Carla Lockhart

Carla Lockhart

Independent — Upper Bann

Speaking in the House of Commons on 27 October 2026

Debate

Domestic Farming and Food Supply

Contribution

Absolutely. That was my next point: 84% of respondents to this survey have reduced, postponed or cancelled investment. That is really stark. More than half identified inheritance tax policy as a barrier to investment. Farmers are holding back on replacing machinery, improving livestock housing and carrying out drainage work. Ministers keep telling farmers to become more productive. How are they supposed to do that if the money needed to invest is being held back to prepare for a future tax bill? I welcome the increase in the combined agricultural and business property relief allowance from the original proposal of £1 million to £2.5 million per person, but I have never accepted that that resolves the problem.

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