asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why the proposed upland entry level scheme due to replace the hill farm allowance requires a five-year commitment from tenant farmers renting land on an annual basis; and what area of the countryside will, thereby, receive no environmental upkeep. [HL6074]

All UK agri-environment schemes (including the proposed uplands strand of the entry level environmental stewardship scheme, or upland ELS) are part-funded by the European Union, and it is an EU requirement that commitments under these schemes last a minimum of five years. This is the minimum period necessary to achieve the environmental benefits being paid for. In order to comply with that requirement, it is necessary to obtain the agreement of the landowner (or the next tenant if his rights to the land are defined) where the tenant does not have rights for the full term of the agri-environment agreement.

Farmers with tenancies of less than five years at the time of application will be able to apply for upland ELS provided the landowner countersigns the application and agrees to continue the funded management should the tenant/grazier not be able to do so. The same rule applies to all the other strands of environmental stewardship which have been in place since 2005.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have considered designing a legally binding agreement allowing tenant farmers access to the proposed upland entry level scheme on the basis that annual renewal of rent for the land in question will denote continuing in the scheme for the full five-year term. [HL6075]

Tenant farmers will be able to access the proposed uplands strand of entry level environmental stewardship, or upland ELS. Farmers with tenancies of less than five years at the time of application will be able to apply for upland ELS provided the landowner countersigns the application, and agrees to continue the funded management should the tenant/grazier not be able to do so. This is to ensure the required land management is carried out for the five-year duration of the agreement. It is an EU requirement that commitments under all agri-environment schemes last a minimum of five years.