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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to put in place a mechanism that would allow common land to be entered into Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) agreements for 2026.

Defra recognises the important role that common land and its commoners play in delivering environmental outcomes across these important and iconic landscapes. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is currently assessing how applications on common land can access Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and is actively exploring both on and off system options, testing feasibility. Once this assessment is complete, the RPA will engage external stakeholders to discuss their planned approach, including any implications for the Sustainable Farming Incentive.