Farm Subsidies Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Lord Morris of Aberavon
Main Page: Lord Morris of Aberavon (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Morris of Aberavon's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(5 years, 1 month ago)
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Lord Gardiner of Kimble
My Lords, as I have said, we will be testing and trialling the environmental land management scheme that is to come in in 2024. We will also bring forward a countryside stewardship agreement between now and 2024. We believe that in the future, farmers will be well placed through their participation in the new ELM scheme. However, the noble Baroness is right to say that there is a balance to be struck; we require our excellent food to be grown for home consumption and for export, and we need to do that within the prism of enhancing the environment.
Lord Morris of Aberavon (Lab)
My Lords, will the totality of the net payments to the whole of the agricultural industry be maintained during the transition period and afterwards?
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
My Lords, that is clearly for the Treasury and whoever is in the new Government, so at this stage I cannot say that to the noble and learned Lord. It will be for whichever Government are in office to decide on their spending commitments. What I am absolutely clear on is that this Government continue to support farmers in the way I have described and, if re-elected, that is the system which we will bring forward.