Countryside Stewardship Scheme
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the delays in the processing of applications for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier on the level of environment protection, including in the most sensitive landscapes.
Answered by Stephen Morgan
Since the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) scheme was launched in September 2025, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has offered around 500 agreements.
It was expected that applications submitted in the early stages of the scheme may take longer to process, as these applications support the testing and refinement of the service. The RPA is working to ensure that all agreements are progressed as efficiently as possible.
CSHT features improvements including a rolling application window, monthly agreement start dates and a more straightforward online application process through the Rural Payments service. Currently Defra is making steady progress as it continues the controlled rollout – with the first payments now in farmers’ bank accounts.
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