1% of current prices, with impacts on farmers very limited. Over time, CBAM—alongside domestic farming policy—will support the transition towards more resilient, low-carbon supply chains while maintaining food production.

[Charlie Maynard (Witney) (LD)]

Will the Minister meet me to discuss the legal opinion I co-commissioned, outlining the legal grounds for possibly putting Thames Water into special administration?

Support for Farmers

Stephen Morgan Excerpts

Wednesday 21st October 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

I thank hon. Members on both sides of the House for their contributions throughout the debate, and for sharing issues raised by farmers and rural communities across our country. I also thank the Liberal Democrat spokesperson, the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron), for raising these important matters.

Let me reiterate the words of my excellent fellow Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk Coastal (Jenny Riddell-Carpenter), in her first speech at the Dispatch Box: we know how hard this year has been for farmers. Behind every statistic about drought, input prices or farm income is a family making difficult decisions about crops, livestock bills and their future. We set out our farming road map because farmers have repeatedly asked for clarity and certainty, and we are delivering that. The road map sets out this Government’s strategic vision for farming. We want profitable, productive farms that are better able to withstand volatile weather and markets, and geopolitical shocks. The road map also sets out that domestic food production will be maintained at least at current levels, while nature recovery, economic growth and the responsible use of land and resources are supported. That is supported by the strong financial settlement that DEFRA secured in the 2025 spending review.

Across this Parliament, the Government have allocated a record £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production, including £788 million this year alone in new funding for farmers to boost farm productivity, develop cutting-edge technologies to drive future growth, and maintain a healthy natural environment. Where this year has exposed vulnerabilities, this Government have responded. We have made drought flexibilities available, supported investment in farm reservoirs and added funding to the SFI26.

I thank the Chair of the Select Committee, the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael) —he is back in his place—for his interventions. I think he is right to recognise the optimism and resilience of our nation’s farmers. I wholeheartedly support that view, as do so many Members in this House. I very much agree with what he said about the value of providing greater certainty to the sector; we are very much doing that through our farming road map. It sets out the Government’s vision for driving more a profitable, productive, sustainable and resilient farming sector, and we are doing that in partnership with the sector, via our partnership board and the sector growth plans.

Members spoke about the SFI, this year’s two windows and the learning for future years, and I thank all Members who have offered practical ideas for its delivery in future. We also recognise where things have not worked as farmers would have wished. The speed with which the SFI26 window closed last month caused real disappointment, and I do not dismiss that frustration. I recognise the concerns raised by Members across the House, and the specific examples that they have given. Demand substantially exceeded the funding available, and we must learn from that experience as we work with the sector in partnership on SFI27. Working through the options, following my confirmation that we have scrapped the “first come, first served” approach, is absolutely a priority of mine.

[Tim Farron]

In March 2025, the last time the drawbridge was pulled up with no notice, the hon. Member for Cambridge (Daniel Zeichner) said that we must not do first come, first served again. We have just done that, so what guarantees can the Minister give us that next time around it will not be first come, first served? All the same, can he ensure that the window will come very, very soon?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that intervention. He will know that we made a number of changes to improve the scheme this year. He briefly mentioned those in his opening remarks, but I have been very clear that we need to learn lessons from this year’s scheme and that means a commitment on scrapping the first come, first served approach and bringing forward SFI27 as early as possible.

A number of Members also expressed concerns about the impact on farmers of trade deals done by the previous Conservative Government. Let me be clear: this Government will always act in the national interest to protect Britain’s farmers and secure our food security. We will never lower food standards and we will uphold the high animal welfare standards that our country expects. In the last year alone, we have reached agreement on new trade deals with India, the Republic of Korea, the Gulf Cooperation Council and Switzerland. All those deals strike a balance: they open new opportunities for UK businesses and help diversify supply chains, while also protecting the UK’s most sensitive sectors.

A number of Members have been interested in the SPS agreement with the European Union. I want to thank the hon. Member for South Northamptonshire (Sarah Bool) who is not in her place currently—[Interruption.]—there she is—for the issues she raised. The EU remains the UK’s biggest and closest export market, offering major opportunities for British food and drink businesses to reach millions of consumers. Yesterday, I was at the SIAL trade show in Paris, meeting businesses from every corner of the UK who want to increase their exports to Europe. The SPS agreement will reduce costs and delays for both UK and EU exporters and importers at the border, supporting the UK’s food supply chains and security. It will make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers.

[Ben Goldsborough]

Does my hon. Friend agree that one of the huge things we must protect in the SPS agreement is precision breeding—not just the research and development aspect but how we get it to market? From other conversations we have had, I know that he has been working hard with our European colleagues. Can he explain what action he is taking to ensure we can keep precision breeding as that benefit to the UK?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. It was a real pleasure to spend time with him at the Royal Norfolk Show earlier this year, where I heard very clearly the value of our innovation and world-leading technology in this space. I take this opportunity to reflect on the points he made earlier on the importance of working with our international partners and showcasing the best of British around the world, and thank him for that. He will appreciate that I cannot provide details on the ongoing SPS negotiations. The Prime Minister set out that the Government will be completing those negotiations before the next EU-UK summit on 20 November.

A number of Members expressed concern about the impacts of the reforms to agricultural property relief on inheritance tax, which came into force earlier this year. I recognise that when the Government initially announced the reforms in 2024, there was significant concern in the industry about their impact. The Government listened to those concerns carefully, considered the feedback, and the previous Chancellor acted. That is why last year the Government went further to protect more farms and businesses, while maintaining the core principle that the most valuable agricultural and business assets should not receive unlimited relief. This is a fair and balanced approach that protects the family farm while also fixing the public services that we all rely on.

[Mr Dillon]

Can the Minister explain how a farm in my constituency will still have a potential inheritance tax bill of £650,000, yet only generates £18,000 a year of profit?

[Stephen Morgan]

On these matters the Government’s view is now settled. I recognise that the previous Chancellor made the changes as a result of the engagement that she and others had with the farming community up and down the country, but the hon. Gentleman would have been keen to place his views on the record and he has successfully done that.

My hon. Friend the Member for South West Norfolk (Terry Jermy) raised a number of constructive points as a result of his continued engagement with the farmers across his constituency. I understand he has now visited 100 farms in his patch, and I know that he is hosting a very important event in his constituency later this week on the future of farming, and I wish him well with that. My hon. Friend the Member for South Norfolk (Ben Goldsborough) spoke about the importance of profitability and the value of learning from international partners, and I thank him again for his insights. My hon. Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (James Naish) gave a very eloquent speech about the importance of co-designing the future of SFI. I can assure him that directly, and through officials, I and the Department are already working with the sector on exploring options and trade-offs as we consider what SFI ’27 will look like.

To conclude, farmers deserve security, fairness and confidence to invest in the next generation and they have a Government who listen when times are hard and work in partnership with the sector to deliver on the commitments set out in our farming road map. That is our commitment: to back British farming; to maintain domestic food production; and to ensure that those who produce our food have a resilient and profitable future.

Question put.

Sustainable Farming Incentive

Stephen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 15th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Robbie Moore (Keighley and Ilkley) (Con)]

(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the sustainable farming incentive.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

In summer 2024, we inherited a sustainable farming incentive scheme from the previous Conservative Government that had no budget control and no proper alignment of SFI actions to environmental sustainability targets. The farming schemes were underspent, meaning that millions of pounds were not going to farming businesses.

This Government implemented many improvements to the sustainable farming incentive 2026 to make it more focused, more transparent and fairer, so that as many farmers as possible could benefit from agreements. For example, we introduced the new rule that each farm business could have only one SFI26 agreement, which cannot exceed £100,000 per year. We also streamlined the number of SFI actions to remove complexity while still having plenty of actions available for all farm types.

We held the first application window earlier in the summer, which was open only to two groups: small farms and farms without existing environmental land management revenue agreements. Window 2 of the sustainable farming incentive 2026 opened on the morning of Tuesday 22 September 2026 and closed at 3.48 pm on the same day. It was open to all farmers and land managers with at least three hectares of agricultural land.

I recognise that some farmers who wanted to join SFI26 will be disappointed not to have secured an agreement this year. There was exceptional demand for SFI26, which demonstrates farmers’ desire to invest in the environment, because healthy soils and thriving habitats are fundamental to farm profitability, productivity, sustainability and resilience.

In anticipation of high demand, we allocated an additional £20 million to window 2 on top of the £50 million announced by the Prime Minister in August so that we could fund as many agreements as possible. We have therefore allocated a total of £310 million to nearly 19,000 new agreements across both application windows in SFI26, including £253 million and 12,200 new agreements through window 2.

We now have 70,000 multi-year environmental land management scheme agreements in place. Those agreements will invest a total of £930 million in environmentally sustainable farming over the next three years. That is nearly £1 billion of investment in nature-friendly farming as part of £11.8 billion in funding for sustainable farming in this Parliament.

We plan to offer an SFI scheme in 2027, and we will look to open the 2027 offer as early as possible to ensure that farmers can access funding. We are already looking to make changes to improve the SFI for next year, continuing our close work with farmers and stakeholders by listening to experiences and learning lessons from this window.

In keeping with the commitments made in “Farming Roadmap 2050”, we plan to offer an SFI scheme in 2027. As part of that, we will scrap the first come, first served application process. We will look to open the 2027 window as early as possible to ensure that farmers can access funding and we will work with farming representative organisations including the National Farmers Union to consider how we refine the scheme for SFI27. As set out in the farming road map published earlier this year, the Government are committed to a farming sector that is productive, profitable and resilient.

[Robbie Moore]

I cannot stress enough just how badly mishandled the sustainable farming incentive has been under this Labour Government. It has been a complete and utter mess, and our hard-working farmers and nature have once again lost out under this Labour Government. However, it was not without this Government having lots of warning well in advance. After 18 months of inaction following the Government’s choice to close the scheme in March 2025, for the first time ever the scheme was changed to operate on a first come, first served basis, making it competitive with no quality control. It was simply based on who could press “Send” first. The consequence was a build-up of nearly 40,000 farmers trying to get into the scheme when it finally opened, and only 12,200 were successful. The application window closed five and a half hours after it opened, after all the money had gone. Farmers had been designing their applications for months, and many are now under more financial and emotional strain.

Given that the value of the expiring agreements was more than £520 million and the budget for SFI26 was significantly reduced to £310 million, can the Minister explain where the £210 million has gone? With so many farmers being locked out of the scheme, clarity and certainty for next steps is needed now. Will he confirm when applications for SFI27 will open? Will he publish a forward plan now so that farmers can start preparing? What support will he give to those with expiring agreements to minimise gaps in cash flow? What budget has he allocated for SFI27 so that he can be certain that we will not see this same debacle all over again?

The farming Minister has now had a month to reflect on these issues. Our farmers want answers now—not more warm words or him giving out surveys, saying that he is in listening mode. Answers are needed right now to the questions that have been raised.

[Stephen Morgan]

I am not going to claim that this scheme is perfect or working as we want it to work, but we inherited this scheme from the previous Government, and we are fixing it. Under them, just a quarter of the funding went to 4% of farms, often large ones, with no targeting. We have already made changes to address that; there was a window earlier this year specifically for small farms and those that had not participated in the scheme before. If the Conservatives thought the scheme was not working, why did they not do anything to fix it in their years in power? If they did not think that it should be a first come, first served approach, why did they not change it?

I noticed that the shadow Environment Secretary, the right hon. Member for Louth and Horncastle (Victoria Atkins) said at party conference:

“After 18 months of inaction, Labour chose to design this scheme, for the first time ever, on a first-come, first-served basis.”

That simply is not true, and I encourage the shadow Minister to correct the record. It is a bit rich for the hon. Gentleman to come here today with all these different things. He could have changed things when he had the opportunity to do so. The Conservatives could not even get all the funding out the door. They left money on the table when it should have been going into farmers’ pockets. I will not accept the criticism. This scheme was designed by them, but we are fixing it, and that is what I will continue doing.

[Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)]

The plain truth is that, when the Conservatives introduced this scheme in the previous Parliament, it was a complex scheme and the IT systems in particular were not in place to administer it properly. Conservative Front Benchers know that. These IT systems take years to develop. Colleagues at the Rural Payments Agency have done a heroic job working around the existing systems. That is why it is so difficult to make this scheme work in the difficult circumstances across the country. Does my hon. Friend agree that a little contrition from the Conservatives would be welcome as we try to fix this system?

[Stephen Morgan]

I place on record the hard work that my hon. Friend undertook as Minister of State in the Department. He was a tremendous contributor to many of the things that I have now inherited to deliver for our country. He is absolutely right to point out the hypocrisy of the Conservatives on the SFI scheme. I remind him that it was Michael Gove who I think first introduced the first come, first served approach. I also pay tribute to those at the RPA. They have worked incredibly hard with the level of applications and demand we have seen with this scheme. I look forward to working with my hon. Friend as we make further improvements to ensure the success of the scheme next year.

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)]

SFI is the foundation of a resilient food system, and it delivers for nature. When it closed without warning last year, the Liberal Democrats warned of the damage to farm finances and our environmental goals. Farmers now face a two-tier system once again.

Clare farms near Puckington. Her countryside stewardship scheme agreement is ending, and SFI was meant to be her way forward. Farmers deserve better than a Glastonbury ticket scramble, so I welcome the end of “first come, first served”, but having a fairer queue for the same small pot just changes who gets turned away. The Liberal Democrats would back farmers with an extra £1 billion a year to produce food and protect nature, not choose between them. With the Budget just two weeks away, will the Minister back our call and press the Chancellor to fund SFI properly?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for her contribution, and for the constructive way that she has engaged with me and my Department on these issues. I absolutely recognise that it has been an incredibly challenging time for farmers, and I mentioned some of the funding that we have put into sustainable funding—£11.8 billion over this Parliament. I also mentioned the significant figure that has been provided via various schemes: £2.3 billion has been made available for the farming budget this year. I will certainly take on board the points that the hon. Lady has made, and reflect on them as we design the scheme for next year. I look forward to working closely with her on the next steps.

[Markus Campbell-Savours (Penrith and Solway) (Lab)]

Is it not time we simply admitted that the SFI experiment has failed? The last Government could not get the money out the door, and we now have an IT system that is so bad that we may as well not have a door. Farmers do not believe that the SFI is fair. They do not believe that it is getting to those who need support, or that it is delivering the public goods intended. Perhaps we should start again and reconsider a universal baseline, with best practice conditions.

[Stephen Morgan]

My hon. Friend has yet to write to me on any issues that his farmers have raised about SFI26, and I encourage him to do so. I meant it when I said in my opening remarks that I am really keen to work in partnership with others to design a scheme that works for all farmers next year. I look forward to his proactive engagement with me in order to get the scheme right next year.

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

I call the Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.

[Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD)]

How many applications did the Department expect to receive when it opened the window? The farming software platform Soil Benchmark publicly estimated that there would be about 40,000 applications, and it thought that there would be a budget for about 15,000 successful ones. In the event, it was about 12,000. If Soil Benchmark could do that calculation, why did the Department not do so? Or did the Department do that calculation and then open the scheme in the knowledge that approximately two thirds to three quarters of applicants would be disappointed at the end of it?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee for his measured intervention, and look forward to being before his Committee later this month. We obviously anticipated that there would be high demand for the scheme this year, which is why we had two windows and increased funding for the overall pot to £310 million—I have already mentioned the window 2 process. DEFRA expected strong initial demand, and made it clear before the window opened that its duration would depend on the rate of applications. Ministers obviously allocated the £50 million, and then the additional £20 million. We are really keen to learn from all in the sector what we can do to improve the scheme going forward, and I look forward to the right hon. Gentleman’s contributions in due course.

[Josh Newbury (Cannock Chase) (Lab)]

Avid readers of The Sun may have already seen some of my comments on the situation with SFI. I could ask many questions, but I will limit myself to just one. Many would-be applicants once again experienced technical issues, and those who phoned the Rural Payments Agency reported hours’ long wait times—I hope the Minister’s team are looking into that. The Department has said that there will be a further, very limited window for those who had technical issues, but could the Minister tell the House whether that includes only those who were able to speak to someone and report such issues, or whether it will also include those who, frankly, gave up when they knew that they would have to wait hours to speak to an RPA agent?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank my hon. Friend for the way he has engaged with me on thinking through the design for the scheme next year. He is right to say that some farmers reported technical issues with the application service, which prevented them from applying. It is normal to receive such reports after the application windows close. Some of the applications will be valid, and the RPA is currently working through them as we speak. If my hon. Friend has any particular examples that he wants to share with me, I can certainly take them away and raise questions with the relevant officials in my Department.

[Sir Roger Gale (Herne Bay and Sandwich) (Con)]

Kent was once rightly regarded as the garden of England, but faced with intolerable pressures on their finances, many of the small farmers in Kent—having looked to the sustainability scheme for help and having been denied it—are now having to sell their land for housing and other development, further denying us national sustainability in food. Can the Minister tell the House how many farmers in Kent are benefiting from the scheme?

[Stephen Morgan]

We are publishing the figures for applications across counties and constituencies, so I can certainly make that information available to the right hon. Member. More broadly, he makes a point about the demands that farmers are facing, and our farming road map, published earlier this year, is a 25-year plan to commit to a more profitable, productive sector and to building resilience in the farming community. I am very keen to work in partnership with the farmers in his constituency and area to make sure that is delivered.

[Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth) (Lab)]

When the shadow Minister next gets up at the Dispatch Box, I hope he will withdraw the inaccuracy that the scheme was, for the first time ever, built on a first-come, first-served basis. That is simply not the case, and the Conservatives know it. Does the Minister agree that farmers deserve better than the rewriting of history from the party that left a half-built, half-baked transition, and can he expand a little more on his plans to reform the RPA in time for SFI27?

[Stephen Morgan]

My hon. Friend is a real champion for farmers in his constituency, as is very evident from the contributions that he makes in this House, which are so informed. He is absolutely right to call out the Opposition for the action or inaction that they took when they had the opportunity to work to improve the lives of farmers across our country. I am very happy to meet him on the specific points he raises to make sure I have his insight as we design the scheme for next year.

[John Glen (Salisbury) (Con)]

Most farmers invest in a plan over several years, and over 12,000 who were in receipt of previous grants have been unable to fulfil what they expected this year. What thoughts does the Minister have on those individuals, given that the significant sums of money already invested, through the taxpayer, will essentially go to waste? On the RPA, what will he publish about the barriers? Most farmers get very frustrated that they cannot work out what they have done wrong.

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the right hon. Member for the way he is engaging on these issues. Obviously, our annual report sets out how we spend the farming budget, and if he has not yet had a chance to see that, I encourage him to do so. I will certainly take back to the Department the specific points about the RPA and the frustrations of farmers in his constituency, and we will look into the issues he has raised.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

The Government were absolutely right to redesign the SFI to prioritise smaller farming businesses so that taxpayer money supports more farms. However, in Cumbria, 54% of the land is less favourable, which means that my farmers have to hold more land to get a viable farm, pushing them into window 2. Will the Minister, when he looks at the next SFI, please ensure that it recognises that acreage alone should not determine which window farmers apply in?

[Stephen Morgan]

It was a real pleasure to meet my hon. Friend recently to discuss some of the particular challenges her constituency is facing, and wider issues including bluetongue. I will certainly bear in mind the constructive points that she has raised as we design the scheme for next year.

[Calum Miller (Bicester and Woodstock) (LD)]

My constituent Anthony Henman farms Pegtop farm at Woodeaton. He has SFI agreements that expire in March next year. When I spoke to him this morning, he told me that these are

“vital to us. We can’t survive without them.”

Does the Minister understand the huge pressure facing our farmers, not least in the light of the extraordinary global price of fertilisers, and that many of them are simply on the edge? What assurances can I give Anthony and other farmers in my constituency that SFI27 will be announced early, and will be adequately funded and properly managed?

[Stephen Morgan]

I absolutely recognise the difficult year that farmers have faced across the country, and indeed in the hon. Member’s own constituency. That is why I am keen to open SFI27 as early as possible, and I gave that assurance from the Dispatch Box earlier. It is worth noting that this year, through all the schemes, £2.3 billion is going into the farming budget, as is £11.8 billion over the lifetime of this Parliament, but I am certainly keen to hear any further thoughts as we design the scheme for next year.

[Chris Hinchliff (North East Hertfordshire) (Lab)]

The fundamental problem is that for years our country has not allocated enough of our national resources to growing food in a way that boosts biodiversity. We now have a nature crisis that is increasingly a threat to our national security. We need every farm that can to do more on nature-friendly farming. Can the Minister reassure me that his Department is talking to the Treasury about securing greater investment in the SFI going forward?

[Stephen Morgan]

My hon. Friend will know that we were responding to our settlement from the Treasury. There is always more we can do. That is why we published our farming road map earlier this year, which sets out the direction of travel that we want to take when it comes to building a more resilient, productive farming sector, working in partnership with the sector to deliver nature-friendly farming.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

On 21 September, my constituent spent the day with the Minister. It was unsurprising then that on 22 September he went to market. However, he got home at 3.50 pm to complete his agreement, which had already been worked on, to find that he was two minutes too late and £50,000 down as a result. He said:

“I am jumping mad! This is a”—

insert expletive here—

“show! How can anyone be expected to manage a small business and compete in a fastest-to-the-button lottery like this?”

How would the Minister have felt if he had had to apply for his parliamentary seat in that way?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the hon. Member for her question and for encouraging me to visit Dartmoor recently. I know she was not able to join me, but it was a very insightful visit. I absolutely recognise the human difficulties for farmers who have not been able to apply for the scheme this year. If she has particular examples—as she has just described—that she wants to feed into me, it is really important that I hear them, so I thank her again. There is wider support available for farmers that we can signpost people to via the blog post on the DEFRA website.

[Joe Morris (Hexham) (Lab)]

As my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) said, upland farms by their very nature have to be larger. I met upland farmers in Northumberland recently and I heard their frustration that window 1 of the SFI excluded them simply because their farms were too big geographically to be included in it. Will the Minister commit to work with me, other Northumberland MPs, my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle and the NFU uplands group to ensure that a redesigned scheme properly supports upland farms?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank my hon. Friend for the way in which he has been engaging with me already so that we can learn lessons from SFI26, and for convening colleagues in the process. Uplands are an area of priority for me. I am very impressed by the work Dr Hilary Cottam has been doing in Dartmoor. We are looking to deliver that scheme elsewhere in the country. It is absolutely something that I want to take forward with him and I look forward to doing so.

[Charlie Dewhirst]

The simple fact of the matter is that this scheme’s portal opened at 10 am and closed at 3.48 pm, at a time when most farmers are at work, and for agents representing farmers, that was simply enough time to fill in multiple applications. I have a very simple question to the Minister: will he apologise?

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Morgan]

The scheme was what it was; we inherited a mess from the previous Administration. I am keen to learn lessons from what worked. As I recognised earlier, I appreciate the heartache it has caused many farmers. There is more action we need to take.

[Adam Dance (Yeovil) (LD)]

Because SFI window 2 funding closed within hours, many Yeovil farmers were shut out, despite being prepared. That included Tim, who was awarded Water Quality Farmer of the Year on literally the same day. Does the Minister recognise that even farmers awarded for environmentally-friendly land management are now being left in a financial hole? What are the Government going to do to encourage sustainable farming in Yeovil?

[Stephen Morgan]

The hon. Member will have heard what I said at the outset with regard to our farming road map, which sets out the long-term vision for delivering a more nature-friendly farming sector. This year alone, as I mentioned, we have announced £2.3 billion going into the farming budget, with £11.8 billion going in over the lifetime of this Parliament. There are other schemes available for farmers; I encourage him to look at the DEFRA blog, which sets out those details further.

[Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)]

As if the farmers in my constituency did not have their heads in their hands enough over this Government’s attitude to farming, this latest debacle—turning something so important to our farmers’ livelihoods into some sort of perverse six-hour first-finger-on-the-buzzer game show—has them even more in despair. I am afraid that the Minister’s “nothing to see here” answers will cause even more distress. Perhaps he can address some of the detail. The shadow Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley and Ilkley (Robbie Moore), asked him a very, very specific question about the £210 million difference between the value of expiring agreements, valued at over £520 million, and the £310 million SFI budget. Where is that difference? Where is it going to be spent and when?

[Stephen Morgan]

I will take no lectures from the Conservatives; they had a scheme that was half-baked and did not deliver anything nor put money in the pockets of farmers.

[Robert Jenrick (Newark) (Reform)]

When I went to my agricultural shows in Nottinghamshire in August, all the farmers told me that this was going to be a complete shambles—and it was a complete shambles. This is not a surprise; everyone knew it was going to be a disaster. In his answer to a previous question, we heard that the Minister knew that the scheme was going to be massively oversubscribed, and yet he proceeded. He said the scheme was half-cocked, but he has now put his name to it. Is he going to apologise for the complete fiasco that he has put my farmers through, and what is he going to do next year to ensure this insult is never applied again?

[Stephen Morgan]

That is a little rich coming from the right hon. Member, who served in the previous Conservative Government, which designed the scheme. If he wants to be constructive and engage with my Department on any particular examples of how we can improve the scheme going forward, I would like to hear from him.

[Dr Luke Evans (Hinckley and Bosworth) (Con)]

The Minister is a good man; I worked with him to secure funding on schools when he was the Minister for Early Education. Will he simply say sorry to those small farmers who were out working in Hinckley and Bosworth, and up and down the country, who do not have a land agent to get the application in within six hours? Will he show some contrition and simply say that on his watch the scheme did not work but that he will learn the lessons, and will he simply say sorry?

[Stephen Morgan]

I said at the outset that it has been a brutal year for farmers across our country, with drought, rising input costs and various other factors. I hear those messages loud and clear from the regular engagement that I have with the farming community. We need to learn lessons, but I remind the hon. Gentleman that we inherited most of the scheme from the previous Government.

[Caroline Voaden (South Devon) (LD)]

The Minister recently visited Dartmoor. Richard, a farmer on Dartmoor, was just one of the many farmers who wrote to me following the SFI scheme to say that his farm, which protects and enhances the beauty and environment of Dartmoor, has been in a scheme for 30 years but lost out on this application. He and his wife are now seriously wondering how they are going to make ends meet. I have heard from numerous other farmers who have lost out and whose schemes will now end. They do not know how they are going to survive. It would be good if the Minister could show a little more contrition and humility, and just say, “Yeah, it didn’t work. We’re really sorry and we’re going to do better next year.” Can the Minister guarantee that the scheme will be better designed next year? Will it operate better, support the smaller farmers who rely on it for their future, and be adequately funded?

[Stephen Morgan]

I said at the outset that there are lessons that need to be learnt from the scheme this year, so I hope that the hon. Member has heard that message loud and clear. If the hon. Member has particular examples and frustrations from farmers in her constituency, then I encourage her to get in touch with me. It is really important that we learn lessons from this scheme as we continue to make improvements for next year.

[Jerome Mayhew (Broadland and Fakenham) (Con)]

I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Does the Minister have any idea how long it takes to design and then apply for an SFI? All that is then chucked away in a six-hour lottery. The Minister’s response today—he has got his back to me; he is not even listening to my question—has been symbolic of the shrugged-shoulders attitude that the lanyard classes have had to farmers for far too long. He has had two and a half years to fix the problem—if, as he says, he inherited it. Does he even understand the boiling sense of frustration and anger that farmers have?

[Stephen Morgan]

I am engaging all the time with farmers across the country and their representatives. They are at the heart of our redesign of the scheme for next year. Workshops are starting today, and I have already met with representatives from the NFU and been on farms listening to farmers’ views—both from those who applied and those who were unable to do so. I absolutely understand the frustrations that people feel, but I am committed to improving the process for the future.

[Dr Ellie Chowns (North Herefordshire) (Green)]

The Minister knows, because I wrote to him the day after this latest SFI shambles, that farmers in North Herefordshire are livid about the problem. Farmers in Ocle Pychard, Pudleston, Linley Green, Kimbolton, Dilwyn and more have all written to tell me that they are not only hopping mad; they are distressed and depressed at the devastating impact that this situation is having on their livelihoods and the prospect of them continuing to run their farms.

Will the Minister recognise that farmers need to hear “sorry”? They need support, sustainability and certainty, not a lottery of fingers on buzzers. Fundamentally, they need direct answers to the following questions. Why is there less money available under the scheme than there was previously? Why did the Government not learn the lessons from the failure last year? And what are they going to do to genuinely own the problem?

[Stephen Morgan]

I do not accept that we have not learned lessons from the past. That is why we made a number of changes for SFI26, as I set out at the outset of my statement. Of course I am sorry if people applied for this scheme and were unsuccessful, and I understand people’s frustrations, and that is why I am working hard to put it right.

[Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)]

Many farms in Wiltshire are marginal at best, and now that they are having to divert investment into a pot to pay future inheritance taxes, they are being pushed over the edge, to be honest. What does the Minister think this latest will do for those businesses, and what assessment has he made, regardless of the attribution of blame, of how many farms will actually be sold up—families packing up and going away—as a result of this latest round of DEFRA incompetence?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the right hon. Member for his question. As I said at the outset, it is worth noting that £2.3 billion has been made available for the farming budget this year, with £11.8 billion for sustainable farming throughout the lifetime of this Parliament. If he has particular examples of farmers who have been unable to apply for SFI26, I encourage him to share those with me. For the first time since the second world war, a Government have published a farming road map to bring certainty to the sector, and I am busy getting on delivering that, working in partnership with the sector to ensure a profitable, productive and more resilient farming sector for the future.

[Mike Martin (Tunbridge Wells) (LD)]

Food security is national security. Without playing the blame game, the ineptness of the scheme is causing British farms to close and, in extreme circumstances, farmers to commit suicide. I wonder whether the Minister agrees with the principle that food security is national security, and could he explain to the House how he takes that principle forwards in his work when administering schemes such as this?

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I absolutely appreciate the difficulties that farmers have faced and the challenges that many have faced in applying for the scheme this year. As our manifesto says, food security is national security, and we are working through what that looks like in the Department. We have set out a clear vision through the road map for the future to bring certainty and consistency to the sector.

[Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)]

At a time when the Government really should be supporting the producers of our food and the guardians of our countryside, they saw fit to open the new SFI scheme offer and then close it down after just six hours. Will the Minister acknowledge that his Government got this wrong, provide a road map—a forward look for the farmers—detailing what the next scheme will be, give them more notice and assure both farmers and this House that they will have more time next time round?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the right hon. Lady for her question. As I mentioned at the outset, it was her Government who introduced the “first come, first served” approach. We are absolutely keen to ensure that we make changes and improvements for future years, and if she has practical ideas about how we make that happen, I would be delighted to hear from her.

[Tessa Munt (Wells and Mendip Hills) (LD)]

I wanted to point out to the Minister that a lot of farmers in my area have terrible difficulties with buffering broadband, as internet access is poor. I had actually thought that those who had agents were the lucky ones, but I was informed quite neatly after I had said something about this that most agents actually only managed to get in eight, nine or 10 applications in the very short window that was available, so that was not the case. The Minister has mentioned that he is going to be running workshops with farmers, but has he actually asked the Rural Payments Agency to do a high-speed review, as he does not have very much time before 2027, so that the barriers to applicants, particularly those who had expiring agreements and those who do use agents—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Order. Marvellous, fantastic question. I call the Minister.

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the hon. Member for her question, and I can assure her that I have met the RPA on the lessons learned from the scheme and what worked well this year, and we will analyse what the applications tell us.

[Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)]

Farmers across Somerset have been left without certainty and support by this latest DEFRA snafu, and they will not be consoled by the thought of a workshop. How does the Minister envisage farmers being able to plan financially for the year ahead if they do not know when the next round is or how the funds will be allocated?

[Stephen Morgan]

We will publish more information about future rounds in due course. The hon. Gentleman will have heard my message that we are keen to open SFI27 as early as possible into the new year. There are lots of ways that farmers can feed in their thoughts and views on the scheme for the future, and there are other funding schemes available for farmers, so I encourage him to check the DEFRA blog for that information.

[Gideon Amos (Taunton and Wellington) (LD)]

A dozen farmers I was with out on the levels last week from North Curry, Stoke St Gregory and the surrounding areas were visibly shaken by the economic impacts that they are facing and the price of diesel. This latest debacle has been disastrous for farmers. They are considering ripping out the trees and margins that were planted under previous funding initiatives because they simply will not be able to continue without funding being provided under this initiative, which seems to have only gone to around 10% to 12% of farms in the country. Can the Minister tell me what he would have me say to those farmers about the loss of the wildlife that they have already put in?

[Stephen Morgan]

I am very happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss those issues.

[Alicia Kearns (Rutland and Stamford) (Con)]

The NFU and farmers were a klaxon on the impending car crash that unravelled—those are the words of a local farmer. A debacle—those are the words of a Labour MP. Having had no decency to warn farmers that it was coming, today was an opportunity for humility rather than gaslighting them that only some of the technical complaints were legitimate. Will the Minister at least now publish a transparent breakdown of how the farming budget is being spent in its entirety? That is the least that farmers deserve after this debacle.

[Stephen Morgan]

Our annual report obviously sets out how the farming budget is spent. When we announce future rounds of schemes, we set out the overall budget available. I mentioned earlier the amount available for SFI this year. We will continue to be as transparent as we can beyond the figures available for farmers.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

With the final question, I call Jim Shannon.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. While the sustainable farming incentive applies specifically to England, the allocation underpinning it directly impacts devolved regions. Given that the Ulster Farmers Union—I declare an interest as a member —has expressed severe concern over the long-term stability of the multi-year agricultural budget and the transition away from direct support, what discussions has the Minister had with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister and the Northern Ireland Assembly to ensure that the unique family farm structure in Northern Ireland is strengthened and protected within the Barnett consequentials and the UK-wide funding envelope in order to help towards soaring costs?

[Stephen Morgan]

I always appreciate a question from the hon. Gentleman. We will certainly look into the issues that he describes. Farming is a devolved matter, but he knows my commitment to working in partnership with the Northern Ireland Government. I have already met with my counterparts in Northern Ireland.

English Whisky: Single Malt Definition

Stephen Morgan Excerpts

Tuesday 15th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Wendy Chamberlain (North East Fife) (LD)]

(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the English whisky geographical indication definition of single malt.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

The UK’s whisky is a national treasure and is rightly renowned across the world for its quality. Whisky supports jobs, investment and growth across all four nations of the United Kingdom and showcases British expertise to consumers around the world. Scotch whisky is one of the greatest export successes, and Welsh and Irish whiskies also enjoy protected status and strong international reputations. I am pleased that English whisky has now joined that family of protected UK whisky geographical indications, further strengthening the UK’s four nations of whisky.

The registration of English whisky as a protected geographical indication recognises it as a distinctive product, with qualities and characteristics linked to its geographical origin. It reflects the growth of a dynamic sector, with more than 70 distilleries now producing or maturing whisky, and exports reaching 30 countries worldwide. That is good news for local growth and British agriculture. Distilleries are supporting skilled jobs and attracting investment in regions across England, while supporting British farmers by using British-grown grain. We want to see that success continue.

The specific decision that is the topic of this urgent question followed the UK statutory geographical indication process. The application was assessed against the requirements set out in legislation and was subject to an opposition process, allowing parties with a legitimate interest the opportunity to object. Those parties whose objections were considered admissible had the opportunity to consult with the applicant regarding their objections. Following careful consideration of the evidence, it was concluded that the application met the relevant legal requirements for registration.

Let me be clear that this recognition does not alter the protected status, reputation or production requirements of Scotch whisky, Welsh whisky or Irish whiskey, nor does it alter the Government’s commitment to the whisky industry and its leading global success. Scotch whisky is one of the UK’s most important food and drink exports, but it is far more than an export: it is part of the culture, history and identity of Scotland and the United Kingdom. It is enjoyed at Burns night celebrations, family gatherings and special celebrations, at home and across the world. It is one of the great national treasures.

I recently visited Glen Garioch, one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries, where I was delighted to enjoy a wee dram and see at first hand the craftmanship and heritage that make Scotch whisky so famous across the world. The Secretary of State spoke to the chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association only yesterday. This Government will continue to protect and champion the whole whisky industry—Scotch, Irish, Welsh and English—both at home and in key exports around the world.

[Wendy Chamberlain]

I declare an interest as chair of the Scotch whisky all-party parliamentary group, and I also hold a Chartered Institute of Brewers and Distillers general certificate in distilling. On Friday evening at 5 pm, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced that it had approved the English Whisky Guild’s application for English whisky to receive geographical indication status, despite objections from the Scotch, Welsh and Irish whisky associations.

Let me be clear that my objection is not to English whisky obtaining geographical indication status. English whisky has a long and legitimate history in its own right. My concern is specifically about the definition of English single malt whisky that DEFRA has now approved. Under that definition, English single malt whisky requires only distillation at a single distillery, rather than for all the stages of production to take place at a single site. The term “single malt whisky” carries a long-established reputation and meaning for consumers. It risks disadvantaging Scotch producers, who have invested heavily to comply with the traditional single-site production model, including distilleries in my own constituency such as Kingsbarns, Eden Mill, Daftmill and Lindores.

Scotch whisky is one of the UK’s most important export industries, supporting jobs, investment, tourism and economic growth across rural communities. Weakening an internationally recognised definition risks damaging consumer confidence and diluting brand value at a time when the Scotch whisky industry is not in the rude health that the Government mistakenly think it is. The new definition could also be misleading for consumers who reasonably understand a single malt whisky to be a product produced entirely at one distillery.

I ask the Minister: why was this announcement made after the House had risen on a Friday evening, and why does the appeal period finish before the House returns from recess? I ask the Minister also to explain why a decision that undermines the integrity of the single malt definition—a decision that creates an uneven playing field across the UK and risks disadvantaging distilleries that have invested to uphold long-standing industry standards—was approved. Why did the then Chief Secretary to the Treasury tell the House in March last year that DEFRA would not be watering down the definition of single malt whisky? Because I can assure you, Madam Deputy Speaker, that that is exactly what the Government are doing now. Will the Minister also set out what discussions he has had with the Scotland and Wales Offices and what assessment has been made of the implications of this decision for the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 and how those implications were considered?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the hon. Member for her continued interest in these matters and for her leadership of the APPG for Scotch whisky. I know how important the Scotch whisky industry is to her constituents and to communities across Scotland. Since taking up this role, I have been keen to engage with the sector; as I mentioned in my opening remarks, I had a valuable visit to Aberdeenshire in August, and look forward to continuing to work with the APPG, the Scotch whisky industry and the wider sector as we continue.

In response to the hon. Member’s questions, I must stress that Scotch whisky’s protected status, reputation and production requirements are unchanged and that the English definition of single malt has no impact on how single malt is made in Scotland. The Government remain committed to supporting the success of the Scotch whisky industry and the wider UK whisky sector.

The hon. Member asks about the decision-making process, and I must stress again that this is a regulatory decision and a decision made by the Secretary of State. Let me assure her that this Government remain absolutely committed to supporting and championing Scotch whisky at home and abroad. Nothing in this decision changes the protected status, reputation or production requirements of Scotch whisky. I am very happy to meet the hon. Member to discuss any further concerns that she may have.

[Alan Gemmell (Central Ayrshire) (Lab)]

Scotch whisky is one of our great success stories, and I recognise that there are concerns from the Scotch Whisky Association about this proposed change. I am proud to have in my constituency locally a distillery on land that Robert Burns once farmed, and I am pleased to have played a small part in reducing whisky tariffs when I was the trade commissioner in Mumbai and that this Government have continued to put Scotch whisky on the world stage through our very successful trade deals. I am delighted to see the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, my hon. Friend the Member for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy (Melanie Ward), in her place on the Front Bench. Will the Minister say that she, he and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade will do all they can to promote this great Scottish product around the world?

[Stephen Morgan]

Of course. I thank my hon. Friend for all the work that he does on trade matters. He speaks in this House with real authority on this issue. He will know that this Government back British businesses and that we are keen to champion the Scottish whisky industry not only internally—nationally—but externally—internationally—as well. That has included securing a free trade deal with India and cutting the costs of the US tariffs, boosting export markets.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Harriet Cross (Gordon and Buchan) (Con)]

Across the country, businesses are under increasing pressure. Competition, the costs of doing business, ever increasing taxation and regulatory burdens are making it as hard as it has ever been for our rural businesses to get on. While I recognise that whisky producers, farmers and the wider supply chain in England will welcome this announcement, those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are viewing it with concern.

The whisky industry is a crucial sector in Scotland, supporting more than 40,000 jobs, adding billions to our economy and showcasing great Scottish produce abroad. Consistency in regulation is key across the UK. How are the Government going to ensure that the Scotch single malt whisky industry is not undermined by this decision, particularly given that distilleries in England will not have to follow the same single-site production standards as distilleries in Scotland to get single malt status? Has the Minister engaged with the Scottish Government on this issue to ensure that the Scotch whisky industry is not put at a disadvantage because of this announcement?

A new designation for English whisky does not compensate for the hostile business environment being created by Labour. The Government are piling costs and regulation on to food and drink producers, including distilleries across the UK. The ever increasing level of whisky duty, the exclusion of distilleries from the British industrial competitiveness scheme and now the extended producer responsibility—adding £1.4 billion of costs to producers—all mean that the Government are making life ever more difficult for businesses that are struggling to keep their head above water. The huge and growing cost of doing business is making it difficult for businesses to survive, especially in rural areas. What steps will the Government take to ensure that these mounting costs, especially for food and drink producers, will not result in more and more businesses going under?

[Stephen Morgan]

I welcome the shadow Minister to her place on the Opposition Front Bench and thank her for her contribution and questions, and for her recognition of the vital contribution of Scottish whisky and all whisky to our national identity. It would be remiss of me not to remind the House that the previous Government allowed tariffs on single malt whisky exports to the United States to cost the industry more than £600 million in lost exports, and that they stood by while one of Britain’s most iconic sectors paid the price. In contrast, this Government acted, securing an agreement that brings tariffs on Scotch whisky exports to the US down to zero. I do not think that producers will be taking lectures from the Opposition when it comes to standing up for British whisky in its biggest export market—this Government got a deal done both in terms of the India deal and reducing the US tariffs.

As one Member of this House has said,

“Scotch whisky is a national treasure and one of Britain’s great exports. Nobody is trying to take anything away from it. There is plenty of room in the market for a growing English sector alongside Scotland’s. Consumers, not lawyers, should decide what ends up in their glass.”

I think the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton (Kevin Hollinrake) put that very well.

This Government agree that Scotch whisky’s reputation and protections must remain robustly defended while recognising that other parts of the UK’s whisky sector can also grow and succeed. We will continue to engage with others and with the devolved nations to make that a success.

[Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West) (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for his statement. If the Secretary of State made this decision, I am disappointed that she was not able to come along today to answer this question, as I think there are real concerns here. The sector in Scotland is 100 times bigger than the sector in England; if it is going to grow, I wonder what the target market is if it is not people who are currently drinking Scottish whisky. When the Minister visited the distillery in Aberdeenshire, did the people there explain the importance of the malt whisky brand and why it should be protected? It does seem that this decision today will weaken that brand.

[Stephen Morgan]

My hon. Friend will have heard what I said at the outset about protecting Scotch whisky going forward. A number of issues and concerns were raised on my very enjoyable visit to Aberdeenshire in August, and I can assure him from the Dispatch Box that I will continue to engage with the sector to understand issues and concerns to ensure that the sector continues to flourish.

[Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD)]

English whisky rightly has a growing reputation, and it is right that it should have geographical indication status. I confess to being a single malt enjoyer myself, as well as the owner of a decent collection, including a fine bottle of Lindores. I am also an avid supporter of the annual Kendal whisky festival, where Cumbria whisky distilleries proudly tout their wares alongside whiskies from all parts of the British Isles, and indeed beyond.

So English whisky is good, and English whisky from the lakes is even better. However, DEFRA’s proposed criteria for English whisky are not good, nor is the tiny appeal period on that status. To put it bluntly, English whisky is too good to be held to this low a standard. It will damage the English whisky brand and, in turn, impact on the brand and reputation of Scotch whisky, along with whiskies from Wales and Ireland.

It is also quite wrong for this consultation and the appeal period to be open for only two parliamentary sitting days. Without this urgent question from my hon. Friend the Member for North East Fife (Wendy Chamberlain), there would have been no parliamentary scrutiny of this at all, and even with this question, the appeal period is far too brief or fair to be adequate. I urge the Minister to think again.

[Stephen Morgan]

I know that this is an issue that the hon. Member has been trying to address with colleagues in the Department, and I thank him for his correspondence on these matters. I stress that GI status provides a powerful platform for producers to strengthen their brand, attract investment, access new markets and compete internationally on the basis of quality, provenance and authenticity. The decisions that this Government have made will go a long way to supporting the industry in his constituency. I am very alive to the issues that he has described and will take them back to the Department.

[Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) (Lab)]

I think this is fantastic news for the English whisky industry and will be welcomed by the Roudham distillery in my constituency, which in 2006 was the first distillery in England registered for over 100 years, and this year won world’s best single malt at the world whiskies awards, which is great news. Does my hon. Friend agree that as well as being good for the whisky industry, this measure is good for supporting our famers who grow cereals, particularly barley crop in the eastern region, which feeds many of the English distilleries?

[Stephen Morgan]

My hon. Friend is a real champion on these issues, and I pay tribute to him for the work that he does with the farming community in his constituency. He is absolutely right that this strengthens the links between farming and distilling, and it will ensure that more of the value generated remains within the UK’s rural communities. It is a significant vote of confidence in British agriculture and the quality of British-grown cereals, particularly our world-renowned barley growers.

[John Glen (Salisbury) (Con)]

I visited Witchmark distillery in Fonthill in my constituency a year or so ago. The people at the distillery had gone to considerable lengths to match the standards that they saw in Scotland on a single site, and are putting down whisky casks and growing a significant business, as well as providing a significant number of jobs in this rural constituency. I am concerned about the differentiation of standards, which the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Tim Farron) spoke about. Could the Minister reassure the House that the appropriate high standards for this growing class of goods will be protected?

[Stephen Morgan]

It will have no impact on standards that any other UK whiskies have set for themselves. They all vary across the United Kingdom, but I will certainly take the right hon. Gentleman’s points back to the Department.

[Chris Kane (Stirling and Strathallan) (Lab)]

I share the surprise of distillers in my constituency, including Glengoyne, Deanston Tullibardine and the Stirling distillery, about this decision, which seems as though it will cause longer-term problems for distillers in both Scotland and England with regard to consumer confidence, but that should not undermine the fact that this Government are a friend of the Scotch Whisky Association. Could the Minister outlines some of the things he is doing to support the 41,000 jobs in Scotland and the 25,000 jobs across the rest of the country, and to make sure that this continues to be one of our best exports for Brand Scotland and, indeed, Brand UK?

[Stephen Morgan]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right; Scotch whisky is one of the country’s top global exports, and that is not going to change any time soon. We remain committed to backing it and supporting its continued success.

[Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD)]

I am really struggling to see what the Government are seeking to achieve by removing the requirement for the whole process to be carried out on a single site. It seems to me that they risk confusing the definition for the Scotch, Welsh and Irish industries, and they undermine the investments that have already been made in the conventional model by other English distilleries. Are the Government trying to create a new market for a different product, and if that is what they are doing, should that not be reflected in its name?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his long-standing support for the Scotch whisky industry, including as Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. I know that he recognises the significant contribution that whisky plays to our national identity and as a global export opportunity. I can assure him that nothing has changed in terms of the protected status reputation or production requirements of Scotch whisky. I am looking forward to meeting him later today, when I will be happy to answer any further questions he may have.

[Douglas Lumsden (Aberdeen South) (Con)]

The definition of a Scotch single malt whisky is that it must be mashed, fermented and distilled at a single distillery in Scotland, but for English single malt, some of those steps may happen away from the single site. Does the Minister not feel that it would be better to have a consistent definition of a single malt whisky, and that that would be easier for consumers to understand?

[Stephen Morgan]

It is worth me saying that the rules and requirements to use the protected name for English whisky and its sub-categories, including the single malt, are determined by product specification. This document is produced by the applicant—in this case, the English Whisky Guild—and reflects traditions and practices of the English whisky sector. The English whisky product specification is compliant with all applicable UK legislation, and I am very happy to write to him on the specific points that the hon. Member raises.

[Brendan O’Hara (Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber) (SNP)]

My constituency produces the finest single malt Scotch whisky. From Isla, Jura, Campbeltown, Oban, Mull and Ardnamurchan, centuries of craft have gone into building that hard-earned reputation. This decision to allow lower production standards for English single malt whisky undermines that. Why have the Government allowed lower standards in England? What safeguards are they putting in place to protect the hard-earned reputation and integrity of Scotch malt whisky?

[Stephen Morgan]

It is not a binary choice. We can support English whisky and Scotch whisky, and I stress that we are supporting the growth of the whisky industry. It is hugely important for this Government, and that is evident in the recent international work that we have undertaken—the India free trade agreement slashed tariff rates for UK whisky exports from 150% to 75%, and we have worked with the US as well. The Government have invested significantly in the whisky industry. With China, we are agreeing to cut tariffs on Scotch whisky from 10% to 5%, and we will continue to take action to support the Scottish industry.

[Susan Murray (Mid Dunbartonshire) (LD)]

Can the Minister tell distillers in Scotland, like those who invested £12 million in the Port of Leith distillery in Edinburgh to achieve the prize Scottish single malt label, which I visited with the Scottish Affairs Committee earlier this year, why English producers will be able to use the same single malt label without playing by the same rules?

[Stephen Morgan]

I refer the hon. Lady to my previous answer with regard to the issues around single malt. I am very happy to take away the concerns that she has raised.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

That is the end of the urgent question. I will suspend the sitting to allow proper notice of the statement. The sitting will resume at 2.32 pm; the bells will ring two minutes before.

Ocean Conservation and Stewardship

Stephen Morgan Excerpts

Tuesday 15th September 2026 Westminster Hall

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Dr Murrison. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford (Tristan Osborne), a fellow south-east coast MP, for securing this debate, and to all those who intervened. I also congratulate my hon. Friend on his leadership of the APPG.

Marine issues, including sustainable fisheries, have only recently become part of my ministerial portfolio, so this is a very timely debate for me. I am pleased to have the chance to set out my stall.

Our stewardship of the ocean matters. Our seas are central to so much of what we care about: nature recovery, food security, clean energy, coastal livelihoods and communities, climate resilience and our identity as an island nation. People rightly care deeply about the marine environment, but they also care about livelihoods, food production, energy security and the future of communities that depend on the sea. I pay tribute to campaigners and all those who work in the sector on these important matters.

Having responsibilities across those issues will enable me to take a more strategic view, consider the whole picture and look for a balanced decision-making process that supports our prosperous fishing industry and healthier, more resilient seas. I want my Department to make decisions that recognise the connections. I also want our decisions to be rooted in evidence, engagement and long-term stewardship.

The Government are committed to protecting and improving the marine environment, including playing our part in delivering the global biodiversity framework target to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030. Domestically, our marine strategy and environmental improvement plan provides an important framework for action, including our statutory target for at least 70% of marine protected area features to be in a favourable condition by 2042. We are committed to the effective protection of our comprehensive network of MPAs around the UK.

In English waters, we are continuing to implement fisheries management byelaws, including introducing further protections in due course. That includes proposals to restrict bottom trawling, following the Marine Management Organisation’s consultation last year. The MMO is carefully considering the significant number of responses received and will announce its response in due course. Such decisions are not always easy, and must be taken carefully, transparently and with a clear understanding of both environmental and socioeconomic impacts.

We are also reviewing the English marine protected area network to consider whether sites are in the right places and have the right levels of protection. That matters because the network is effective only if it is ecologically coherent, well managed and able to respond to the pressures that our seas face now and in the future.

Those pressures are increasing. Climate change is already altering the marine environment, affecting habitats, species distribution and the communities and industries that depend on them. At the same time, we must manage the impact of growing demands on our marine environment and space, including those resulting from the expansion of offshore wind. That expansion is essential to our clean power and energy security ambitions, but it must be delivered in a way that also supports marine recovery.

Reforms led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, such as the marine recovery fund launched in December last year, will help unlock clean power while delivering effective compensation to protect nature. The marine recovery fund is one element of our offshore wind environmental improvement package, which aims to ensure continued protection of the marine environment while speeding up consent for offshore wind.

Marine spatial prioritisation and co-location work will also help us manage competing demands, including offshore wind, fishing, conservation and other sea uses. That is exactly the kind of area where we need to look across Government goals and avoid treating each decision in isolation.

We are also committed to supporting the fishing sector to adapt to growing pressures on marine space, and we will work with the industry to safeguard its long-term viability. I know that the European Commission is developing its Ocean Act, and I look forward to learning more about the important work that the EU is doing to cover both conservation and stewardship.

Marine protection also relies on enforcing the rules. Responsibility for delivering on that and tackling marine pollution incidents depends on the nature of the incident and source of the pollution. A number of bodies have statutory roles in responding to marine pollution, while any investigation and enforcement action are matters for the relevant independent regulators and enforcement authorities. In the case of pollution originating from terrestrial sources, the Environment Agency has a key role to play, while the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has an important role if the pollution comes from a marine source. Fines and sentences are imposed independently by the courts, which determine the appropriate penalty based on the circumstances of each case and applicable sentencing guidelines.

I can confirm to Members that DEFRA and the Environment Agency are engaging with the Ministry of Justice to strengthen the overall enforcement regime so that environmental offences carry meaningful consequences and provide a stronger deterrent against pollution.

Links between marine protection and fisheries are particularly important. Food security is national security, and seafood has an important role to play. A sustainable fishing industry depends on healthy fish stocks and healthy seas. Fisheries management plans are helping us to take a more evidenced view of how we support fisheries sustainably. They demonstrate why fishery management and protection of the marine environment must be addressed together, and set out a range of short, medium and long-term actions to maintain or restore stocks to sustainable levels and to improve the marine ecosystem.

We cannot, however, deliver ocean conservation alone. As my hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford said in his opening remarks, the UK continues to play a leading role internationally in ocean protection, and it remains committed to delivering our shared global mission to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. We are proud to be a founder and chair of the Global Ocean Alliance, as well as ocean champion of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, in which role we are committed to protecting and restoring the health of our ocean.

We continue to work with partners to protect vulnerable ecosystems and coastal communities. The UK has bolstered these efforts by leveraging finance for the ocean through the Blue Planet Fund, which is our largest marine official development assistance programme. Also, I am delighted that in July the UK ratified the biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction agreement. It will enable greater conservation of the two thirds of the ocean that lie beyond national jurisdiction, and support the delivery of the global biodiversity framework, including the target to protect at least 30% of our ocean by 2030.

Later this month, the International Whaling Commission will mark its 80th anniversary, and next month will also mark the 40th anniversary of the global moratorium on commercial whaling, but there is more work to do. The UK will be at the forefront of global efforts to protect and promote the welfare of whales and other cetaceans as the chair of the IWC conservation committee. We also look forward to being a leading voice on ocean issues at the UN biodiversity conference in October and the climate conference of the parties in November, and to engaging proactively in the work of the first meeting of the BBNJ conference of the parties next year.

We are also working with international partners to secure a new international agreement to end plastic pollution that addresses the full life cycle of plastics and promotes a global circular economy. We are committed to reaching an agreement at the first round of negotiations in March 2027.

Finally, this Government recognise the continuing need for high-quality science to support our domestic and international work, and to ensure that Government decisions are based on the best available evidence. The UK has a leading role to play in ocean science, and we regularly call on others to help us to address emerging ocean threats and to inform the implementation of our international commitments and management measures.

As this debate has shown, effective ocean stewardship means taking a long-term and joined-up approach, both domestically and internationally. As I have said, bringing together marine and sustainable fisheries will help to balance environmental, social and economic considerations. By protecting and restoring the marine environment, supporting sustainable fisheries and coastal communities and grounding decisions in the best available evidence, we can help to secure healthier seas for future generations. I again thank my hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford for securing today’s debate, and for raising such important issues.

Question put and agreed to.

Bluetongue Virus in Livestock

Stephen Morgan Excerpts

Thursday 3rd September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Robbie Moore (Keighley and Ilkley) (Con)]

(Urgent Question): To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on bluetongue virus in livestock.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

I begin by recognising that this is an incredibly difficult time for livestock keepers, veterinary professionals and those who are working directly on the impact of the bluetongue outbreak. Responding to outbreaks is at the core of the work of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and we will continue to use tried and tested methods to address this challenge.

Bluetongue affects cattle, sheep, goats, deer and camelids. It is spread by biting midges and can cause significant animal health impacts, although it poses no risk to human health or food safety. The first confirmed case of bluetongue serotype 3 in the UK this year was on 10 July in Staffordshire. As of yesterday, there have been 795 confirmed cases of bluetongue in Great Britain. We are supporting enhanced testing capacity. We have worked closely with the devolved Governments and industry throughout the outbreak, listening to farmers and jointly developing policies to ensure that farmers receive timely information and practical guidance. That has included regular disease alerts, social media updates, weekly communications to livestock keepers and a programme of industry webinars.

Vaccination remains the most effective and viable short and long-term control measure against bluetongue, both for this season and in the future. DEFRA and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate are working closely with manufacturers to monitor availability and taking proactive steps to ensure that additional vaccine stocks are made available as quickly as possible. I encourage all livestock keepers to remain vigilant, to monitor and vaccinate their animals and to report any suspicions of disease immediately.

Finally, I know that this has been a trying period for farmers, animal keepers and private vets. Support is available through Government guidance, the rural services helpline and Farming Help. We will continue to work closely with industry representatives to ensure that concerns are heard, information is shared promptly and support reaches those who need it. Through vigilance, vaccination and partnership, we will continue to meet this challenge and protect the health of our livestock sector.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Robbie Moore]

Bluetongue is spreading across Britain at an unprecedented rate, devastating livestock businesses and putting farming families under immense financial and emotional pressure. I thank our vets and those on the frontline in addressing the spread of the virus.

As of yesterday, 795 cases have been confirmed this season, but there are more than 2,500 potential cases still under investigation, yet farmers and vets are being forced to wait up to three weeks for blood test results, leaving the livestock sector without a real-time picture of the outbreak. Why was testing capacity not significantly increased over the summer period, and when will Ministers clear that backlog? In hotspot areas, will a proportionate risk-based approach be adopted?

These delays are more concerning given that DEFRA’s expenditure on bluetongue testing was significantly reduced under this Labour Government by 74% in this financial year. Why did the Government allow that spending to fall so dramatically, just as the outbreak was accelerating? Ministers rightly advise farmers to vaccinate livestock, but supplies can take up to three or four weeks to arrive. Why have the Government not acted to secure adequate vaccine supplies by working more closely with vaccine manufacturers, veterinary bodies and industry?

Farmers also face mounting fallen stock disposal costs, yet repeated calls to Ministers for financial assistance have gone unanswered. Can the Government confirm today that financial assistance will be put in place, and will they review environmental permit constraints to ease carcase disposal?

Finally, bluetongue presents similar symptoms to those of foot and mouth disease, which is already present in continental Europe. With testing for bluetongue taking weeks to turn around, there is concern that a positive foot and mouth case could be hidden in the backlog. What assurances can the Minister give that he is alert to that issue and is taking action? It seems that despite concerns being raised consistently throughout the summer, Ministers have been asleep at the wheel.

[Stephen Morgan]

I stress that vaccination remains the only effective long-term option for disease control, and we will continue to work with keepers of susceptible animals to discuss vaccine options with their vets in order to protect animals and reduce the impact of disease. I thank the shadow Minister for his questions, and we absolutely recognise that this is a difficult time for livestock keepers and the veterinary professionals supporting them. DEFRA is working closely with livestock keepers and the industry to facilitate access to vaccinations and ensure timely information. That has included webinars, engagement events attended by 1,000 farmers, disease alerts, regular updates on gov.uk and Animal and Plant Health Agency channels, and welfare support.

I stress that the Government have acted quickly to secure increased vaccine supply. Vaccination remains the only effective long-term option for disease control, and we will continue to engage with all keepers of susceptible animals to discuss vaccine options with them. On testing capacity at the Pirbright Institute, and alpha, we have stepped up capacity for testing and work closely with industry on such issues. We will continue to work with keepers of animals to ensure that the sector is supported, and I will continue to engage with the National Sheep Association, the National Farmers’ Union and others on the issues at hand.

[Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for his response and his engagement with the farming community over the summer, which I know has been appreciated. Bluetongue is currently a huge concern for farmers in Norfolk, and resilience is so low that any one issue risks being the straw that breaks the camel’s back. We now have the farming profitability review and the farming road map, but will the Minister talk more about work that the Government are doing to improve resilience in the farming community?

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank my hon. Friend, who is a real champion for the farming community in his constituency. He recently met more than 100 farmers across his patch, and I look forward to working with him this autumn on the challenges and issues that the farming community in his constituency continues to face. He is absolutely right: our road map sets out a 25-year plan to support the farming community to build resilience, confidence and a productive sector for the future, and I know he will do everything he can to ensure that that becomes reality in his constituency.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)]

As climate change extends the range of disease-carrying midges, confirmed bluetongue cases have surged to nearly 800 nationally, with thousands more suspected. Somerset and Devon are among the worst affected areas, and vets in Glastonbury and Somerton tell me that their vaccine waiting lists are now as long as their arm. Farmers face mounting costs when transporting fallen stock and paying for vaccines, and all the while they deal with the devastation of their livestock being put at risk. Farmers cannot be expected to shoulder an ever-growing share of the cost of controlling a disease that threatens our national food security, and the Government must recognise the serious financial pressure that the outbreak is placing on farmers, who are already struggling after years of neglect. What steps is the Minister taking to accelerate the vaccination roll-out, support affected farmers with financial assistance, and remove barriers to surveillance?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the hon. Member for her questions. It was a pleasure to be in the south-west in August to hear directly from farmers about some of the challenges they are facing, including farmers in the south-west affected by the bluetongue virus. I absolutely recognise the challenges it has brought them this summer, on top of a whole set of other challenges.

I must stress the importance of vaccination. That is why we have worked really closely with industry to increase the vaccine supply coming into the country. We are also working closely with the Pirbright Institute to ensure that there is extra testing capacity. We recognise the significant impact bluetongue is having on farmers. We are reviewing our processes to help expedite the confirmation of disease and we are considering what further support may be made available to farmers in the future.

[Ben Goldsborough (South Norfolk) (Lab)]

The date 27 August 2024 will stick with me for a very long time, because it brought the first case of bluetongue in South Norfolk. Will the Minister say specifically what action is being taken to increase APHA capacity, but also to improve mapping accounting for both confirmed and suspected cases of the disease?

[Stephen Morgan]

As I mentioned earlier, we have increased capacity at the Pirbright Institute and are working closely with the APHA on capacity issues. I am very happy to write to my hon. Friend on the specifics. I know he is a real champion on these issues and will continue to hold my feet to the fire on any action the Government can take.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD)]

I remind the House of my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests and also that my wife is a practising veterinary surgeon.

What is happening was predictable because it was predicted. The Government were warned by the National Audit Office in June last year that they were unprepared for outbreaks of this sort. Will the Minister tell us what actions were taken by the Department following that? The priority for the moment must be getting a better vaccine supply and faster testing turnarounds, but then there are questions that need to be answered about the lack of a proper awareness campaign earlier in the midge season, because we will be coming back to this.

Why is better information not available for vets and farmers? I vaccinated my stock last year. I could not even find out this year whether that was going to be sufficient, or whether vaccination would need to be done again. The Minister is right about the protection we get from vaccination. The second most important thing is reliable information.

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the Chair of the Select Committee for his contribution. He is absolutely right that this is a serious issue that needs serious consideration. I mentioned that DEFRA has tried and tested approaches to dealing with outbreaks. There are always lessons that we can learn. I will certainly look very closely at what the report tells us and I will listen very closely to what the Select Committee may say on these issues in due course.

On communication, there is always more that we can do. We have had popular webinars and have been putting information on the gov.uk website. There has been information from the APHA as well. I also want to praise the contribution the National Farmers’ Union has made to ensure that farmers are engaged on these issues and are getting the right support at the right time.

[Josh Newbury (Cannock Chase) (Lab)]

Bluetongue is causing misery in my county of Staffordshire, which has seen the biggest growth in cases in our region. The more vociferous spread and longer season due to the heat this summer underlines the urgent need for disease outbreak preparedness to be a key plank of Britain’s adaptation to climate change. Is the Minister confident that the increased uptake we will hopefully see can be fulfilled? Is he willing to meet livestock farmers in my constituency to discuss the many challenges they have faced this summer?

[Stephen Morgan]

My hon. Friend is a real champion on farming issues and I look forward to visiting his constituency in due course to understand the challenges and opportunities farmers there are facing. I engage regularly with the livestock sector, and visited the National Sheep Association event in July. I am very happy to hear his views and concerns, and to meet the sector to understand any opportunities and challenges that continue to exist.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

Bluetongue is causing considerable concern among livestock farmers in Scotland and the Scottish Borders, with cases increasing and restrictions affecting livestock movements at a critical time of year. Indeed, the important Kelso ram sales are due to take place next week in my constituency. Given the substantial movement of sheep and cattle across the Scotland-England border, what discussions is the Minister having with the Scottish Government to ensure that vaccination, testing and movement rules are properly co-ordinated across Great Britain and do not create unnecessary barriers for farmers?

[Stephen Morgan]

I can assure the hon. Member that officials are working closely with the devolved nations. Indeed, I am in regular contact with my equivalents in the other nations to make sure we keep a close eye on the outbreak and do everything we can cross-border to provide support with any challenges and concerns.

[Perran Moon (Camborne and Redruth) (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for visiting Cornwall last month to talk to some of our farmers about their concerns. As of Tuesday, there were 117 cases in Cornwall, and—as has been mentioned—a further 2,500 are under investigation nationally. My farmers have raised their concerns about the length of time it is taking to get test results back. Can the Minister reassure my farmers that their test results will be delivered in a timely manner?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank my hon. Friend for his question—I know that this issue really matters to him, based on the feedback and concerns he has received from his farmers. It was a real pleasure to be with the Prime Minister last month to announce further measures to support our farming community down in the south-west. On my hon. Friend’s broader points about capacity issues at Pirbright and testing, I will certainly take away the specific questions he has raised, but I can assure him today from the Dispatch Box that there is increased capacity to assist with those issues.

[John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

The midges that spread bluetongue are no respecters of the border, or of the fact that devolved issues are sent to Holyrood for consideration in Scotland. As we have heard, there are difficulties with cross-border movement—it is a huge issue—and I have also been told that in the initial stages of this outbreak, the Animal and Plant Health Agency reacted in Scotland with all the alacrity of a tranquilised sloth. The Minister has warm words about talking with his equivalent in Scotland, but we need action on the ground; there are real difficulties now, particularly with these sales coming along.

[Stephen Morgan]

There was a very helpful briefing for parliamentarians in August, led by my colleague Baroness Hayman, and we are very happy to replicate that so that we fully understand the cross-border issues. However, I can assure the hon. Member from the Dispatch Box that we continue to work across Governments to ensure our farmers are protected, wherever in the United Kingdom they live.

[Josh Fenton-Glynn (Calder Valley) (Lab)]

I welcome the new Minister to his role, and thank our DEFRA Parliamentary Private Secretaries for their typically diligent work in briefing us ahead of this urgent question. While taking part in the NFU’s excellent food and farming fellowship, I have seen how precarious profit margins are for our livestock farmers, both in Calder Valley and beyond. What steps are we going to take to support farmers managing the costs of bluetongue, including vet bills, vaccinations and fallen stock disposal?

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Morgan]

DEFRA is considering a whole range of measures to support the farming community, including supporting vaccination availability and expanding testing capacity, as I mentioned earlier. We will continue to evaluate measures, including the possibility of further financial support. That is an incredibly important issue, which the Department is considering, and we will certainly respond to my hon. Friend in due course with further detail.

[Dr Danny Chambers (Winchester) (LD)]

While we are in the middle of this outbreak, a lot of vets and farmers have made a couple of technical suggestions that could help us to deal with it. Obviously, we want to roll out the vaccinations as soon as possible and test as quickly as possible. First, under the specified animal pathogens order, bluetongue is classified in such a way that very few labs can continue testing at the moment. Not only is that slowing down the diagnosis of bluetongue, but we cannot test for other causes of abortion that farmers regularly need to test for. Secondly, for those practices and wholesalers that have managed to secure vaccines from abroad, a lot of their labels will be in Spanish, Polish or German. Should English-labelled product become available, can we ensure that they will not have to discard the previous perfectly good product, as that would be a huge financial loss?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the hon. Member for his question—he brings to the House real expertise on these issues, given his background in veterinary science. I pay tribute to all vets across the country who are supporting farmers at this difficult time. The hon. Member has been corresponding with the Department on various issues related to bluetongue for quite some time, and I am very grateful for the expertise he has been feeding into DEFRA policy. I will take away the specific points he has raised, look into those matters and get back to him.

[Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)]

Can I add to what my neighbour across the border, the hon. Member for Dumfries and Galloway (John Cooper), has said about the friction we already experience with cross-border trade? Over the summer, I visited the country’s largest sheep auction, which is in my constituency, and that trades right across the border. With the introduction of the zone in the south-west of Scotland, the restrictions on trade that still exist and what the auction house has to go through to be able to trade cattle and sheep from Scotland are now frankly somewhat meaningless. Can I please urge the Government to work at pace with the Scottish Government to get frictionless trade across the Scottish border?

[Stephen Morgan]

It was a real pleasure to visit Scotland over the recess to talk to Scottish farmers about some of the issues and challenges that they face. Indeed, some of those cross-border issues are live to the issues that my hon. Friend describes. I am happy to work with her on those issues, so that we can find solutions as appropriate.

[Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)]

May I welcome the Minister to his position? Farmers in Somerset and Devon are gravely concerned by this outbreak, as they are among the worst affected areas in the country. I am afraid that the Government and his Department have been asleep. He talks about increasing testing capacity, yet this Government have cut the money available for testing by 74% over the past 12 months. There are now reports that it is taking weeks for vaccines to reach the farmers and vets who need them. Can the Minister outline what the Government are doing to ensure that those supplies reach those who so desperately need them?

[Stephen Morgan]

The hon. Member will have been listening carefully to what I said about increased capacity at the APHA and what we have been doing to work with industry to increase vaccine supply. I must stress the importance of vaccination and ensuring that farmers are kept informed of progress that the Government are making. The best way that they can do that is by looking at the regular updates on gov.uk, on social media and at the disease alert services. There are weekly email updates to livestock keepers, and I encourage him to ensure that his constituents are receiving those emails.

[Andrew Pakes (Peterborough) (Lab/Co-op)]

I welcome the Minister’s actions over the summer. First, may I put on record my empathy and thanks to farmers and vets around the country who are dealing with this desperate situation on top of an already horrible year with harvests, the weather and other challenges facing the farming community? I spoke to a farmer in my constituency in Cambridgeshire before this urgent question this morning, and we are looking across the border to Norfolk and other challenges there. There is a question around access to vaccines and the speed of testing, and I urge the Minister to speed that up, but to be honest, there is a bigger issue here. It is not a question of the immediate response, although that is important. For far too long, DEFRA has been unprepared for the resilience we need to face biosecurity threats in this country. We have had a decade of cuts. Frankly, it is not about what has happened this year, but about what we inherited and how DEFRA’s budgets have been prioritised by lots of previous Governments. Can he reassure me that as we face a changing climate, which makes these situations more likely, the machinery of government in DEFRA will be up to the job in preparing for these challenges, so that farmers are supported in years to come when we face these risks?

[Stephen Morgan]

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for his efforts and enthusiasm during his time as a DEFRA PPS. It is one of the best jobs in government. He makes a number of valid points from his expertise working closely in the Department. I will certainly take away the messages I have heard from him today. My message to farmers in his community is simple: remain vigilant, monitor your animals closely and take up the vaccine. I will certainly take away the concerns that he has raised to make sure that the Government are doing everything we possibly can.

[Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) (LD)]

Livestock farmers in North Shropshire, as everywhere else across the country, have had a torrid year. Drought has impacted their ability to feed their livestock, dairy farmers are selling milk at far less than the cost of production, and now they have the added concern of bluetongue bringing a horrendous end to a horrendous year. They have been caught unawares, and the Department has clearly been unprepared for something that could have easily been predicted. What support is the Minister putting in place for those farmers now? More importantly, what steps will be taken for this time next year, so that we do not find ourselves again trying to get on top of an epidemic that could have been prevented?

[Stephen Morgan]

As I mentioned, DEFRA has long-standing arrangements in place to support outbreaks. There are always lessons that we can learn from outbreaks, but we are working closely with industry, farmers, the NFU and others. We recognise the impact that bluetongue is having on farmers after a very difficult summer, and we are looking at everything we can do to support them with the outbreak going forward.

[Johanna Baxter (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (Lab)]

I welcome the Minister to his place, and I am pleased to hear him promote vaccine uptake. Can he say a little more about the discussions he is having with the Scottish Government to ensure that farmers and livestock keepers in Scotland are getting the vaccines they need? Given the pressure on the veterinary sector, can he assure the House that the reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 is getting the attention that it deserves? That will support not only our veterinary surgeons and all those who work in the sector, but consumers.

[Stephen Morgan]

My hon. Friend will know that my colleague in the other place, Baroness Hayman, leads on a number of the areas that she describes, but I will certainly take those messages back to her. As I mentioned earlier, I am very keen to work with the devolved nations on the issues that we face in the farming community, and I look forward to working with my hon. Friend on any issues and concerns that she has going forward.

[David Reed (Exmouth and Exeter East) (Con)]

Livestock farmers in Devon are facing this bluetongue outbreak at an already difficult time. They are meeting unexpected vaccination and fallen stock costs following a summer of drought, while changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief are adding to concerns about farm finances and succession. Does the Minister recognise that the financial impact of bluetongue cannot be considered in isolation, and what assessment has he made of the cumulative pressures on farm cash flow this year?

[Stephen Morgan]

As I mentioned earlier, it was good to be in the south-west to talk to farmers directly about their asks of Government. We have put in place a number of actions following their asks, and we will continue to work closely with the NFU and others to understand what more they might need. I absolutely recognise the pressures that livestock keepers are under, including financial pressures and indeed wellbeing pressures. There is support available for the sector, but I will certainly take the hon. Gentleman’s views and concerns back to the Department.

[Seamus Logan (Aberdeenshire North and Moray East) (SNP)]

Perhaps in contrast to some other Members, I want to commend the Minister for the interest that he has shown in the issues affecting Scottish farmers, not least in my constituency and the north-east in general. I also want to commend the excellent collaborative work in which he is engaging with the Scottish Government. I was encouraged to hear him say in response to various Members from across the House that he is looking at potential additional financial support, because there will be extra costs for farmers next year. I had the pleasure of an excellent “coolcation” in Kinlochbervie in the highlands, and I can assure the Minister that it was a bumper season for midges this year—next year will be even more so. If he is looking at additional financial support, will he please consider the Barnett consequentials for Scotland?

[Stephen Morgan]

It was a real pleasure to visit the hon. Gentleman’s constituency during recess, and I thank him for that opportunity. I will take away the issues that he describes. Midges do not respect boundaries, so it is really important that we work across boundaries on these issues and make sure that, where possible, we can have a co-ordinated approach.

[Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (Con)]

As my hon. Friend the Member for Exmouth and Exeter East (David Reed) has already alluded to, Devon has a huge issue with bluetongue cases. In fact, of the 795 cases, 334—by far the highest number across the country—are in Devon, and one of those is new this week. I am sure that the Minister will remember that in a previous Westminster Hall debate on financing farming, I invited him to visit Dartmoor. That was ostensibly about livestock numbers, hill ponies and the future of farming on Dartmoor, but given this bluetongue outbreak, the invitation seems even more important now, because Dartmoor is a key farming part of Devon. I have invited the Minister three times and not yet had a response, so I would like to extend my invitation again. My farmers in South West Devon, including those in Dartmoor, would very much welcome a visit, and I would be grateful if he could respond to the letters that I have sent him over the last few months.

[Stephen Morgan]

The hon. Member knows from my face-to-face conversations with her that I am very keen to visit Dartmoor, and I am sure we can make that possible as soon as the diary allows.

[Edward Morello (West Dorset) (LD)]

Last week I was at the Melplash agricultural show, and I extend an invitation to the Minister to join me at next year’s show. Farmers there raised all the issues that have been mentioned already—testing time, vaccination availability and disposal costs—but one thing that they also raised is frustration with the fact that the Government map of bluetongue is woefully out of date, possibly by as much as a three-month lag. We know that bluetongue is in Dorset. The map shows one confirmed case, but one farmer told me that they know of at least five in the immediate area. The map does not show suspected cases, and it does not show where testing is being undertaken. The problem is that that is causing other farmers to delay doing anything, because they think it is not in their area yet. Will the Minister please do something to speed up the updating of the map, and ensure that it shows suspected cases and where testing is under way?

[Stephen Morgan]

I mentioned at the outset the importance of communication with the livestock sector, and that has included webinars, engagement events, disease alerts and information on gov.uk. I will take away the hon. Member’s specific point about the map. I thank him for flagging it with me today so that we can look into those issues.

[David Mundell (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale) (Con)]

May I once again restate the cross-border issue? Longtown in the constituency of the hon. Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) is one of the most important markets for livestock in the south of Scotland. Can the Minister confirm specifically that he is addressing the cross-border issues that NFU Scotland has raised, including the requirement relating to vaccination, testing and the return of animals to Scotland; the compatibility and recognition of vaccination records across the border; and the arrangements for animals that cannot meet vaccination requirements within the prescribed timescales?

[Stephen Morgan]

I met NFU Scotland on my visit to Aberdeenshire in August. I will write to the right hon. Member on the specific actions he describes and will ensure that he receives a robust response.

[Ben Maguire (North Cornwall) (LD)]

My North Cornwall farmers have had the summer from hell. Bluetongue virus has decimated their herds, and that is on top of a crushing drought. One farmer has told me that he has lost 40 of his sheep to bluetongue, with no vaccine available when he needed it most. Seeing their animals suffer is hard enough without the huge associated costs of disposing of fallen livestock, compounded by the financial loss of the animals themselves. Will the Minister back my call in my letter to him back on 3 August, and supported by the NFU, for urgent financial assistance for farmers facing these extraordinary disposal costs?

[Stephen Morgan]

As I have mentioned, DEFRA is considering a whole range of options to support the farming community, including supporting vaccination availability and expanding testing capacity. We will continue to evaluate measures including the possibility of financial support. We do recognise that this is an incredibly challenging time for those in the livestock community, and we will do what we can to support them.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the Minister for his positive answers, which I think we should be encouraged by. Although Northern Ireland thankfully has no reported cases of bluetongue, the Ulster Farmers’ Union—I declare an interest as a member—has issued an urgent warning that vaccine supplies are under severe pressure in GB, with some major manufacturers completely out of stock. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland has rightly moved to a general licence to allow our farmers to vaccinate, but they cannot protect their herds if they cannot access the physical vaccine vials. Will the Minister assure this House that the Government are working directly with pharmaceutical manufacturers to guarantee security of supply, and will he commit to working closely with the Northern Ireland Assembly to ensure that our family farms are not left at the back of the queue for those vital BTV-3 vaccine supplies, as the midges’ active season continues and gets even worse.

[Stephen Morgan]

Yes and yes.

Draft Plant Health, Seeds, Seed Potatoes and Plant Propagating Material (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2026

Stephen Morgan Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd September 2026 General Committees

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

I beg to move,

That the Committee has considered the draft Plant Health, Seeds, Seed Potatoes and Plant Propagating Material (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2026.

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Sir Alec. This draft instrument was laid before the House on 22 June. It applies to Northern Ireland only and was developed in close collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. It is a necessary measure to update Northern Ireland’s domestic legislation and enforcement provisions relating to plant health, ensuring the continued protection of Northern Ireland’s biosecurity and fulfilment of the Windsor framework obligations. As Members will be aware, under the terms of the Windsor framework, limited parts of European Union law falling under annex 2 of the framework continue to apply to Northern Ireland. They include the movement of goods, agrifood standards and animal and plant health.

The draft instrument makes no changes to the Windsor framework. It amends six pieces of Northern Ireland legislation covering plant health, seeds, seed potatoes and plant propagating material. The amendments are technical in nature and ensure that Northern Ireland’s domestic legislation remains clear, operable and aligned with requirements that already apply there under the Windsor agreement and framework. These legislative frameworks govern matters such as plant varieties, documentation requirements, traceability and plant health quality standards for fruit, vegetables, propagating material, forest reproductive materials and seed potatoes. They help to protect growers, traders and consumers by setting standards for products placed on the market and by ensuring that plant material can be traced and verified.

The draft instrument updates outdated references throughout the legislation, including references related to Northern Ireland, Great Britain and EU member states, following the UK’s exit from the European Union. It also reflects relevant EU plant health legislation that is already directly applicable to Northern Ireland, including provisions related to regulated pests, diseases and reporting requirements.

The draft instrument also strengthens the domestic enforcement framework by ensuring that DAERA has clear powers to take proportionate action where plant health requirements are not met. While the requirements already apply to Northern Ireland, the draft instrument ensures that they can be fully enforced where necessary, including through penalties and prosecution in cases of serious non-compliance. That is important in protecting Northern Ireland’s biosecurity and maintaining a level playing field for businesses that comply with the rules.

Members will be aware that the Windsor framework restored the movement of seed potatoes from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, supporting growers and businesses across the sector. The draft instrument helps the legislative framework governing seed potatoes, alongside the other plant health controls, to remain effective and enforceable.

Importantly, the draft instrument does not introduce new requirements for businesses. It ensures that domestic legislation accurately reflects arrangements that are already in operation and supports Northern Ireland’s high standards of plant health and biosecurity. No formal public consultation was undertaken on the draft instrument because it introduces no new policy requirements. However, DAERA and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have engaged extensively with stakeholders on the wider plant health arrangements operating under the Windsor framework.

I emphasise that it is essential that the amendments in the draft instrument update the Northern Ireland statute book and enable effective compliance with plant health requirements to uphold our commitment to full and faithful implementation of the Windsor framework. The draft instrument does not alter the Windsor framework, nor does it introduce new policy requirements. Its purpose is to ensure that Northern Ireland’s domestic legislation remains accurate, operable and capable of enforcing requirements that already apply. This is a technical but important measure. It updates Northern Ireland’s statute book, strengthens biosecurity protections, supports effective enforcement and introduces no new requirements for businesses. I therefore commend the regulations to the House.

--- Later in debate ---

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the shadow Minister for his contribution and his constructive engagement on these matters, and all Members who have shared their insights and views.

The shadow Minister noted that there has been no public consultation on this instrument because there is no legal duty to do so. However, DAERA has worked closely with DEFRA to engage with relevant stakeholders on the wider plant health requirements under the Windsor framework, including through the relevant working groups and, I can assure him, through engagement with the Ulster Farmers Union. There is ongoing engagement with relevant stakeholders, and strong relationships are in place.

The shadow Minister asked about the impact on trade. I assure all Members that the instrument introduces no new requirements for traders and will not have any impact on trade.

[Jim Allister]

Will the Minister give way?

[Stephen Morgan]

I will make some progress.

A number of Members made broader points about constitutional matters. I appreciate the strength of feeling on the wider constitutional issues, but I assure all Members that the instrument respects Northern Ireland’s integral position as part of the United Kingdom. It is a UK-made and UK-scrutinised piece of legislation, operating within the scope of the UK’s international commitment to introducing and applying domestic legislation to Northern Ireland. It upholds the UK Government’s commitment to implementing the Windsor framework. The Windsor framework is the legal framework currently in force, and this instrument operates within it. That is a clear improvement on the Northern Ireland protocol and the best workable solution to Northern Ireland’s unique circumstances in the long term.

Let me turn back to the specifics of the statutory instrument. It serves only to update Northern Ireland’s plant health legislation to ensure that it is clear, operable and accurate. That not only gives clarity to DAERA in the vital roles that it delivers in protecting Northern Ireland’s biosecurity, but gives clarity and stability to Northern Ireland stakeholders, ensuring that all parties play their part in doing what is necessary to maintain plant health in Northern Ireland.

By ensuring that the requirements of this instrument are correct and clear, we ensure that there are no legislative gaps or room for confusion in dealing with the complex plant health environment, thus contributing to safeguarding Northern Ireland’s trade and economic success in the agri-food, horticultural and forestry and woodland sectors. The instrument will ensure that the United Kingdom meets its international obligations under the Windsor framework, and will serve to ensure that high biosecurity standards for Northern Ireland are observed for years to come. I commend the regulations to the Committee.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved,

That the Committee has considered the draft Plant Health, Seeds, Seed Potatoes and Plant Propagating Material (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2026.

Support for Pig Farmers

Stephen Morgan Excerpts

Tuesday 14th July 2026 Westminster Hall

[The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Christopher. I congratulate the hon. Member for Gordon and Buchan (Harriet Cross) on securing this incredibly important debate, and on the constructive manner in which she contributed this afternoon.

I am grateful to all Members who have contributed to the debate and for the thoughtful way in which they have raised a number of concerns currently facing the pig sector and their constituencies. As my hon. Friends the Members for South West Norfolk (Terry Jermy) and for South Norfolk (Ben Goldsborough) passionately alluded to, the pig sector is woven into the fabric of the UK’s food system, underpinning food security, sustaining rural communities and driving agricultural productivity across the country. Beyond its economic importance, pork has long held a place at the nation’s table, from cherished regional specialities and traditional Sunday roasts to the everyday meals enjoyed by millions of families. As both a source of nourishment and a part of our culinary heritage, British pig production remains integral to what we eat.

As my hon. Friend the Member for South West Norfolk said, however, this is a moment of considerable pressure for the sector. Pig producers are navigating a period of profound difficulty, confronting a range of economic and structural challenges across all nations of the UK. I thank my Scottish and Northern Irish colleagues for their contributions this afternoon.

Recent reports have highlighted concerns about processors seeking to reduce pig numbers and producers—particularly independent producers—receiving notice that their contracts will be terminated. Those developments reflect a difficult market environment. A combination of increased production in recent years, changing consumer patterns and wider pressures in European pork markets has resulted in excess supply across parts of the sector. We recognise that this market adjustment is creating uncertainty for producers, particularly those affected by changes to supply arrangements.

That is why the Government will continue to engage with the industry as it responds to the challenges it faces. I personally assure all Members that I have prioritised meeting with the sector and, indeed, am meeting with the National Pig Association tomorrow to discuss the pressures that the sector is facing. I also note the NPA’s request for ongoing dialogue in its briefing for today’s debate. I hope tomorrow is the start of that relationship.

Turning to intervention powers, in the event of exceptional market disruption, the Government have powers under section 21 of the Agriculture Act 2020 to provide support to farmers in England. Agriculture is a devolved matter, and there are similar powers available to devolved Governments should they consider intervention in the sector appropriate. The powers under the Agriculture Act in England are intended to deal with unforeseen short-term shocks to agricultural markets, where there is a significant adverse effect on price achievable for one or more agricultural products. Section 21 powers were previously used during the exceptional disruption faced by the pig sector in 2021, when a combination of reduced processing capacity, the impact of the covid-19 pandemic, interruptions to CO₂ supply and a shortage of skilled butchers led to a substantial backlog of pigs on farm.

We recognise the challenges facing the sector today, but our assessment is that the circumstances are materially different from those seen in 2021. The current pressures reflect broader market conditions rather than a breakdown in processing capacity or market function. As such, the threshold for intervention in England under section 21 of the Agriculture Act is not currently met. As it is a devolved matter, it is for devolved Governments to take a judgment on intervention.

[Graham Stuart]

I congratulate the Minister on the meeting he will have tomorrow and his offer to engage. I gently press him on reaching out. He has made it clear that he does not think that the current situation matches that of 2021. I accept that, but could he reach out and use his good offices to ensure that no farmer is left with pigs backing up on their farm? Could he lean, in the most genial manner possible, on the processors to ensure that farmers get those pigs off the farm and processed? They would be very grateful if the Minister could do so.

[Stephen Morgan]

I am very alive to the issues. That is why engagement with the sector is very important. I have powers available to me, if necessary, but we are keen to monitor the situation. That is why today’s debate has been so important.

We are aware that the sector experienced a temporary backlog on farms earlier this year. The industry took action to address the issue, including through increasing processing capacity, and the backlog has now been cleared. Although that was a welcome development, wider pressures remain and we will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Turning to points made by Members about Government actions to strengthen fairness and resilience in the pig sector, the hon. Member for Gordon and Buchan rightly raised the Fair Dealing Obligations (Pigs) Regulations 2025. They are designed to end unfair contract practices and give British pig farmers greater transparency and certainty in their commercial relationships. I will reflect on her points. The regulations will be fully in force from 13 April this year, when all contracts for the purchase of pigs will need to be compliant. While we are aware of some processors serving notice on their producers or reducing contract volumes, our understanding is that these notices are being issued in line with contractual provisions. The fair dealing regulations are enforced by the agricultural supply chain adjudicator, which producers can contact if they are concerned that their contracts are not compliant with the regulations. I assure the hon. Member that the regulations will be subject to statutory review processes that will assess their effectiveness and whether any changes may be required in future.

Alongside the UK-wide fair dealing obligation regulations, support is also available to pig farmers in England through the animal health and welfare pathway. Pig farmers can receive £648 for a vet on-farm to look at general animal health and welfare issues and carry out testing. Farmers can receive up to £1,087 for further testing and advice if their farm has PRRS. In 2026, £50 million was made available through the farming equipment and technology fund to help farmers in England to improve animal health and welfare, productivity and slurry management.

On the issues raised by my hon. Friend the Member for South West Norfolk, the ambition of our farming road map is not simply to help farmers weather immediate challenges, but to create the conditions for a farming sector that is productive, resilient and profitable for generations to come. That means backing innovation, improving animal health and welfare, strengthening fairness across the supply chains and ensuring that farmers are better equipped to respond to changing and challenging markets. A strong domestic pig sector has an important role to play in delivering food security, supporting rural growth and maintaining the high standards that British consumers rightly expect.

By investing in productivity and resilience today, we can help to ensure that British pig farming remains competitive and successful in the years ahead. My hon. Friend the Member for South Norfolk and the hon. Member for Gordon and Buchan raised the important issue of African swine fever. I assure her that to help to prevent the uncontrolled movement of meat products into the United Kingdom, DEFRA has introduced safeguard measures that prohibit personal imports of pork into GB from the EU. The commercial import of pork from areas under African swine fever controls is not permitted. We are also funding the Port of Dover to ensure that illegal movement of meat into England does not take place. Since 2022, we have provided over £14 million of operational funding to the Dover port association.

I thank Members again for their thoughtful contributions to the debate. The concerns they raised have reinforced the importance of continuing to work closely with producers, processors and the wider industry. Our commitment is clear: to support a farming sector that not only is able to withstand future shocks, but is confident, profitable and able to seize the opportunities that lie ahead.