To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason farmers in the (a) Entry Level and (b) Higher Level Stewardship Scheme are excluded from bridging payments in Countryside Stewardship applications.
Answered on
28 June 2018
The systems and processes for Environmental Stewardship (ES) and Countryside Stewardship are different and bridging payments would add complexity to the administration of ES claims. The quickest and safest way to get as many payments to the remaining customers who are waiting for ES advances is to continue to make those payments through the normal processes. Natural England has now paid over 82% of customers who are due their 2017 advance payments and has brought in more staff to help pay the remainder as soon as possible.