Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the department has considered the potential merits of mutualisation as a solution to Thames Water and wider water industry challenges.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is open to different ownership models where they can deliver benefits for customers, communities and the environment. We committed in the White Paper to make it easier for companies to change ownership model where they wish to do so, including mutual models.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will ensure that the budget for Sustainable Farming Incentive 2027 is sufficient to cover expiring agreements and meet demand from farmers seeking to deliver environmental outcomes.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Funding decisions for SFI27 will be made within the overall farming budget, taking account of affordability, value for money, demand and the contribution schemes make to farming and environmental objectives. The Government plans to offer SFI in 2027 and is working to bring forward the offer as early as possible. Eligible farmers who did not obtain an SFI26 agreement will have another opportunity to apply in 2027.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the net additional expenditure was on SFI26 agreements.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Window 2 had a budget of £253 million for new agreements, representing a total of £759 million over three years. Published statistics provide information on applications, selected actions and indicative agreement values. These figures do not represent final contracted expenditure because applications remain subject to eligibility and other checks. Defra will publish further information when agreement processing has progressed, and the data have been quality assured.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether ministers or officials in his Department have met with James Purnell to discuss water policy since 4 July 2024; and if she will publish the dates and attendees of any such meetings.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra publishes quarterly ministerial transparency returns, which include details of Ministers' meetings with external individuals and organisations. These are available on GOV.UK via the Defra: ministerial overseas travel and meetings collection page: Defra ministerial transparency returns.
Please note that these transparency returns relate to ministerial meetings and do not provide a combined record of meetings attended by both Ministers and officials.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the Animal and Plant Health Agency's capacity to effectively deal with disease outbreaks on farm.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
APHA undertakes an ongoing assessment of Defra’s capacity and capability to deal with disease outbreaks on farm. APHA implemented tiered preparedness ratings in January 2025, referred to as indices (strategic, tactical, and operational, which provide an assessment of each business unit’s readiness and resilience to respond to exotic disease incursions) covering disease, pest, and invasive species threats. These indices provide a living record of response capability and capacity, ensuring that there is a continuously updated document on preparedness that evolves to reflect ongoing changes.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many SBIs applied for Moorland Actions, Low Input Grassland, Herbal Leys and Winter Bird Food Mix.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Rural Payments Agency records show that for Window 1 and Window 2 of the SFI 2026 there were 177 farm businesses applied for moorland actions, 13,145 for low-input grassland, 5,060 for herbal leys and 5,109 for winter bird food.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what is the breakdown of ha applied for under each SFI26 action.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The area applied for under each Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 action is set out in the table below.
SFI26 Action | Hectarage |
AGF1_26 - Maintain very low density (20-50 t/ha) in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land | 800 |
AGF2_26 - Maintain low density (51-130 t/ha) in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land | 1347 |
AHW10_26 - Low input harvested cereal crop | 42278 |
AHW11_26 - Cultivated areas for arable plants | 4631 |
AHW3_26 - Beetle Banks | 56 |
AHW5_26 - Nesting plots for lapwing | 1032 |
AHW6_26 - Basic overwinter stubble | 11184 |
AHW7_26 - Enhanced overwinter stubble | 18931 |
AHW8_26 - Whole crop spring cereals and overwinter stubble | 7033 |
AHW9_26 - Unharvested cereal headland | 5760 |
BFS1_26 - 12m to 24m watercourse buffer strips on cultivated land | 2115 |
BFS6_26 - 6m to 12m habitat strip next to watercourses | 791 |
CAHL1_26 - Pollen and nectar flower mix | 15092 |
CAHL2_26 - Winter bird food on arable and horticultural land | 26532 |
CAHL3_26 - Grassy field corners or blocks | 11161 |
CAHL4_26 - 4m to 12m grass buffer strip on arable and horticultural land | 10129 |
CIGL1_26 - Take grassland field corners or blocks out of management | 2152 |
CIGL2_26 - Winter bird food on improved grassland | 22944 |
CIGL3_26 - 4m to 12m grass buffer strip on improved grassland | 986 |
CIPM2_26 - Flower-rich grass margins, blocks or in-field strips | 23274 |
CIPM3_26 - Companion crop on arable and horticultural land | 183982 |
CIPM4_26 - No use of insecticide on arable crops and permanent crops | 284545 |
CLIG3_26 - Manage grassland with very low nutrient inputs | 302659 |
CNUM2_26 - Legumes on improved grassland | 96366 |
CNUM3_26 - Legume fallow | 41742 |
CSAM2_26 - Multi-species winter cover crop | 116357 |
CSAM3_26 - Herbal leys | 129534 |
GRH10_26 - Lenient Grazing Supplement | 35351 |
GRH12_26 - Manage rough grazing for upland breeding waders | 3715 |
GRH7_26 - Haymaking Supplement | 51666 |
GRH8_26 - Haymaking Supplement (late cut) | 16108 |
HEF1_26 - Maintain weatherproof traditional farm or forestry buildings | 142 |
HEF6_26 - Manage historic and archaeological features on grassland | 1730 |
OFC1_26 - Organic conversion - improved permanent grassland | 4745 |
OFC2_26 - Organic conversion - unimproved permanent grassland | 1737 |
OFC3_26 - Organic conversion - rotational land | 6648 |
OFC4_26 - Organic conversion - horticultural land | 472 |
OFC5_26 - Organic conversion - top fruit | 294 |
OFM1_26 - Organic land management - improved permanent grassland | 16083 |
OFM2_26 - Organic land management - unimproved permanent grassland | 8726 |
OFM3_26 - Organic land management - enclosed rough grazing | 87 |
OFM4_26 - Organic Land Management - Rotational Land | 26850 |
OFM5_26 - Organic land management - horticultural land | 1151 |
OFM6_26 - Organic land management - top fruit | 217 |
PRF1_26 - Variable rate application of nutrients | 330898 |
PRF2_26 - Camera or remote sensor guided herbicide spraying | 18700 |
PRF4_26 - Mechanical robotic weeding | 8009 |
SCR1_26 - Create scrub and open habitat mosaics | 2087 |
SCR2_26 - Manage scrub and open habitat mosaics | 2824 |
SOH1_26 - No-Till Farming | 84188 |
SOH3_26 - Multi-species summer-sown cover crop | 98568 |
SPM3_26 - Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (more than 80%) | 9583 |
SPM5_26 - Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (more than 80%) | 933 |
UPL1_26 - Moderate livestock grazing on moorland | 2165 |
UPL10_26 - Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 8 months) | 2719 |
UPL2_26 - Low livestock grazing on moorland | 3345 |
UPL3_26 - Limited livestock grazing on moorland | 2322 |
UPL5_26 - Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (minimum 70% GLU) | 68 |
UPL6_26 - Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (100% GLU) | 798 |
UPL8_26 - Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 4 months) | 4308 |
WBD3_26 - In-field grass strips | 3411 |
WBD4_26 - Arable reversion to grassland with low fertiliser input | 13299 |
WBD6_26 - Remove livestock from intensive grassland during the autumn and winter (outside SDAs) | 9168 |
WBD7_26 - Remove livestock from grassland during the autumn and winter (SDAs) | 725 |
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, where the £210 million difference between the value of expiring agreements, estimated at over £520 million, and the £310 million budget for Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 will be spent.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The estimated value of expiring agreements does not translate directly into equivalent demand for the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26). Farmers may choose different actions, levels of coverage, or alternative, better suited, schemes. SFI26 is one part of a broader farming offer. In 2026, the Government has accepted applications for £788 million of new funding opportunities for farmers, representing around £1.6 billion over the lifetime of agreements. This includes £310 million for new SFI26 agreements, alongside funding for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, ELM Capital Grants, the Farming Innovation Programme, the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, and Farming in Protected Landscapes.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many SFI26 applications were made in each county in England.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The total number of applications submitted to SFI26 across Windows 1 and 2 is set out below, using ITL3 areas as the closest available geographical breakdown to counties.
County by ITL3 | Total Submitted |
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | <10 |
Barking & Dagenham and Havering | <10 |
Barnet | <10 |
Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham | 109 |
Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire | 212 |
Bedford | 71 |
Berkshire | 106 |
Bexley and Greenwich | <10 |
Birmingham | <10 |
Blackburn with Darwen | 17 |
Blackpool | <10 |
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | <10 |
Bradford | 63 |
Breckland and South Norfolk | 346 |
Brent | <10 |
Brighton and Hove | <10 |
Bristol, City of | 11 |
Bromley | <10 |
Buckinghamshire | 244 |
Calderdale and Kirklees | 89 |
Cambridgeshire CC | 451 |
Camden and City of London | <10 |
Central Bedfordshire | 100 |
Central Hampshire | 294 |
Central Valleys | <10 |
Channel Islands (pseudo) | <10 |
Cheshire East | 182 |
Cheshire West and Chester | 151 |
Chorley and West Lancashire | 69 |
Clackmannanshire and Fife | <10 |
Conwy and Denbighshire | <10 |
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly | 627 |
Coventry | <10 |
Darlington | 24 |
Derby | <10 |
Devon CC | 1,592 |
Dorset | 422 |
Dudley | <10 |
Dumfries and Galloway | <10 |
Durham | 266 |
Ealing |
|
East Cumbria | 596 |
East Derbyshire | 80 |
East Kent | 90 |
East Lancashire | 72 |
East Lothian and Midlothian | <10 |
East Merseyside | 28 |
East Riding of Yorkshire | 340 |
East Surrey | 58 |
East Sussex CC | 239 |
Enfield | <10 |
Essex Haven Gateway | 218 |
Essex Thames Gateway | 18 |
Fermanagh and Omagh | <10 |
Flintshire and Wrexham | <10 |
Glasgow City | <10 |
Gloucestershire CC | 450 |
Greater Manchester North East | 28 |
Greater Manchester North West | 34 |
Greater Manchester South East | 15 |
Greater Manchester South West | <10 |
Hackney and Newham | <10 |
Haringey and Islington | <10 |
Harrow and Hillingdon | <10 |
Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees | 20 |
Heart of Essex | 95 |
Herefordshire, County of | 484 |
Hertfordshire CC | 178 |
Highlands and Islands | <10 |
Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames | <10 |
Isle of Anglesey | <10 |
Isle of Man (pseudo) | <10 |
Isle of Wight | 70 |
Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham | 16 |
Kent Thames Gateway | 31 |
Kingston upon Hull, City of |
|
Lambeth | <10 |
Lancaster and Wyre | 135 |
Leeds | 44 |
Leicester | <10 |
Leicestershire CC and Rutland | 494 |
Lewisham and Southwark | <10 |
Lincolnshire CC | 779 |
Manchester | <10 |
Medway | <10 |
Merton, Kingston upon Thames and Sutton | <10 |
Mid Kent | 152 |
Mid Lancashire | 198 |
Mid Ulster | <10 |
Milton Keynes | 41 |
Monmouthshire and Newport | <10 |
North and North East Lincolnshire | 105 |
North and West Norfolk | 314 |
North Hampshire | 100 |
North Northamptonshire | 140 |
North Nottinghamshire | 191 |
North Yorkshire CC | 1,236 |
Northumberland | 462 |
Norwich and East Norfolk | 141 |
Oxfordshire CC | 444 |
Perth and Kinross, and Stirling | <10 |
Peterborough | 36 |
Plymouth | <10 |
Powys | 24 |
Redbridge and Waltham Forest | <10 |
Scottish Borders | <10 |
Sefton | <10 |
Sheffield | 24 |
Shropshire | 607 |
Solihull | 12 |
Somerset CC | 711 |
South and West Derbyshire | 319 |
South Hampshire | <10 |
South Nottinghamshire | 95 |
South Teesside | 30 |
Southampton | <10 |
Southend-on-Sea | <10 |
Staffordshire CC | 458 |
Stoke-on-Trent | <10 |
Suffolk CC | 674 |
Sunderland | <10 |
Swindon | 30 |
Telford and Wrekin | 28 |
Thurrock | <10 |
Torbay | <10 |
Tyneside | 32 |
Wakefield | 37 |
Walsall | <10 |
Wandsworth | <10 |
Warrington | 14 |
Warwickshire CC | 294 |
West Cumbria | 268 |
West Essex | 194 |
West Kent | 98 |
West Northamptonshire | 254 |
West Surrey | 57 |
West Sussex (Northeast) | 135 |
West Sussex (Southwest) | 106 |
Westminster | <10 |
Wiltshire | 487 |
Wirral | <10 |
Worcestershire CC | 317 |
York | 43 |
other | 21 |
Grand Total | 19,163 |
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to require environmental permits for highway runoff discharges from the Strategic Road Network.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are currently no plans to require environmental permits for all Strategic Road Network highway runoff discharges. Existing permitting powers would be applied where appropriate.