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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April to Question 182041 on Farms: New Businesses, what his Department's planned timescale is for the start of the New Entrant Support Scheme.

As set out in the Agricultural Transition Plan, we launched the pilot phase of the New Entrant Support Scheme in November as part of our co-design process. These pilots are testing a range of approaches to supporting new entrants and those looking to scale up their businesses to become successful entrepreneurs in the sector. The pilots will be evaluated and this will inform the type of future support for new entrants. The Department is also working closely with The Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture to coordinate wider activity on creating attractive career routes for those wishing to enter and those seeking to progress within the industry.