{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Jeremy+Lefroy&answeringDeptSortName=Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&max-date=2018-12-13", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Jeremy+Lefroy&answeringDeptSortName=Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&max-date=2018-12-13", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Jeremy+Lefroy&answeringDeptSortName=Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&max-date=2018-12-13&_metadata=all", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Jeremy+Lefroy&_page=0&answeringDeptSortName=Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&max-date=2018-12-13", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Jeremy+Lefroy&answeringDeptSortName=Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&max-date=2018-12-13", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=Jeremy+Lefroy&answeringDeptSortName=Environment%2C+Food+and+Rural+Affairs&max-date=2018-12-13", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/964591", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/964591/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is fully focussed on getting Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2018 payments issued promptly. Given the prescriptive EU requirements in making advance payments, RPA will concentrate on making payments from the opening of the payment window in December. In addition we are reviewing options, such as bringing forward bridging payments, for those BPS claimants who will not have received their BPS 2018 payments in December.<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Eustice"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Camborne and Redruth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Eustice"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-06T10:30:54.747Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Agriculture: Subsidies"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has plans as a result of extreme weather conditions to instruct the Rural Payments Agency to make advance payments or bridging loans to farmers who will not have received their 2018 BPS by 31 December 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4109", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jeremy Lefroy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stafford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jeremy Lefroy"} ], "uin" : "169357"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/964592", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/964592/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Three variations or derogations from EU law have been granted or are under active discussion in Brussels in relation to grazing. First, some member states have secured permission to allow the grazing of Ecological Focus Area (EFA) Fallow Land. This derogation is not relevant in England as we already allow the grazing of such land after 1 July each year.<\/p>

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The UK was the first Member State to raise a concern with the European Commission over the difficulties farmers faced in establishing EFA catch crops by the required date of 20 August. Other Member States agreed with us and the Commission agreed that \u201cforce majeure\u201d should apply in these circumstances, so we could waive any penalties for farmers for non-compliance with EU law.<\/p>

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The third possibility relates to the small areas of land that have been declared as EFA Winter Cover Crops for the purposes of the EU Greening requirements. This green cover must be present from 1 October to at least 15 January and ordinarily must not be grazed. Because of the extreme weather conditions, the EU is considering waiving that rule for 2018 in suitably justified areas, and we have asked that England be listed amongst those countries eligible for this derogation. The change that we expect to secure this week will allow for grass and other herbaceous forage to be grown in those areas, rather than the usual restrictive list of plant species, and for those areas to be grazed.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3934", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for George Eustice"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Camborne and Redruth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Eustice"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-06T16:59:17.707Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Grazing Land"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will grant farmers flexibility in allowing livestock to graze land which is not normally permitted for grazing because of the short supply of bedding and grazing.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4109", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jeremy Lefroy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stafford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jeremy Lefroy"} ], "uin" : "169358"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/964593", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/964593/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Farmers in the UK, Ireland and across northern Europe have experienced a difficult time this year with the hot, dry weather. The impacts are likely to be most severely felt by the grazing livestock due to the shortage of grass.<\/p>

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It is clear that the main impact of the recent drought conditions is likely to be felt by livestock farmers facing a shortage of fodder and that the full extent of the impacts may not be realised until later in the year. We have prioritised practical solutions to help farmers increase access to fodder and bedding both now and in the coming months. These actions will help farmers to limit the impact of extra feed costs by allocating land to forage growth and grazing, but we will keep the situation under review.<\/p>

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Particular measures the Government has taken to help farmers are:<\/p>

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