Farming and Food Production: Land Use Framework

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering Excerpts

Tuesday 21st July 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness McIntosh of Pickering]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact the changes proposed in the Land Use Framework will have on farming and food production.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Baroness Hayman of Ullock) (Lab)]

My Lords, the land use framework strengthens our commitment to maintain overall food production in England. A resilient food system requires a thriving natural environment. The vast majority of agricultural land will continue to prioritise resilient food production alongside nature and climate benefits. The framework sets out how we can use land more efficiently, using a mixture of productivity improvements, multifunctional land use and the safeguarding of our most important agricultural land.

[Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Con)]

My Lords, as the Minister is aware, England is now the only UK nation no longer receiving direct farm payments, leaving an enormous gap to be filled between the direct farm payments and the environmental payments coming into play. In that regard, the land use framework is a wasted opportunity. There should have been a greater focus on profitability and productivity. Instead, land is being taken out of food production, with livestock losing out to greenery and rewilding. She need look no further than her own area of Cumbria and Northumbria. Will the Government put the top priority on food production and food security?

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

I can absolutely reassure the noble Baroness that the land use framework makes a clear commitment to maintain overall food production in England. Analysis shows that this is achievable alongside the proposed land use changes. Also, food will be produced more sustainably from less land if we have a proper combination of multifunctional land use. We need to safeguard our most important agricultural land and look at how we improve productivity. We also know that many of the improvements that are coming through sustainable farming, such as improved soil quality, increase that productivity.