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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to ensure the timely completion of payments for Countryside Stewardship agreements.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) understands the importance of cashflow for farmers and rural businesses. For the 2025 scheme year they have once again paid a higher proportion of Countryside Stewardship payments earlier in the payment window.

The RPA has taken steps to improve the flow of payments for the schemes they deliver, and the Countryside Stewardship scheme continues to be administered with payment frequency and timeliness in mind.