Farming and food

What positions have MPs and peers taken on farming and food production over the past twelve months?

A briefing written by AI (Claude) from the Hansard records cited below, prepared 26 October 2026 from records up to 23 October 2026. Check the sources before relying on it.

In brief

• Government ministers said the Land Use Framework commits them to food production, as when Baroness Hayman of Ullock told the Lords it makes "a clear long-term commitment to maintain overall food production in England by increasing farm profitability and productivity" [Source 2].
• Conservative members criticised the framework and farm policy, as when Lord Fuller said of the framework that "It is going to be a disaster for farming and terrible for food security" [Source 21].
• Liberal Democrats pressed for more funding and a food security strategy, as when Tim Farron said the Liberal Democrats would add "£1 billion-worth of investment" to ELM schemes and reverse the family farm tax [Source 10].
• Labour backbenchers backed food security but wanted limits on land loss, as when Terry Jermy said "We simply cannot improve energy security but accept worsening food security." [Source 16]

Ministers – supportive

Ministers presented current policy as protecting production, as when Jenny Riddell-Carpenter told the Commons that "we will maintain domestic food production at least at current levels" [Source 5].

• Baroness Hayman said sector plans will start with horticulture and poultry [Source 2].
• Riddell-Carpenter cited "a record £11.8 billion" [Source 5] for sustainable farming and food production, and said the "first come, first served" SFI application will be scrapped [Source 5].

Conservatives – critical

Conservatives argued that policy was reducing production, as when Charlie Dewhirst asked "how are our farmers expected to increase food production if we are taking 9% of agricultural land out of productive use?" [Source 8]

• Baroness McIntosh of Pickering called the framework "a wasted opportunity" [Source 13], with livestock "losing out to greenery and rewilding" [Source 13].
• Lord Blencathra said "If we continue to burden our farmers with higher costs and lower competitiveness, we do not save the planet; we merely outsource production elsewhere." [Source 9]
• Robbie Moore, in November 2025, said "food security is national security" are "only warm words" without policymaking across Departments [Source 7].

Liberal Democrats – critical, funding-focused

Liberal Democrats blamed tax and scheme changes, as when Sarah Dyke, who has raised the subject repeatedly, said NFU research shows 75% of commercial family farms will exceed the £1 million threshold [Source 6].

• Farron said the delay in publishing the land use framework "is actively undermining food security" [Source 10].
• Roz Savage said some Government actions suggest it sees land "as a zero-sum game" [Source 22].

Labour backbenchers – supportive with concerns

Josh Newbury said "we cannot afford to see food production as a sideshow" [Source 11].

• Chris Hinchliff proposed "new contracts for food security based on the contracts for difference mechanism" [Source 12].
• Jayne Kirkham said the Government "can now focus on farm profitability" [Source 20].

Crossbench and Labour peers

Lord Smith of Ranmoor (Labour) said "We should reject the false choice between food production and environmental protection" [Source 17]. Lord Trees (Crossbench) said the 9% land removal proposal is "concerning" [Source 14].

Devolved parliaments

These parliaments decide many farming matters for their own nations.

• Northern Ireland Assembly: Keith Buchanan (DUP) said "This is not just a transition; it is a direct attack on food security." [Source 27]
• Senedd: James Evans (Independent) asked whether to "reprioritise the sustainable farming scheme to prioritise food production" [Source 26].
• Scottish Parliament: Stephen Kerr (Conservative) said "We need to have a far more serious and secure strategy for domestic food production than we currently have." [Source 25]

Committee witnesses

Emma Reynolds, Defra Secretary of State, told the EFRA Committee "food production is the primary purpose of farming, but it has to go hand in hand with healthier soils" [Source 31]. Martin Lines of the Nature Friendly Farming Network told the Environmental Audit Committee "having a little bit of area for nature is not competing with food; it is complementing it" [Source 30].

About the evidence: The records cover 18 November 2025 to 15 October 2026, with debate clustered in a few sittings and each group resting on a handful of speakers. No division records for Westminster are included. Committee evidence is from named witnesses, not the committees' views.

Sources

1. Stephen Morgan (Labour; MP for Portsmouth South, city seat (South Hampshire urban area, 856,000 people), South East; role on this date: The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) — Written answer, Commons written answers — 26 June 2026 — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs — Food: Production
2. Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) — House of Lords — 17 September 2026 — col. 1273 — Climate Change: Food Supply Resilience - Question
3. Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) — House of Lords — 21 July 2026 — col. 1016 — Farming and Food Production: Land Use Framework - Question
4. Lord Roborough (Conservative; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)) — House of Lords — 21 July 2026 — col. 1017 — Farming and Food Production: Land Use Framework - Question
5. Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour; MP for Suffolk Coastal, town seat (urban area of 29,000), East of England; role on this date: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) — House of Commons — 21 October 2026 — col. 1195 — Support for Farmers
6. Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat; MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, rural seat, South West; role on this date: Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Rural Affairs)) — has raised this subject repeatedly (on several separate days) — Westminster Hall — 18 November 2025 — col. 272 — Land Use Change: Food Security — [DR Andrew Murrison in the Chair]
7. Robbie Moore (Conservative; MP for Keighley and Ilkley, city seat (West Yorkshire urban area, 1.8m people), Yorkshire and The Humber; role on this date: Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)) — Westminster Hall — 18 November 2025 — col. 284 — Land Use Change: Food Security — [DR Andrew Murrison in the Chair]
8. Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative; MP for Bridlington and The Wolds, town seat (urban area of 35,000), Yorkshire and The Humber; role on this date: backbencher) — House of Commons — 24 June 2026 — col. 379 — Farming Road Map and Profitability Review
9. Lord Blencathra (Conservative; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero); Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)) — House of Lords — 15 October 2026 — col. 439 — Food Security - Motion to Take Note
10. Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat; MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, rural seat, North West; role on this date: Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)) — Westminster Hall — 18 November 2025 — col. 280 — Land Use Change: Food Security — [DR Andrew Murrison in the Chair]
11. Josh Newbury (Labour; MP for Cannock Chase, town seat (urban area of 86,000), West Midlands; role on this date: backbencher) — Westminster Hall — 18 November 2025 — col. 277 — Land Use Change: Food Security — [DR Andrew Murrison in the Chair]
12. Chris Hinchliff (Labour; MP for North East Hertfordshire, town seat (urban area of 44,000), East of England; role on this date: backbencher) — Westminster Hall — 18 November 2025 — col. 274 — Land Use Change: Food Security — [DR Andrew Murrison in the Chair]
13. Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: backbencher) — House of Lords — 21 July 2026 — col. 1016 — Farming and Food Production: Land Use Framework - Question
14. Lord Trees (Crossbench; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: backbencher) — House of Lords — 15 October 2026 — col. 430 — Food Security - Motion to Take Note
15. Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: backbencher) — House of Lords — 21 July 2026 — col. 1015 — Farming and Food Production: Land Use Framework - Question
16. Terry Jermy (Labour; MP for South West Norfolk, rural seat, East of England; role on this date: backbencher) — Westminster Hall — 18 November 2025 — col. 271 — Land Use Change: Food Security — [DR Andrew Murrison in the Chair]
17. Lord Smith of Ranmoor (Labour; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: backbencher) — House of Lords — 15 October 2026 — col. 415 — Food Security - Motion to Take Note
18. Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat; MP for South Cotswolds, rural seat, South West; role on this date: backbencher) — Westminster Hall — 18 November 2025 — col. 276 — Land Use Change: Food Security — [DR Andrew Murrison in the Chair]
19. Tan Dhesi (Labour; MP for Slough, town seat (urban area of 164,000), South East; role on this date: Chair, Defence Committee) — House of Commons — 18 December 2025 — col. 1040 — Environment, Food and Rural Affairs — Farming Profitability
20. Jayne Kirkham (Labour/Co-operative; MP for Truro and Falmouth, town seat (urban area of 32,000), South West; role on this date: backbencher) — House of Commons — 7 January 2026 — col. 358 — Rural Communities
21. Lord Fuller (Conservative; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: backbencher) — has raised this subject repeatedly (on several separate days) — House of Lords — 27 April 2026 — col. 1010 — Agriculture (Delinked Payments) (Reductions) (England) Regulations 2026 - Motion to Approve — Amendment to the Motion
22. Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat; MP for South Cotswolds, rural seat, South West; role on this date: backbencher) — Westminster Hall — 18 November 2025 — col. 275 — Land Use Change: Food Security — [DR Andrew Murrison in the Chair]
23. Stuart Anderson (Conservative; MP for South Shropshire, rural seat, West Midlands; role on this date: backbencher) — Westminster Hall — 24 June 2026 — col. 197 — Farming: Financial Sustainability
24. Callum Anderson (Labour; MP for Buckingham and Bletchley, city seat (Milton Keynes urban area, 230,000 people), South East; role on this date: backbencher) — Written question, Commons written answers — 25 March 2026 — UIN 122437 — Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs — Land Use
25. Stephen Kerr (Conservative, Mid Scotland and Fife) — Scottish Parliament — 3 September 2026 — Hyperscale AI Data Centres
26. James Evans (Independent, Brecon and Radnorshire) — Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) — 11 March 2026 — 2. Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs — The Agricultural Sector in Brecon and Radnorshire
27. Keith Buchanan (DUP, Mid Ulster) — Northern Ireland Assembly — 1 December 2025 — Private Members' Business — Food Security
28. Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin, Belfast North) — Northern Ireland Assembly — 1 December 2025 — Private Members' Business — Food Security
29. Áine Murphy (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone) — Northern Ireland Assembly — 20 April 2026 — Private Members' Business — Energy, Food and Environmental Security: Biomethane
30. Martin Lines (Chief Executive Officer, Nature Friendly Farming Network) — Oral evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee — 21 January 2026 — Revised Environmental Improvement Plan
31. Rt Hon Emma Reynolds MP (Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) — Oral evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee — 7 July 2026 — Work of the Department and its arm’s-length bodies
32. John Patrick (Group Manager, East Suffolk Water Abstractors Group) — Oral evidence to the Environment and Climate Change Committee — 7 January 2026 — Drought Preparedness
33. Dave Philips (Deputy Director of International Projects, Samaritan’s Purse) — Oral evidence to the International Development Committee — 24 February 2026 — The situation in Sudan
34. Dame Angela Eagle MP (Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, DEFRA) — Oral evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee — 16 December 2025 — The future of farming