Farming Road Map and Profitability Review

Duke of Wellington Excerpts

Wednesday 1st July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

I suggest that we do have grant schemes available. The SFI has just been announced and ELMS has been running for some time. ELMS came in under the previous Government, who decided that we would not have basic payment systems as the EU does and would move to a more environmentally sustainable grant system, which I support. That is the long-term future. As I keep saying, I cannot comment on the EU negotiations. There are a lot of discussions around things such as pesticides and transition periods, but we do not know what the final outcomes will be.

[The Duke of Wellington (CB)]

My Lords, I declare my farming interests as detailed in the register. My noble friend Lady Batters is sorry not to be here today, but she sent me a WhatsApp earlier, and if I can get the technology to work and read it, which I currently cannot, she has asked me to ask this question, which I hope I am allowed to do on her behalf—

[Lord in Waiting/Government Whip (Lord Katz) (Lab)]

I suggest that perhaps the noble Duke can find a way of asking the question in his own words.

[The Duke of Wellington (CB)]

Then I will happily do so. My noble friend Lady Batters—I am sure we all thank her very much for the work she did in this area—did a report that has led to the production of the road map. What I, and she, now ask is: when will the road map be turned into action?

[Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)]

The plan is to crack on with it, because that is what we need to do. One of my frustrations is that it is very easy to write a document, or to say lovely things, but what we need is delivery. At Defra we are very keen to focus on delivery.