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 18 July 2022 to Question 35971 on Environmental Land Management Schemes, how much of the £2.5 billion expected to be spent in the current Parliament his Department (a) has spent and (b) is yet to spend on (i) the new Sustainable Farming Incentive, (ii) Countryside Stewardship, (iii) Local Nature Recovery and (iv) existing Environmental Stewardship agreements as of 19 October 2022.

We are expecting the profile of the approximately £2.5 billion to be 25% in 22-23, 31% in 23-24 and 44% in 24-25. The amount of expenditure increases year on year as reductions from Direct Payments are released and reallocated as new schemes are introduced.

Most of the approximately £2.5 billion will be spent on Agri-Environment Schemes and Countryside Stewardship. The expenditure is naturally more heavily weighted towards the established schemes.

Note that the majority of expenditure is not accounted for at the same time as payments are made. For example, we are making quarterly payments on Sustainable Farming Incentive agreements now, but the cost of that is not recognised until 23-24.