The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 9th November 2022:
The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the economic challenges facing vegetable growers in the Lee Valley due to increasing energy prices.
Lord Benyon (Con): We are aware of the impact increasing energy prices are having on greenhouse growers and other farming sectors and we continue to keep the situation under review.
In October this year we wrote to a sample of industry representatives to request information to inform future policies to support greenhouse crop production. We are pleased to have received an informative response from Lea Valley Growers Association.
While no Government can control the global factors pushing up the cost of energy, we will continue to support our farmers and growers through these difficult times. Our Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide a welcome price reduction to ensure that all eligible businesses, including farming businesses, are protected from excessively high energy bills over the coming winter period. HM Government is engaging with businesses and trade associations to understand more about how effective the scheme is and which groups are most in need of further support after the six months. In the longer-term, we will be supporting businesses to improve their energy efficiency by at least 20% by 2030.
The Lord Bishop of St Albans: The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what additional support they will give to vegetable growers in the Lee Valley, following reports that more than 10 per cent of them have gone out of business in the past year.
Lord Benyon (Con): An innovative, productive, and competitive agricultural sector is one of HM Government’s key priorities, and we recognise the role greenhouse crop production, such as that carried out by the vegetable growers in the Lee Valley, has in ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of fresh produce.
We are aware of the challenges facing greenhouse growers and other farming sectors as a result of the increase in the cost of a range of inputs, including high energy prices, and the impact this is having on producers.
Our plan to support the horticulture sector was outlined in the Government Food Strategy, launched on 13th June, which announced the development of a new Horticulture Strategy for England which aims to increase domestic production through the adoption of a range of growing models.
We are also looking at a potential future offer for the Producer Organisation Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme. We are currently exploring the best way to support the sector once the Scheme ends in 2025.
While no Government can control the global factors pushing up the cost of energy, we will continue to support our farmers and growers through these difficult times. Our Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide a price reduction to ensure that all eligible businesses, including farming businesses, are protected from excessively high energy bills over the coming winter period. We will also be supporting businesses to improve their energy efficiency by at least 20% by 2030.
The Church of England in Parliament 
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