Countryside Stewardship Scheme
Commons · Question 117186 · Tabled 2 Mar 2026 · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Official record
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Question
Asked by Ben Maguire
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of payment parity between (a) legacy Higher Level Stewardship agreements, and (b) current Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreements.
Answer
Answered by Dame Angela Eagle, 11 Mar 2026
In February last year, Defra recognised that Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) payment rates had fallen behind the rates offered through other schemes including Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). Defra invested £30 million to increase payment rates ...