Oral Answers to Questions

Claire Young Excerpts

Thursday 4th June 2026 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Claire Young (Thornbury and Yate) (LD)]

1. What steps her Department is taking to support farmers with fuel costs.

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Reynolds)]

This Government are taking decisive action to support farmers with rising fuel costs. We have cut red diesel fuel duty to its lowest level in 20 years, reducing rates by a third, and we have asked the Competition and Markets Authority to ensure that there is no market abuse.

[Claire Young]

During the nearly three months it took the Government to decide to cut duty on red diesel, farmers in my constituency had already had to take steps to mitigate costs for fuel, energy and fertiliser. With changing weather patterns also threatening food security, will the Department look at other reliefs for our farmers, to ensure food security is not compromised while the war continues and its impacts ripple for years to come?

[Emma Reynolds]

The National Farmers’ Union president, Tom Bradshaw, said:

“The government’s decision to scrap the planned rise in fuel duty is good news, and the cut to red diesel duty is a welcome, well-targeted measure.”

I think I heard the hon. Lady welcoming that measure. Of course, we are keeping all plans under review and all scenarios, given the conflict in the middle east. We are consulting on plans to change fertiliser rules, so that farmers can diversify their sources of fertiliser, and we are working with farmers to give them access to Government tools to boost the efficiency of their fertiliser use.