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

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to help farming and rural communities following the announced cuts to DEFRA's budget and the increase in inheritance tax on family farms.

The Government is backing British farming. We are prioritising investment that supports the Government’s Plan for Change and building on the Secretary of State’s work to reform Defra to drive growth while maintaining a steadfast commitment to farming, food security, and nature’s recovery.

We are, in fact, increasing the budget for sustainable farming and are investing more than £2.7 million a year in farming and nature recovery. Funding for the Environmental Land Management Schemes paid to farmers will increase by 150% from £800 million in 23/24 to £2 billion by 28/29. Overall farmers and land managers will benefit from an average of £2.3 billion a year through the Farming and Countryside Programme, and up to £400 million from additional nature schemes, including those for tree planting and our peatlands.