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

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported IT and administrative problems that prevented some farmers from completing or submitting applications for the sustainable farming incentive during the available window.

The SFI26 application service remained stable throughout Window 2, with service performance within normal operating parameters. Analysis has not identified evidence of a systemic platform-performance issue, although some customers reported difficulties accessing or using the service. The Rural Payments Agency is assessing reports of technical issues from farmers and agents. Ministers extended the technical issue exception group to include certain farmers who reported valid technical issues up to one week after Window 2 closed, including some who had started but not submitted applications.