Member

Turning specifically to these amendments, we are unequivocally supportive of our tenant farmers. The amendments seek to introduce fair and reasonable compensation for farmers where their land is removed from their tenancy agreements for development purposes. As my noble friend rightly points out, there is currently no statutory provision for compensation under the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995, which leaves tenant farmers in need of stronger protection when their tenancies are changed for development. Her Amendment 253A seeks to revise compensation payable to farm tenants under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 to ensure the compensation is equivalent to their actual loss—she made that point clearly. Amendment 253B seeks to ensure that any person whose property is compulsorily purchased is compensated for any disturbance to a business they run from that property.