The Bishop of Norwich asked a question on the impact of changes to inheritance tax and future policy changes on rural communities during a discussion on the reformed Sustainable Farming Incentive on 11th March 2026:
The Lord Bishop of Norwich: I keep hearing from farmers, particularly from small farms, about the impact of the fiasco of the changes in inheritance tax. Would the Minister give some reassurance that future policy changes will truly be rural-proofed? I declare an interest as this year’s president of the Royal Norfolk Show.
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab, DEFRA): I am beginning to wish I lived in Norfolk so that I could come—it is a long way from Cumbria. I reassure the right reverend Prelate that one of the things we have been working much harder on in Defra, as we develop policies and then manage and oversee them, is working with other departments where there is also an impact. It is really important to have that oversight. The noble Lord was just talking about energy prices, and we work with DESNZ on how best we can approach that. It will be the same for rural-proofing more broadly. It is certainly very much on our agenda.
The Church of England in Parliament 
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