To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding his Department allocated to the development of agricultural businesses in (a) Essex and (b) Castle Point in each of the last five years. (282152)

Funding allocated by DEFRA for the development of agricultural businesses is not generally recorded at constituency or county level. The following table provides figures covering allocations made to farmers in Essex in each of the last five years under the agri-environment schemes, which form part of the wider Rural Development Programme that provides support to the agricultural sector. These schemes are delivered by Natural England.