Under the system brought in by the Conservatives, England is the only country in Europe where farm payments don't actively support farmers to produce food.

England has gone furthest in Europe in moving from area/production-based direct payments to 'public money for public goods' under ELMS, so the underlying point has substance. But 'the only country' overstates it: Wales is also phasing out direct payments, while Scotland and Northern Ireland retain them. The characterisation is broadly directionally right but not literally accurate.

▸ House of Commons Library — Farm funding: implementing new approaches (CBP-9431)

Checked Wed 1 Jul, 09:53 · Broadcast: PMQs: Prime Minister's Questions - 29 April 2026

Method note. Verdicts are anchored to the data of the sources cited next to each check, never a judgement on people. When the evidence is not enough, the result is “Unverifiable”; no claim is marked as unconfirmed without a primary source cited. The summary of the fact-checking method is public, and re-examined results go into the corrections log. How we work →

This verdict is digitally signed (Ed25519): anyone can verify its integrity offline with the signature proof →

Verdicts produced by an automated system, with the source cited and a digital signature; re-examined results go into the corrections log.

More fact-checks of “PMQs: Prime Minister's Questions - 29 April 2026”

Imprecise · At the Spring Statement, the Chancellor was very proud to say inflation was down to 3% and falling.

True · Experts are warning that food prices will rise by 10% this year as farmers' costs soar.

True · Today I can announce a significant new investment by AstraZeneca investing 300 million pounds in UK life sciences ......

True · Waiting list lowest for 3 years. That didn't happen for 14 years. ... Fastest ambulance response in half a decade.

All fact-checks of this broadcast → · Verified archive →