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Written question asked by Sam Rushworth (Labour) on Monday, 18 May 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. It was answered by Angela Eagle (Labour) on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.


Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average waiting time is for applicants between between being invited to apply online by the Rural Payments Agency to secure a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement and securing a signed agreement.

Answer

The scheme is in an early stage “private beta” rollout where delivery times would be expected to be longer than normal. So far, the average time from invitation to apply to the Rural Payments Agency offering an agreement to the customer is around 90 daysfor what are 10-year agreements.

The length of time taken to reach agreement includes customer action and can vary considerably depending on a number of factors, including the complexity, specialist advice, site assessment, and time taken to agree management options.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
2366
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Countryside stewardship scheme
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk