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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing temporary financial support for farmers in England to offset increased fuel costs.

The Government is conscious of the increases to prices of red diesel and other fuel influenced by the continued instability in the Middle East. The Competition and Markets Authority has been asked to look into industry concerns about red diesel prices, including price transparency. The Government are determined to help keep costs down for our farmers. Red diesel continues to benefit from an 80% tax discount - saving farmers almost £300 million a year.

The Government’s commitment to farming and food security is steadfast, which is why it has allocated a record £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament.