Upland farmers and common land

That this House notes with concern that thousands of upland farmers in England face exclusion from future environment schemes due to the absence of a mechanism for common land to apply to the 2026 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT); recognises that around 4,000 farming businesses with common rights may be adversely affected; further notes that limitations within the Rural Payments Service software prevent applications for commons and shared grazing; regrets the withdrawal of the MOR1 moorland survey action that supported the Land Use Framework’s ambition to make land digital; acknowledges the lack of interim or offline solutions and impact on farm business viability; highlights the importance of common land to nature recovery, peatland restoration and flood management; and calls on the Government urgently to deliver a workable system for commons to apply for SFI and CSHT, which will also ensure sustainable food production, equitable access, fair payment and the full inclusion of commoners.