Written questions by Dewhirst.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to support the development of fish processing facilities in coastal communities.

This Government supports the fishing industry and recognises their key role in food supply. As part of this support, Defra has reopened the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme on 9 June 2025, allocating around £6 million to create a sustainable and resilient seafood sector. In addition to this, the £360 million Fisheries and Coastal Growth Fund will support the next generation of fishermen and breathe new life into our coastal communities.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he list the (a) tax reliefs and (b) grant schemes to support fishing vessel upgrades to adapt to changing (i) economic and (ii) environmental conditions.

Alongside existing tax reliefs, we are committed to supporting fishers through targeted financial schemes that enable vessel modernisation and adaptation. Available reliefs include Annual Investment Allowance (AIA), Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA), Fuel Duty Relief, and Capital Allowances on plant and machinery. To further support the industry, Defra reopened the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme on 9 June 2025, allocating around £6 million to create a sustainable and resilient seafood sector. Additionally, the £360 million Fisheries and Coastal Growth Fund will secure our fishing industry for decades to come and support our coastal communities and make it fit for the 21st century.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing compensation schemes for fishers affected by environmental designations.

In a written statement released in January 2025 by Minister Hardy, it was recognised that the accelerating development of marine activities, including environmental protection and restoration measures such as the designation of new Marine Protected Areas, is increasing marine spatial tensions. The Government will ensure that the fishing industry is supported to adapt to increased pressure on space, and we will work with the industry to maintain its viability into the future. We are looking at how to best support fishers and will work closely with them as part of this work.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has contributed to modelling on inheritance tax revenue expected to be raised by proposed reforms to (a) Agricultural Property Relief and (b) Business Property Relief.

HMT undertakes its own modelling on revenues raised by tax changes. See page 118 here Autumn Budget 2024 – HC 295. The expected revenue from changes to APR and BPR were based on HMRC data. This was independently assessed by the OBR. See page 58 here Economic and fiscal outlook – CP 1169.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of a clawback mechanism as an alternative to the proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief.

This is a decision for His Majesty’s Treasury.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 35636 on Agriculture and Business: Inheritance Tax, whether his Department has requested sight of the Treasury’s modelling that concludes a clawback mechanism would raise significantly less revenue than the proposed reforms to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided on 4 March 2025 to PQ 32918.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) ensure that fishing corridors are maintained and (b) minimise the potential impact of offshore wind developments on fishing grounds.

Defra established the cross-Government Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme to build our understanding of how we can best manage the demands on the English marine environment, including fisheries. Through our work on co-location we are also looking at ways for different industries such as offshore wind and fishing to co-exist and benefit from our marine space.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) Marine Protected Areas and (b) offshore wind development on (i) fishing grounds and (ii) fishermen.

Defra established the cross-Government Marine Spatial Prioritisation programme to build our understanding of how we can best manage the demands on the English marine environment. Through our work on co-location we are also looking at ways for different industries such as offshore wind and fishing to co-exist and benefit from our marine space. When designating Marine Protected Areas, fisheries regulators make detailed assessments of the impact of all fishing activities on the protected species and habitats in our MPAs and develop byelaws to restrict fishing when it has been assessed as damaging. Any proposed byelaws are consulted on, including with the fishing industry. These site-by-site assessments help to ensure fishing is not unduly restricted.

Food and Rural Affairs, what changes have been made to the style guide for answering written Parliamentary Questions since July 2024; and if he will publish that style guide.

As is normal, changes are made to take into account individual ministerial preferences. Defra continues to follow the guidance set out by the Cabinet Office on GOV.UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the Terms of Reference for the appointment of Baroness Batters to lead a Farm Profitability Review.

The Terms of Reference for Baroness Minette Batters’ review of farm profitability were published on 7 April 2025 - Farming Profitability Review: terms of reference - GOV.UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to open funding via the Animal Health and Welfare Infrastructure Grant under the Animal Productivity Pathway for capital investments to improve on-farm productivity in spring 2025.

Farmers are already receiving support through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway to undertake large infrastructure projects. The Rural Payments Agency recently invited eligible applicants to the Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant forward to the next stage of the application process, with other farmers accessing funding through the Calf Housing for Health and Welfare Grant. Both grants will support our farmers to continually improve the health, welfare and productivity of their livestock. We are currently working to simplify and rationalise our grant funding, ensuring that grants are targeted towards those who need them most and where they can deliver the most benefit for food security and nature. We will confirm future grant rounds in due course. Eligible keepers of cattle, pigs and sheep can currently access funded vet visits as part of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. This provides an opportunity for farmers to improve the health, welfare and productivity of their animals through access to bespoke veterinary advice and testing for key endemics diseases.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the public appointment advertisement for Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, published on 19 December 2024, for what reasons equality, diversity and inclusion are listed as a desirable criteria for this position.

Equality, diversity and inclusion are a priority for this Government, as they were under the last. Defra wants Kew’s Board to continue to have skills in those areas, in order for Kew to effectively implement their ten-year Manifesto for Change, which was launched in 2021. For example, one aim of the ten-year plan is to increase the number of visitors to Kew from under-represented communities whilst another is to train the next generation of plant experts, attracting a wide range of people to a career working in and with nature.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 18221 on Supreme Court: Judgments, whether he plans to change his Department's workforce policies.

While legal proceedings remain ongoing, and there will be a need to assess the position on an ongoing basis, there is currently no intention to change the Defra policy on the provision of the check-off facility.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many farm visits he has made since his appointment; and where those farms were located.

Since the Secretary of State’s appointment, he has visited: the Great Yorkshire Agriculture Show on 10 July 2024a farm in Essex on 25 September 2024a farm in Oxford on 8 January 2025a farm in Gloucestershire on 7 March 2025a farm in Herefordshire on 7 March 2025. As well as visiting 3 farms, he has spoken at 3 farming conferences, and has had 5 meetings with the NFU, 3 with the CLA and, 7 with other organisations and farming representatives.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department had with farmers before freezing the capital grant scheme.

The Capital Grants scheme has been closed to new agreements following unprecedented demand this Autumn, which would use all the available funding. We are forecast to spend more on capital grants this year than ever before. This is only possible because we allocated the largest ever budget for sustainable food production through the farming budget. In the first week of December, we paid £343 million into the rural economy, benefiting more than 31,000 farmers. We currently are reviewing the Capital Grants offer to ensure funding goes further to improve outcomes for food security and nature conservation and will provide an update in early 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support people affected by changes made to (a) agricultural property relief, (b) Business Property Relief and (c) capital grants at the Autumn Budget 2024 in rural communities.

From 6 April 2026, 0% inheritance tax will be due on the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property. Above this amount, landowners will access 50% relief from inheritance tax and will pay inheritance tax at a reduced effective rate up to 20%, rather than the standard 40%. This tax can be paid in instalments over 10 years interest free, rather than immediately, as with other types of inheritance tax. This is on top of all the other spousal exemptions and nil-rate bands that people can access for inheritance tax too. This means that two people who share ownership of a piece of farmland, depending on their circumstances, can pass on up to £3 million without paying any inheritance tax. Furthermore, if land is transferred 7 years before death, farmers pay no inheritance tax at all. Data from HMRC and supported by the independent Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR) indicates that around 500 estates a year will be impacted. The majority of those will be able to adapt their businesses. The exact number will depend on a wider range of factors based on their individual circumstances. It is not broken down to specific constituencies. With 73% of claims being for less than £1 million, the majority of estates will be unaffected, and they will be able to pass the family farm down to their children just as previous generations have always done. This is a fair and balanced approach that protects the family farm while also fixing the public services that we all rely on. As an outcome of the recent Spending Review, we have also committed £5 billion in the agricultural budget over the next two years – the biggest ever budget for sustainable food production and nature recovery in this country’s history. This enables us to keep momentum on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector. In the first week of December, we paid £343 million into the rural economy, benefiting more than 31,000 farmers. Any farmer or land manager who received Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments at least up until October 2022 in England is also eligible for support from the Farming Resilience Fund (FRF). The FRF provides free business support (and mental health support, where appropriate) to farmers and land managers in England to help them through agricultural transition. It does this by awarding grants to organisations who help farmers and land managers to understand the changes that are happening, identify how, what and when they may need to adapt their business models, and access tailored support to adapt. The support is offered free of charge to farmers and land managers by organisations known and trusted in the farming community. The support will run until March 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of accelerated changes to delinked payments on farming businesses.

The Government has committed to support farmers through a farming budget of £5 billion over two years, including £2.4 billion in 2025/26. Accelerating the phase out of Direct Payments will allow us to focus more of this funding on Environmental Land Management schemes, which will boost nature and sustainable food production. This will enable farmers to make their businesses more sustainable and resilient, including those who have been often ignored such as small, grassland, upland and tenant farmers. We publish regular statistics on farm income in England and other data related to farm businesses. For example, on 14 November 2024, we published our Farm Business Income statistics (Farm business income - GOV.UK), which looked at how farm business income has changed in 2023/24, including the contribution of Direct Payments and agri-environment payments to farm incomes, including analysis by farm type. Farming evidence packs have been recently updated including key statistics and farm performance (Farming statistics evidence packs - GOV.UK). These set out an extensive range of data to provide an overview of agriculture in the UK, and the contribution of farm payments to farm incomes, including analysis by sector, location in England and type of land tenure. We will continue to carry out appropriate and timely assessments of our interventions to inform policy development.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the delinked basic payment scheme on the profitability of farming businesses.

The Government has committed to support farmers through a farming budget of £5 billion over two years, including £2.4 billion in 2025/26. Accelerating the phase out of Direct Payments will allow us to focus more of this funding on Environmental Land Management schemes, which will boost nature and sustainable food production. This will enable farmers to make their businesses more sustainable and resilient, including those who have been often ignored such as small, grassland, upland and tenant farmers. We publish regular statistics on farm income in England and other data related to farm businesses. For example, on 14 November 2024, we published our Farm Business Income statistics (Farm business income - GOV.UK), which looked at how farm business income has changed in 2023/24, including the contribution of Direct Payments and agri-environment payments to farm incomes, including analysis by farm type. Farming evidence packs have been recently updated including key statistics and farm performance (Farming statistics evidence packs - GOV.UK). These set out an extensive range of data to provide an overview of agriculture in the UK, and the contribution of farm payments to farm incomes, including analysis by sector, location in England and type of land tenure. We will continue to carry out appropriate and timely assessments of our interventions to inform policy development.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the overall (a) capital and (b) running costs are of the Inland Border Facility at Sevington; and what the budget is for that facility.

This is commercially sensitive information and therefore may not be released. We are planning to publish some information regarding operating costs in the near future. The information will be published on GOV.UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of offering a single social tariff for water for customers on a low income.

It is clear consumers are concerned about their bills. We are therefore continuing to work with water industry to explore options to improve affordability arrangements, including holding the sector accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030. The Government is also committed to taking action to address water poverty and help vulnerable customers with their water bills. All water companies have measures in place for customers who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including measures such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support. Water companies should ensure that their customers know what support schemes are available and how to use them if they need help.