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

To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the recent adverse weather conditions, what consideration they have given to suspending the requirement for farmers to grow three different crops in order to qualify for payments under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2020.

We are working closely with the Rural Payment Agency (RPA) to look at all the available options to support farmers who are being affected by wet weather issues.

The RPA has published online guidance to provide advice around crop diversification requirements and force majeure. We encourage farmers to look at that guidance in the first instance.

We are currently exploring what options are available to us to offer flexibility to the 2020 Basic Payment Scheme rules now we have left the EU.