Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2026
Lord Swire Excerpts(2 days, 10 hours ago)
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Lord Swire (Con)
My Lords, as somebody who lives in Devon, I look forward to a long period of the cream teas of the noble Earl, Lord Devon, for which he will regrettably have more time to produce as a result of the delinking of the hereditary peerage and the legislative process of this country.
I listened carefully to the Minister’s statement, and several things strike me. The first is that this assault on the rural community and the farming community is not a perception but a reality. We have seen farm incomes shrinking year on year, rapid increases in costs—not least, as we heard from my noble friend Lord Redwood, the problems we now confront with fertiliser, which are very serious indeed—as well as the tremendous growth in bureaucracy, the chopping and changing of government policies, and the bringing forward of this latest government policy, which creates huge amounts of paperwork for farmers who should be out there farming.
The missed opportunity presented by this rethink on farming in this country concerns me. At a time when we should be looking long term at food security and food production, we seem to be thinking in the short term. Can the Minister say what the Government are doing to encourage younger people to come into the industry just at a time when we are seeing it getting older, with more and more people giving up—or wanting to give up—their farms? What hope can she hold out to a younger generation that there is a career and a life in farming for them as well? What more can she do to encourage the land-based colleges up and down the country, which have often suffered from very poor financial support, to get younger people into the industry? Only in that way will we preserve the landscape in the way that she envisages.
We can divert every kind of subsidy into all these initiatives—I have no problem with some of those at all—but, at the end of the day, it is a manmade landscape that we enjoy. It is made and preserved by the land managers and the farmers. Without them, it will not continue to exist, and nor will the food on which we have come to depend.
Lord Curry of Kirkharle (CB)
My Lords, like the noble Earl, Lord Devon, this is my final speech in the Chamber, so it is a rather poignant moment. It feels rather odd speaking on this topic today—as if, after 24 years, I have come full circle. I found this rather interesting report when I cleared my desk last week, which was written by a chap called Curry in 2002. Let me read a sentence from page 23:
“The guiding principle must be that public money should be used to pay for public goods that the public wants and needs: remaining price supports and associated production controls must go; direct payments should be phased out as quickly as possible”.
Here we are, 24 years later, completing that process.
The journey to this point has been anything but straightforward. I must say that, 10 years after leaving the European Union and 10 Secretaries of State in Defra later, successive Governments have failed to provide the leadership that the farming industry deserves. We had a unique opportunity, whether or not one agreed with Brexit, to write a new script and to design a plan to deliver all the public goods that
“the public wants and needs”,
to use the phrase in the report. What we have had is 10 years of dithering, indecision and procrastination. Of course we had Covid to disrupt the process, but here we are, still with no plan, vision or clarity on our future ambitions for this crucial industry of ours. To give the current Government some credit, we now have a land-use framework after five years of gestation, and the promise of a farming road map, which the Minister mentioned. Meanwhile, farmers are left in limbo, unclear of what is expected of them. The transition journey is ending with this debate, but the train does not have a destination.
What, therefore, are the public goods that the public need and want, which farmers and land managers can deliver? We have wrestled with this definition of public goods, and with which public goods require government intervention because there is no functioning market for them. Carbon markets are still immature, and natural capital is still a great idea, but most environmental outcomes still require government intervention: restoring and maintaining habitats, cleaning up and managing water, carbon sequestration and so on. We need clean air, clean water and healthy soils. One outcome that farmers can deliver, and are delivering, successfully is renewable energy. We certainly do not need any further financial inducements to deliver that, particularly solar. I hope that the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has read the land-use framework document and begins to think about it before completely ignoring local opinion when he blindly signs off every large solar application to cross his desk.
The $64,000 question is about food, as the noble Lord, Lord Redwood, has stated. If, as the Government have recognised, food security is national security, what does this mean? Food is the outcome from the management of the countryside that most farmers want to deliver; it is why they came into farming. So if it is a public good—I think the Government now accept that it is—is there a functioning market that supports the production of food at a price that provides farmers with an adequate return without government intervention? This, it seems to me, is the fundamental question, and it was of course the challenge given to the noble Baroness, Lady Batters. We wait with keen interest for the Government’s response to her important report.
Two factors are important. For the market to function well, it requires fair competition, so there is a need for an adjudicator to oversee a market dominated by powerful players. I welcome the move of the GSCOP adjudicator to Defra. I hope this will lead to much stronger links to the sectoral adjudicators and a more forensic monitoring of market behaviour. The wider scheme also ought to include the processing sector, which it does not at present.
The second factor is that a well-functioning market requires a level playing field, with imports being produced to the same or equivalent standards as we have here. Despite regular reassurances that the new trade deals are robust, I am still concerned about this. The only way to be satisfied is to carry out a thorough and regular audit of supply chains in countries of origin, which requires resources and audit not only of food safety standards but of environmental measures and animal welfare standards so that trade can compete fairly.
Having satisfied ourselves on supply chain relationships and achieved a level playing field on imports, is it possible to produce food profitably without subsidisation? The most efficient farmers can—at least some of the time. Skills, training and technical knowledge are important. TIAH has been established to help with skills. Access to scientific knowledge is important, as are benchmarking, having excellent business skills, adding value wherever possible, applying risk management tools, and so on. Producing what the market wants is critical, particularly having access to local markets and the public sector. All these need to be in place, and the Government need to help.
Do we need to reconsider our attitude to subsidies? I do not think we should go back to direct subsidisation of food production. It distorts markets, distorts behaviour and puts developing countries at a serious disadvantage. However, there is much more we could do to assist farmers in their commitment to produce food, which is also in the nation’s interest. I have been struck recently, when rummaging through old documents, by how influential the development grant schemes were that I and most farmers took advantage of in the 1960s, 1970s and into the 1980s to improve our facilities and build fences, buildings, equipment, et cetera.
To extend the SFI application process to embrace and include productivity support, rather than a separate productivity grant scheme—to help improve business efficiency, alongside environmental management and environmental protection measures—would deliver multiple outcomes from a multifunctional landscape through a combined scheme. With today’s online technology, it would not cost much more to administer than the current complex mix of schemes we have. Every farm business should have the opportunity to participate, either individually or through a combined collaborative scheme. This should include tax allowances appropriate for investments. The Treasury should recognise the critical importance of this industry of ours and the importance of producing food.
After introducing the entry-level scheme following this report, we achieved over 70% participation in stewardship schemes. We have regressed since then. The current uncertainty and stop-start processes with the SFI will not deliver the landscape improvements in environmental management, including the species improvement and restoration that we need. Whole catchments need to be included and every farm needs to engage. All the agencies need to work together—all of them—to agree plans for the Wye Valley, the Tees Valley, the chalk streams and, importantly, the Tyne Valley. The list goes on.
We need to be bold in developing a new vision for farming and the management of the countryside that is agreed in partnership with the sector—I hope the Minister will confirm that the new partnership board will be given the authority it needs to develop that—not imposed upon it by government, so that it has ownership and buy-in: a vision that gives every farmer the opportunity to deliver the vital outcomes that the countryside is capable of, including wholesome and healthy food. In fact, most of it is in this report.
I add my thanks, as the noble Earl, Lord Devon, did, to the whole team here in the House of Lords: the doorkeepers, the clerks, the staff and the restaurant staff—everybody who has made my life very easy. It has been a pleasure to work with them and to have their support, and a great honour to be a Member of this House.
Construction Industry: Timber
Lord Swire Excerpts(2 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
The noble Earl is always very quick to talk about the grey squirrel, and rightly so. As he says, we have recently published our plan on grey squirrel management—if any Members are interested, they can find it on the Defra website. At the moment, the main way people manage populations is through culling as best they can. We would prefer to have more humane ways of managing pests. As the noble Earl knows, we are now investing in the scientific research on contraceptives that is taking place. If we can crack that, it would make a huge difference, but I urge noble Lords to read the document.
Lord Swire (Con)
I was slightly concerned when the Minister talked about the standardisation of house design. I contend that one of the reasons people are so negative about development is the standardisation of housing estates and designs up and down the country. With that in mind, what more can be done to encourage people to build in the vernacular—thatch and cob, in my part of the world—and, at the same time, improve the knowledge and understanding of local planning officers so that they properly understand the needs and demands of local architecture in the differing parts of our great country?
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
We need some standardised pattern books. We need a fairly extensive housebuilding programme and we must ensure that those houses are built to a minimum standard of quality. However, I take the noble Lord’s point about the importance of vernacular building in certain places. It is my understanding that, within its planning advice, the MHCLG is looking at how it can best train planning officers as well.
Energy Market Reforms
Lord Swire Excerpts(5 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
My noble friend asks about marginal pricing and refers to gas, because gas and electricity prices have been coupled together for many years. The market currently operates on the principle of marginal pricing, and the cost of electricity often tracks the cost of gas because gas generation frequently sets the wholesale price. It is a complex area. There are good reasons why the electricity market operates on that basis. Comparable countries tend to operate in this way as well. Over time, we need to rely less on gas, which means that electricity prices will become increasingly detached from the price of gas and be more frequently set by other generation, such as renewables. We see that as the way to bring prices down to support vulnerable people and to enable them to pay their bills. That is why our focus is on increasing renewable energy.
Lord Swire (Con)
Increasing the capacity of the grid —particularly bringing more offshore power onshore—will see a dramatic escalation in the number of overhead power lines to distribute the power, as well as more onshore substations. Given the huge profits made by some of the energy companies, what are the Government doing to mitigate the visual impact of this increase in energy distribution? Can these energy companies not be invited to contribute towards a fund that will see, where possible, the burial of overhead power lines?
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
There are two aspects to this. There is the National Grid, and in Scotland there is ScottishPower. We also have the district network operators, so we have different levels of pylons. It is not quite as straightforward as having a simple pot. The important thing is that we build the renewable energy that we need. We also need to look at battery storage. Not all electricity generation needs to be connected up through power lines. The last figures I saw on burying power lines showed it to be about 11 times more expensive. It depends where they are—through a national park, for example—and what the current situation is. It is important that we have the renewable energy connection, and we want to bring down prices, but we must build the connections in the right place. Connections are not just built in a straight line. Electricity companies spend a long time ensuring that the route chosen is the best one: they talk to people. This is part of creating the renewable energy future that we need.
Wild Camping
Lord Swire Excerpts(10 months, 1 week ago)
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Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
This is exactly the point I was making about the difference between wild camping and illegal camping. I walked my dog at Ennerdale Water this weekend, and there were clear signs saying, “No camping, no fires”. Yet, as I walked along the lake, there were two tents. This is a real problem because these people often do not respect the environment that they are in. It is important that, while we encourage camping in the right areas and wild camping where it is appropriate, we also ensure that does not cause any damage to the environment or problems for landowners.
Lord Swire (Con)
My Lords, as someone who enjoys larking around Dartmoor as much as possible, I can attest to the fact that it is a very finely balanced ecosystem. We will all be aware of the excellent work being done by the Prince of Wales and the Duchy of Cornwall in trying to regenerate some of the upland areas of the moor. Although I fully support responsible wild camping, unfortunately the same cannot be said for irresponsible wild camping. That was a particular problem in many national parks and lochsides across the country during Covid. Does the Minister agree that the Government must do everything they can to ensure that legislation and advice, such as that given by the Dartmoor National Park Authority on how to behave on the moor, is rigorously adhered to?
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
As I said, it is a real problem. The noble Lord mentioned Covid, and the amount of rubbish left behind by illegal campers then was shocking. People abandoned their tents and all their rubbish. Who does the clean up? It is the National Trust, the national parks and the general public. He is absolutely right that this is not acceptable. However, at the same time, we have to recognise that some people camp very responsibly, in the right places and in the right way—and Dartmouth is an excellent example of that. As we develop our access strategy and promote the Countryside Code, which is also important, we will take all this into account.
Reservoirs: Protection from Contamination
Lord Swire Excerpts(10 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
That is an interesting question. I do not know when we last simulated such a thing, but there was the issue quite recently in Devon, where there was accidental water contamination. There was quite a rapid response to that, including, importantly, communication to consumers and to the public. One thing we are looking at now is how we learn from that accidental contamination, because contamination does not have to come just from hostile actors.
Lord Swire (Con)
Will the Government consider increasing their investment in desalination plants to ensure the provision of safe drinking water in the event of a national crisis?
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
Clearly, safe drinking water has to be an absolute priority, and I am sure the department would consider all options.
Farming: 25-year Road Map
Lord Swire Excerpts(1 year ago)
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Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
The land use framework will be critical in a lot of areas. Because we have only a limited amount of land, we have to ensure that we are using it in the best interests of the country, whether that is for supporting farmers and food production, for energy production or for housing and so on. It is important that we are bringing that together. I do not have a date for the noble Lord today, but I assure him that we are actively progressing the report.
Lord Swire (Con)
Self-evidently there will be no food security without food, and there will be no food without farmers. What are the Government going to do about the ageing population of farmers and to encourage younger people into farming, at a time when the farming sector has been so horribly undermined by the Government’s own legislation?
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
The average age of farmers has been a problem for many years; there has not been succession planning in the way that perhaps there has for other businesses, because of the nature of farming. We are working closely with the Department for Education on skills. Young people can be encouraged to show an interest from an early age through going to agricultural college, for example, and all these things help. We need to look at how young people can get the right skills to want to go into farming in the first place. It is important that farms are available for new entrants, and that is something that we need to be working on—too many county farms were sold, for example. There is quite a lot of work to be done in this area.
Storm Bert
Lord Swire Excerpts(1 year, 5 months ago)
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Lord Swire (Con)
Will the Minister convene a meeting of local authorities to discuss the issue of the concreting over of many driveways up and down the country? Often, the problem with surface water and local flooding is that the water has fewer and fewer places to run off.
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
The noble Lord is absolutely right that the more concrete there is, the harder it is. The water has to go somewhere, and this is the issue. You can never stop flooding; you can manage it the best way you can. I would be very happy to convene a meeting, although I am not sure whether I am the right person. Perhaps it should be MHCLG, because often this is a planning issue—or it could be a joint meeting. I am certainly very happy to explore that.