https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/early-review-of-cap-delivery-programme-15-16/<\/a><\/p> <\/p>
The Programme for England was formally closed in March 2017 at a cost of £216 million. Since programme closure it has cost circa £3m per year to make year on year improvements to the system such as making it available online and on-going maintenance and support.<\/p>
<\/p>
Costs incurred in other regions is a Devolved issue.<\/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" : "2018-12-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-05T13:40:59.41Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-23", "_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, what estimate he has made of the cost to date of the Government's CAP IT system.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4417", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Deidre Brock"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Edinburgh North and Leith"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Deidre Brock"}
], "uin" : "195104"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005699", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005699/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Countryside Productivity scheme provides funding, including grants, for projects in England which improve productivity in the farming and forestry sectors. In October this year we committed £30 million for further rounds of the Countryside Productivity Small Grant scheme, which helps farmers buy equipment they need to boost productivity, increase yields, and become more environmentally efficient.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Agriculture Bill sets out the foundations for the future. It includes provisions which would allow for financial assistance to be given to improve the productivity of agricultural activities. This will allow us to make payments to enable farmers to invest in equipment, technology and infrastructure that will help them to improve their productivity. The payments will also help farmers to deliver public goods, such as environmental benefits and animal health and welfare enhancements that are significantly above the regulatory baseline.<\/p>
<\/p>
We are developing a policy for England. Agriculture is devolved, and so it is for the devolved administrations to determine their own policies and decide how they spend their money.<\/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" : "2018-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-20T14:41:27.793Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_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 a programme of capital grants will be continued and apply throughout the UK to assist farmers in adopting methods of agricultural production that maximise efficiency, environmental responsibility and welfare improvements.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1566", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Daniel Kawczynski"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Shrewsbury and Atcham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Daniel Kawczynski"}
], "uin" : "190415"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/992855", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/992855/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We want to move away from a system that awards subsidies based on the amount of land held. We will create an ambitious new system based on paying \u201cpublic money for public goods\u201d. Public goods will include improving air and water quality, mitigating climate change and providing habitats for wildlife.<\/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" : "2018-10-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-25T13:40:58.263Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-22", "_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 the farm subsidy system he plans to introduce after the UK leaves the EU will award subsidies based on farm hectares.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3956", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Susan Elan Jones"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Clwyd South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Susan Elan Jones"}
], "uin" : "182191"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/982683", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Scotland Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/982683/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
This Government has pledged to continue to commit the same cash total in funds for farm support until the end of the parliament, expected in 2022. This figure includes all EU and Exchequer funding provided for farm support under both Pillar I and Pillar II.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1512", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Mundell"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "David Mundell"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-10-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-11T09:47:14.917Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Scotland"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Scotland"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-08", "_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 Scotland, whether agricultural support payments to the Scottish Government during the transition period will be made through the Barnett formula.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4626", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Martin Whitfield"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Lothian"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Martin Whitfield"}
], "uin" : "176583"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/971224", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/971224/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government understands the importance of providing stability to farmers as we leave the European Union. Our Agriculture Bill will support farmers over a seven year transition from the Common Agricultural Policy to a new system underpinned by the principle of public money for public goods. Farmers produce world-class food and we are seeking new powers in legislation to help farmers get a fairer return from the supply chain. We pledge to continue the same cash total in funds for farm support for the duration of this Parliament.<\/p>
<\/p>
Our aim is to boost UK productivity by developing targeted transitional policies to reflect our farmers\u2019 needs. It is, however, important for the UK to take a more balanced approach to productivity targets and incorporate other issues, such as; provenance, animal welfare, and environmental costs alongside nutritional provision.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government views food security in its broadest sense - taking into consideration the global context, the UK supply chain as a whole and the consumer perspective. Self-sufficiency is not in itself an indicator of food security. Increased self-sufficiency in indigenous products would not necessarily insulate us from shocks to the system; for example, weather and disease can affect the harvests and yields.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
The UK\u2019s current production to supply ratio is 60% for all food and 75% for indigenous type foods. This has remained steady over the last decade and is not low in the context of the past 150 years. In the 1930s, for example, the overall rate was between 30% and 40%, while in the late 1950s this had risen to just over 50%. The UK has historically been a net importer of food and sources produce from a diverse range of stable countries and this will continue once we leave the EU.<\/p>
<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-18T11:35:53.463Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-09-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Agriculture: Subsidies"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, what steps they are taking to ensure sufficient levels of food security following any change in payments to UK farmers after Brexit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "The Lord Bishop of St Albans"}
], "uin" : "HL10221"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/968237", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/968237/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is fully focused on getting Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2018 payments issued promptly. Given the prescriptive EU requirements in making advance payments, the 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" : "2018-09-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-10T12:23:55.563Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-09-05", "_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, what steps he is taking to ensure that support payments are paid by the Rural Payments Agency in a timely manner, in light of the dry weather in summer 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4505", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Peter Kyle"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hove"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Peter Kyle"}
], "uin" : "170859"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/968245", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/968245/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 grazing livestock due to the shortage of grass, but the full effect 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>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Particular measures the Government has taken to help farmers are:<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
- We have clarified that English farmers, unlike farmers in other EU countries where derogations have been sought, have been able to use fallow land for grazing since 1 July. That is because our legislation reflects what we consider to be the minimum EU requirement.<\/li><\/ul>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
- We were the first Member State to raise a concern with the Commission to establish Ecological Focus Area (EFA) catch crops by 20 August: Other Member States agreed with us and the Commission agreed that \u201cforce majeure\u201d would apply in these circumstances, so we could waive penalties for farmers in this situation.<\/li><\/ul>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
- We are seeking a derogation from the requirement to sow only certain seed types which are unpalatable to livestock in EFA areas as catch crop. The derogation we expect to secure shortly will allow for grass and herbaceous forage to be grown in those areas, and for those areas to be grazed.<\/li><\/ul>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
- On Countryside Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship and forestry legacy agreements farmers are able to ask Natural England to agree a temporary variation to the agreement conditions, either as an Environmental Stewardship Derogation (to date, over 130 have been granted) or a Countryside Stewardship Minor and Temporary Adjustment (over 30 have so far been granted). We will allow farmers to derogate temporarily from specific prescriptions to provide bedding, fodder and grazing for livestock without materially affecting the environmental benefits of their agreement.<\/li><\/ul>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
I will monitor whether the fodder import scheme that has been introduced in Ireland has an appreciable effect on supplies of fodder and bedding within the UK. We have also made the point to the European Commission that whilst the UK is committed to working to identify appropriate responses to this year\u2019s weather impacts, these should not interfere with the normal functioning of the market or obscure the focus of farmers in mitigating weather impacts.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Opportunities such as the ones described above were discussed with a wide range of stakeholders at the National Farmers\u2019 Union \u201cDry Weather Summit\u201d on 1 August 2018 and we have received some further representations in writing from farming industry organisations. Further discussions took place at the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) Industry Partnership Group meeting in Reading on 20 August 2018. Additionally, a small number of individual farmers have made representations through the RPA\u2019s Helpline. All representations received have been considered in the round and informed the approach we are taking to offering all available support to alleviate the impacts of the recent extreme weather conditions for farmers.<\/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" : "2018-09-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "170410"}
, {"_value" : "170411"}
, {"_value" : "170417"}
, {"_value" : "170418"}
, {"_value" : "170556"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-10T12:18:32.113Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-09-05", "_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, what representations he has received from industry organisations and farmers requesting flexibility in the application of CAP schemes or agri-environment schemes, in light of the dry weather in summer 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4505", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Peter Kyle"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hove"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Peter Kyle"}
], "uin" : "170864"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/967519", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/967519/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
This Government has pledged to continue to commit the same cash total in funds for farm support until the end of this parliament, expected in 2022. We have also confirmed we will pay the 2019 Basic Payment Scheme on the same basis as we do now. All Pillar 2 projects signed by 31 December 2020 will be funded for their lifetime. Any changes made to agricultural funding would reflect the Government\u2019s aim of securing a better future for UK agriculture and for the environment.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4161", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Gardiner of Kimble"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-18T11:37:49.743Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-09-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Agriculture: Subsidies"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to maintain the financial support to the agricultural sector following Brexit.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3691", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Roberts of Llandudno"}
], "uin" : "HL10006"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/967860", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/967860/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is fully focussed on getting Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2018 payments issued promptly 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 have not received their BPS 2018 payments by the end of 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" : "2018-09-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-11T11:57:28.19Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-09-04", "_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 to make changes to the Rural Payments Agency as a result of the recent summer dry weather to ensure that support payments are paid in a timely manner.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4616", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rosie Duffield"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Canterbury"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rosie Duffield"}
], "uin" : "170416"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/967861", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/967861/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 grazing livestock due to the shortage of grass, but the full effect 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>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Particular measures the Government has taken to help farmers are:<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
- We have clarified that English farmers, unlike farmers in other EU countries where derogations have been sought, have been able to use fallow land for grazing since 1 July. That is because our legislation reflects what we consider to be the minimum EU requirement.<\/li><\/ul>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
- We were the first Member State to raise a concern with the Commission to establish Ecological Focus Area (EFA) catch crops by 20 August: Other Member States agreed with us and the Commission agreed that \u201cforce majeure\u201d would apply in these circumstances, so we could waive penalties for farmers in this situation.<\/li><\/ul>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
- We are seeking a derogation from the requirement to sow only certain seed types which are unpalatable to livestock in EFA areas as catch crop. The derogation we expect to secure shortly will allow for grass and herbaceous forage to be grown in those areas, and for those areas to be grazed.<\/li><\/ul>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
- On Countryside Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship and forestry legacy agreements farmers are able to ask Natural England to agree a temporary variation to the agreement conditions, either as an Environmental Stewardship Derogation (to date, over 130 have been granted) or a Countryside Stewardship Minor and Temporary Adjustment (over 30 have so far been granted). We will allow farmers to derogate temporarily from specific prescriptions to provide bedding, fodder and grazing for livestock without materially affecting the environmental benefits of their agreement.<\/li><\/ul>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
I will monitor whether the fodder import scheme that has been introduced in Ireland has an appreciable effect on supplies of fodder and bedding within the UK. We have also made the point to the European Commission that whilst the UK is committed to working to identify appropriate responses to this year\u2019s weather impacts, these should not interfere with the normal functioning of the market or obscure the focus of farmers in mitigating weather impacts.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>
Opportunities such as the ones described above were discussed with a wide range of stakeholders at the National Farmers\u2019 Union \u201cDry Weather Summit\u201d on 1 August 2018 and we have received some further representations in writing from farming industry organisations. Further discussions took place at the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) Industry Partnership Group meeting in Reading on 20 August 2018. Additionally, a small number of individual farmers have made representations through the RPA\u2019s Helpline. All representations received have been considered in the round and informed the approach we are taking to offering all available support to alleviate the impacts of the recent extreme weather conditions for farmers.<\/p>
<\/p>"}
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