Written questions

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Commons · Question 117183 · Tabled 2 Mar 2026 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Official record

Answered 10 Mar 2026

Question

Asked by Ben Maguire

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether underspend in the current financial year’s Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier budget will be (a) protected, and (b) carried forward into next year’s allocation.

Answer

Answered by Dame Angela Eagle, 10 Mar 2026

Defra expects to increase both the numbers of farmers and land managers coming into the scheme and related spend on the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme over the course of the coming year. The scale of ambition for the number of agreements in th...