We acknowledge that Defra has announced higher payment rates for the SFI in 2022, but farmers still lack the full details on payment rates across ELM that would enable them to start planning now. We also welcome Defra publishing new information on its payment principles, but the Department itself has acknowledged that it will not always be possible to apply these. Defra must get the payment rates for ELM right if it is to secure the levels of uptake needed to achieve its environmental ambitions. Defra should explain in its response to this Report how it will set payment rates for the full SFI in 2024, and the other ELM components, to ensure that participating in these schemes is an attractive option for farmers as BPS is withdrawn. This should include assessing levels of participation in SFI 2022, and whether this suggests that higher payment rates will be needed in future to ensure the necessary uptake. (Paragraph 80) Advice and regulation