questionText: 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.
answerText: 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...
heading: Countryside Stewardship Scheme