VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Sustainable Farming Incentive

Asked by James CartlidgeConservativeDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 5 September 2025UIN 70803

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason his Department selected 12 January 2025 as the deadline for the started but not submitted applicant group for the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner

When farmers started an application and saved without submitting, they were shown a message that said "Your application will be available for 2 months for you to continue. If you have not submitted your application by then, we will delete it". This is why applicants who started an application before 12 January 2025 were not eligible for the reopened SFI as they had exceeded that 2 months.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim