To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail any plans he has to create countryside management schemes, such as those for the planting of hedgerows on farmland, with a view to offsetting carbon emissions.

My officials are working with farmers and land managers, agricultural industry representatives and environmental stakeholders to co-design a future agri-environment scheme. The scheme will help farmers to deliver a range of environmental outcomes, including improvements in water and air quality, biodiversity and reductions in carbon emissions. The range of measures under consideration includes the planting of hedgerows on farmland as one of the means of offsetting carbon emissions.

The Environmental Farming Scheme currently supports over 5,000 farms via carbon friendly practices including maintaining and establishing native woodland, enhancement of existing / planting of new hedgerows, agro-forestry and peatland restoration.