Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what provision will be made in SFI27 for farmers whose existing agreements expire in March 2027; whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of transitional arrangement; and what alternative application process is being considered for 2027.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In line with the Farming Roadmap 2050, we plan to make an SFI27 offer available. Following the closure of SFI26 Window 2, we are working with farming representative organisations and the wider sector to consider how the scheme can be refined.
Decisions on the detailed design of SFI27, including arrangements for farmers with expiring agreements, are being considered as part of this work. We will provide further information in due course.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential role of the Post Office network in supporting access to banking services for small businesses and contributing to the sustainability of local high streets.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government understands the importance of banking services to communities and high streets, including those in rural and urban areas, and is committed to ensuring that people who need in-person banking can continue to access essential services.
That is why the Government commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes to access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment, the scale of any detriment, and who it affects. The Review will consider access to in-person banking services for both personal and business customers.
As part of this, the Review will consider existing forms of in-person banking provision. The Post Office provides banking services across the UK to both personal and business customers through over 10,000 branches via the Banking Framework agreement and, as such, the provision of services by the Post Office on behalf of banks will be considered as part of the Review.
The evidence collected by the Review will inform future decisions on whether further action is needed. Alongside the Review, the Government intends to use the Financial Services and Markets Bill to introduce a power to allow action to be taken in future to protect access to banking services, should the evidence support intervention.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department will consider different geographic access criteria for in-person banking services in rural and urban communities following the Access to Banking Services Review.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government understands the importance of banking services to communities and high streets, including those in rural and urban areas, and is committed to ensuring that people who need in-person banking can continue to access essential services.
That is why the Government commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes to access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment, the scale of any detriment, and who it affects. The Review will consider access to in-person banking services for both personal and business customers.
As part of this, the Review will consider existing forms of in-person banking provision. The Post Office provides banking services across the UK to both personal and business customers through over 10,000 branches via the Banking Framework agreement and, as such, the provision of services by the Post Office on behalf of banks will be considered as part of the Review.
The evidence collected by the Review will inform future decisions on whether further action is needed. Alongside the Review, the Government intends to use the Financial Services and Markets Bill to introduce a power to allow action to be taken in future to protect access to banking services, should the evidence support intervention.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration her Department is giving to making greater use of existing infrastructure, including post offices, to support access to in-person banking services.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government understands the importance of banking services to communities and high streets, including those in rural and urban areas, and is committed to ensuring that people who need in-person banking can continue to access essential services.
That is why the Government commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes to access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment, the scale of any detriment, and who it affects. The Review will consider access to in-person banking services for both personal and business customers.
As part of this, the Review will consider existing forms of in-person banking provision. The Post Office provides banking services across the UK to both personal and business customers through over 10,000 branches via the Banking Framework agreement and, as such, the provision of services by the Post Office on behalf of banks will be considered as part of the Review.
The evidence collected by the Review will inform future decisions on whether further action is needed. Alongside the Review, the Government intends to use the Financial Services and Markets Bill to introduce a power to allow action to be taken in future to protect access to banking services, should the evidence support intervention.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (a) what plans her Department has for publishing additional information on the rollout of the SFI Scheme for 2026 and 2027 which will include a clear outline of budgets for farmers, (b) what steps her Department is taking to ensure a smooth transition into the new SFI scheme for the 28,000 legacy agreements to avoid environmental delivery disruption, and (c) what consideration has been given to the introduction of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier ‘lite’ scheme to increase wider uptake.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A) Window 2 of SFI26 opened on Tuesday 22 September 2026 and closed later the same day. Further information on Window 2 and on SFI27 is available on GOV.UK here and here
B) The requested information is available on GOV.UK here
C) The requested information is available on GOV.UK here
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to improve efficiency in and reduce the time taken for the firearms licencing process following the increase in firearms licencing fees.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The issuing of firearm and shotgun certificates, resourcing of firearms licensing teams and the efficiency of police forces in processing licensing applications, are matters for individual Chief Officers of Police and Police and Crime Commissioners. When increased fees came into effect on 5 February 2025 to provide full-cost recovery for the police, the Home Office wrote to all Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables to make clear that the additional income must be used to support improvements in police force firearms licensing teams. Fees were subsequently increased by 3% from 4 June 2026, in line with inflation, to help ensure that they continue to reflect the costs to police forces of delivering the firearms licensing function. The expectation that the fees income supports an effective and efficient licensing service remains unchanged.
Alongside the increase in fees, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for firearms licensing now publishes quarterly performance data for firearms licensing in all police forces in England and Wales which includes a new performance target for forces to complete applications for the grant or renewal of firearm and shotgun certificates within four months of receipt. We welcome this greater transparency and forces making improvements in performance, subject to ensuring public safety remains the priority and suitability checks are carried out properly.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the carbon border adjustment mechanism on the price of fertiliser for farmers; and what consideration she has given to postponing the CBAM and conducting a market review in 12 months.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 June 2026 to the hon. Member for Chester South and Eddisbury, UIN 2499.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Baroness Batters’ review that outlined 57 recommendations on how the Government and industry can work together to boost growth for farming businesses, what measures are being put in place to deliver the nine actions the Government committed to: Utilising the newly created Farming and Food Partnership Board to develop Sector Growth Plans; Expanding export opportunities; Improving public procurement; Progressing fair dealing regulations and supply chain monitoring, Accelerating planning reform and simplifying regulation, Modernising grant delivery and maintaining investment through ELM schemes, Launching a new collaboration fund and skills strategy, Increasing investment in agri-tech and innovation, and Building frameworks to support private finance for environmental outcomes.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government’s response to the Review is already being delivered through the Farming Roadmap and associated measures.
The Farming and Food Partnership Board is bringing Government and industry together to strengthen supply chains and open clearer routes to market. Sector Growth Plans for horticulture and poultry are already in development.
Other measures include the continuing rollout of Sustainable Farming Incentive 26 and Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier; a new Farmer Collaboration Fund and work on skills; increased support for agri-tech innovation; work to develop frameworks to attract private investment into environmental outcomes; and work to ensure the planning system is more supportive of the infrastructure farmers need.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (a) what consideration was given to farming staff, particularly growers, when amending the national living ways increases, (b) what steps is her Department taking to give growers the confidence to invest in their businesses, and (c) can she confirm if the seasonal worker scheme will remain open to allow continued access to 41 000 seasonal workers for horticulture and 2000 for poultry.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Low Pay Commission provides recommendations to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade on the National Living Wage. It considers evidence from farmers, worker’s representatives and other employers when assessing the impact of National Living Wage increases on business costs, competitiveness, employment and the wider labour market.
The Farming Roadmap sets out a clear plan to 2050 and the practical steps to be taken in partnership with the industry. The Sector Growth Plans being developed by sector experts, starting with horticulture and poultry, will add further detail and should boost business confidence to invest.
The 2027 Seasonal Worker visa allocations for the horticulture sector was confirmed this month as 41,000 - the same as 2026. This timely announcement gives growers and operators good time to plan for the year ahead. The poultry allocation in 2027 will be 1,900 in line with sector needs.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of cross border policing across policing areas.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
In specialist crime types, such as serious and organised crime and county lines, policing has been effective in tackling cross-border crime.
Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs), working with police forces across England and Wales, are a prime example of this.
In May 2026, Tarian ROCU, working with Gwent Police and Gloucestershire Constabulary, concluded Operation Rooster – a long running investigation into an organised crime group (OCG) operating across south Wales and south-west England. Tarian ROCU coordinated enforcement activity against a network involved in the supply of Class A and Class B drugs with an estimated street value of £3.5 million. Through evidence secured in the investigation, five members of the OCG were sentenced to a combined 41 years imprisonment.
Additionally, through the County Lines Programme, we fund the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre (NCLCC) to monitor the intelligence picture and co-ordinate the national law enforcement response to county lines. The NCLCC has been vital in strengthening the law enforcement response and enabling police forces to work together to tackle this complex, cross-border issue.
However, despite the success of these operations, the ability to tackle cross border crime and provide victims of these crimes with the support they need is not consistent across policing in England and Wales. The existing 43 force model is fractured, and we expect all 43 forces to be both highly responsive to local needs and to deal with major incidents and serious crimes. They are not set up to do both.
As set out in the Police Reform White Paper, we will set out to change that.
We will create