T4. Mr Donnelly asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of the recent Climate Change Committee (CCC) advice on the benefits of renewable electricity. (AQT 1174/22-27)

The Climate Change Committee has issued advice on our fourth carbon budget and, most recently, on the UK-wide road to net zero. One of the key elements of that advice is on the benefits of decarbonisation of our energy systems, particularly electricity. There is a cost to doing that, but there are significant long-term benefits, including lifting people out of fuel poverty; reducing the cost of energy for not just households but businesses; and removing the ongoing uncertainty about the risks of energy insecurity, thereby allowing us to have a bit more security of supply. That is why we should follow the road to net zero. That is why the rest of the world is doing it and why we in Northern Ireland should take cognisance of the CCC's advice on the issue.

Thanks to the Minister for that answer. Further to that advice from the CCC, how is his Department supporting low-carbon farming?

That is obviously a theme in Question Time today. I am delighted to see that interest in Farming with Nature, environmental farming schemes and the support that we can give. My Department will launch the Farming with Nature transition scheme very soon, which will continue the roll-out of the package. As Minister, I want to be able to scale up our support for Farming with Nature. I am keen to do that. Whilst England may take its own decisions, we in Northern Ireland are clear that we want to support farmers to have Farming with Nature as an enterprise on the farm. We are really keen to roll that out. We need to do that with pace. We have lost a bit of pace as a result of the collapse of these institutions. I am very determined to do it, and we will do it through a process of co-design.