My Lords, the Government are committed to securing the best deal with the EU and beyond for the farming, fisheries and food sectors. In safeguarding the sheep sector, we have committed to continue the £3 billion of agricultural support until the end of the Parliament in 2022, and the Environment Secretary has said that support for our farmers will continue for many years to come where the environmental benefits of that spending are clear.
My Lords, does the Minister agree that livestock farmers in upland and less favoured areas—where lambing percentages are much lower and mortality rates are much higher than their lowland counterparts—must be supported following Brexit, as must their communities, and that any change in the farm payments scheme must recognise this? These are special cases.