My Lords, we already know that our economy will be under pressure in the coming years from the effects and costs of coronavirus and the drop in GDP expected by almost all economists after Brexit, whatever form Brexit takes. The Bill does not spell out exactly how levels of funding will be sustained. As my noble friend Lord Greaves said at the beginning of our consideration of this Report stage, the Bill is permissive, allowing the Government to take action—which does not mean they will take action.
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In such circumstances, with scarce resources, it is vital that any financial assistance is properly directed. We have already heard much today about the fragility of this sector: of few young farmers, the difficulty of breaking into farming and securing tenancies, and the costs of stocking farms and purchasing machinery, and all this against a background of uncertainty in our relationship with our nearest market. Yet we have also heard how important the sector is, not only to our food security but to our environment and our well-being.
The noble Earl, Lord Devon, outlined the special challenges that farming has faced and so often faces. He is surely right that the Agriculture Bill should focus specifically on agriculture, underpinning a farming model in the United Kingdom that is sustainable and productive and plays an active part in delivering food production and public goods, which include those that the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, mentioned. There is indeed a risk that financial assistance will be provided for schemes and beneficiaries that have little or no connection with farming or farmland, diminishing the opportunity to support sustainable food production with the limited resources likely to be made available under the Bill in future.
The noble Baroness, Lady McIntosh, rightly emphasises the importance of tenants. I share the view of the noble Lord, Lord Rooker: I could not see that the amendment from the noble Earl, Lord Devon, excluded tenants. No doubt he will elucidate that shortly.
I take the point from the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Old Scone, about wider environmental concerns, but as my noble friend Lord Addington put it, farmers are so often the delivery system.
We also know that clever schemes are set up to take advantage of any funds available. I certainly remember them from before the Common Market and we see in other areas the way in which Philip Green, for example, has drawn on furlough resources, and yet is eyeing up a new yacht.
Like the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, I think these amendments are extremely important. The Minister may say they are flawed, but I trust he will not, because what is vital here is the essence of these two amendments. He will know that if these amendments are passed—we will support them if moved—this is where the government lawyers kick in, iron out any problems and address with the movers an acceptable and more targeted plan for making sure that we support this vital sector for the United Kingdom. He is a very experienced Minister, so I am sure he will understand what I am saying. I therefore look forward to what the Minister says and, after that, to what the movers of the amendments wish to do.