Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support farmers with the phase-out of the direct payments under the Basic Payment Scheme.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has committed to support farmers through a farming budget of £5 billion over two years, including £2.4 billion in 2025/26. This will include the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history.
We are continuing to phase out delinked payments. Instead, we are targeting additional investments away from direct payments towards the farms least able to adapt, with Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes remaining at the centre of our offer for farmers. Phasing out delinked payments will allow us to focus investment on ELM schemes, which will be funded with £1.8 billion in 2025/26. This funding will deliver improvements to food security, biodiversity, carbon emissions, water quality, air quality and flood resilience. It will enable farmers to make their businesses more sustainable and resilient, including those who have been often ignored such as small, grassland, upland and tenant farmers.
We are providing advice via the Resilience Scheme, which can help adaptation by those farms most affected by reducing delinked payments. We will work with the sector to continue to roll out, improve and evolve our ELM schemes, to make them work for farming and nature.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for a decision on planning permission for the proposed Whitehaven coal mine.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
No target date has yet been set for a decision for the redetermination of this case. Following the quashing of the previous Secretary of State’s decision, the Secretary of State will now write to parties to give them the opportunity to provide any updated information to inform the redetermination. A decision will then be made on the process for redetermination, following which a timetable will be set.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, what estimate her Department has made of the number of farms that will no longer be eligible for agricultural property relief.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms, and further explanatory information at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief.
No changes are being made to the eligibility criteria for agriculture property relief. The system is being reformed to limit its generosity for claims over £1 million.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.51 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to Agricultural Property Relief on family farms.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief.
In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.
The Government takes into account all representations made ahead of the Budget, and meets with stakeholders on a regular basis.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee on the potential impact of changes to Agricultural Property Relief.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief.
In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.
The Government takes into account all representations made ahead of the Budget, and meets with stakeholders on a regular basis.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings Ministers in her Department have had with farming stakeholders on changes to Agricultural Property Relief in the last four months.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief.
In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.
The Government takes into account all representations made ahead of the Budget, and meets with stakeholders on a regular basis.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on improving the standard of placements available to young people studying Catering T Levels in Cumbria.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is examining what provision will best meet the needs of employers and students in this important sector, which plays an important role in Cumbria.
There are 143 level 2 and level 3 qualifications in the hospitality and catering sector for 16-19 year olds that are approved for funding in 2024/2025. Catering qualifications are not due to be defunded as part of the post 16 qualifications reform.
There is a wide range of support and guidance available for employers and providers to ensure that T Level students have a high quality experience on their industry placement. This includes workshops, webinars, continuing professional development support and online guidance. Providers also receive £550 per industry placement student as part of their wider 16-19 funding allocation to support the costs of sourcing and setting up industry placements and can use their 16-19 bursary funding to support disadvantaged students to access placements.
The latest data shows that 78% of 2021 T Level starters who completed an industry placement were ‘very’ or ‘quite satisfied’ with it.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to expand safe routes for asylum seekers.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The UK continues to welcome refugees and people in need through our existing global resettlement schemes which include the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship and the Mandate Resettlement Scheme. Safe and legal routes will continue to play a vital role in our overall migration system. However, given the scale of today’s global displacement challenges, it is not possible to offer a pathway into the UK to every person who needs or wants one. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to take steps to increase the number of safe routes available to people fleeing persecution.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The United Kingdom will always take seriously our responsibility alongside others to help those fleeing war and persecution, but we need a proper system where rules are enforced.
Safe and legal routes will continue to play a vital role in our overall migration system.
Our priority right now is the relocation of those who have been identified as eligible for resettlement under our resettlement schemes, and fixing the gaps in existing routes. That is why we have affirmed our ongoing commitment to the UK Resettlement Scheme; supported the reunification of Afghan families under the ACRS route; provided sanctuary for Ukrainians under our Ukraine schemes; and provided routes for Hong Kongers under our Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route. We will continue to keep this system under review.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure new houses are only built where there is sufficient (a) water supply and (b) sewage treatment.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 9948 on 23 October 2024.