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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of water security for farmers and growers as a result of the closure of the European Agricultural Fund's Water Resource Management grant.

Defra keeps water security for farmers and growers under review. However, as the Countryside Productivity Water Resource Management offer was a relatively small scheme offering localised support for individual farmers and growers, we have no plans to undertake a detailed assessment of its impact on national water security.

The Government’s abstraction plan sets out how the Environment Agency will develop strong local partnerships with abstractors, including farmers, and catchment groups. The partnerships will work to agree local solutions that improve water security and protect the environment.