Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) Entry Level and (b) Higher Level Stewardship agreements in the Countryside Stewardship scheme (i) have expired and (ii) will expire in 2015.

Countryside Stewardship agreements do not start until 1 January 2016.

a) As at 30 September, 7,824 Entry Level Stewardship agreements in the Environmental Stewardship scheme had expired in 2015, with a further 4,060 Entry Level Stewardship agreements due to expire by 31 December 2015.

b) No Higher Level Stewardship agreements in the Environmental Stewardship scheme have expired or are due to expire in 2015.