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

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Environmental Land Management Schemes are being established on an open data basis; and what plans they have to ensure that (1) data are available to inform local and national knowledge, and (2) rapid feedback loops are put in place so that best practice can be shared and incentivised, through such Schemes.

The Environmental Land Management Scheme is being developed in partnership with farmers, other land managers and stakeholders from initial concept to full launch. We already have around 3000 farmers and other land managers involved in the Environmental Land Management Test and Trials and initial reports can be accessed on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-land-management-tests-and-trials

Ahead of full launch of the new Environmental Scheme in 2024 there will be a National Pilot, starting later this year, where the focus is on learning from farmers and other land managers as they apply different scheme components and begin to deliver outcomes. The focus will be on sharing their feedback with them and with scheme designers, building on the co-design work started through our Test and Trials and wider evidence reviews.

We will use GOV.UK, open to all, to share comprehensive information about the purpose of the scheme and its components, how to apply and how best to deliver outcomes it pays for. There is already overview information published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-environmental-land-management-scheme-an-overview, with more information following in the coming months. Using feedback from farmers, other land managers and their advisers the National Pilot will help us refine and improve the information on GOV.UK relating to the new Environmental Scheme.