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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to mitigate the impact on those subject to Basic Payment Scheme cuts who had planned to apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

We remain committed to investing £5 billion of funding in the farming budget this year and next (£2.6 billion for 24/25 and the £2.4 billion for 25/26, as previously announced), and are on track to do so, with every penny of the reductions to delinked payments staying within the sector.

We will target investments away from Direct Payments towards improving the Environmental Land Management schemes, including to those farms least able to adapt.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive is an important offer, but it is part of a wider package. We remain committed to investing in Environmental Land Management schemes. We plan to launch the new Higher Tier scheme later this year; Capital Grants will re-open in summer 2025; we continue to move forward with Landscape Recovery; and we are increasing payment rates for Higher Level Stewardship agreement holders to recognise their ongoing commitment to delivering environmental outcome.