Earlier this month the House of Lords debated the impact of the government’s proposed inheritance tax (IHT) reforms on rural businesses. Baroness Neville-Rolfe questioned: ‘Has the dismay across the countryside at this mistaken policy been reflected in the responses to the very narrow HMRC consultation of 27 February? Will the government think again before the changes take place next April?’

The dispute continues over the impact of the proposed changes to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) will have on working farms and the subsequent consequences for generational farmers, land prices, investment, food security and the environment.