Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on conditions attached to the spending of the farming budget to ensure (a) value for money, (b) increased food security and (c) environmental targets are met.

The Chancellor and I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a range of matters.

Defra’s settlement will invest more than £2.7 billion a year in sustainable farming and nature recovery from 2026-27 until 2028-29. This will protect the natural ecosystems underpinning food production, boosting food security and delivery of our environmental targets. We are increasing value for money, and accelerating progress towards our environmental targets, by rapidly winding down subsidy payments that do not provide a return on investment to increase funding for Environmental Land Management schemes from £800 million in 2023-24 to £2 billion by 2028-29.