THE PLANT VARIETY RIGHTS OFFICE (Hansard, 26 November 1997)

§ Mr. Rooker

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said amendment.

The Bill provides for the pay and allowances of staff of the Plant Variety Rights Office to be determined by Agriculture Ministers jointly—my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and my hon. Friends in the territorial Departments. The amendment provides for the Act to be subject to the consent of the Minister with responsibility for the civil service, which is appropriate.

As this is probably the last time I shall speak in the debate, I thank hon. Members for their courtesy and support over the summer. This is the first Bill that I have taken through the House, although not having had a Committee stage upstairs, I freely admit that I have not been truly blooded as a Minister.

I sincerely thank the hon. Member for South-East Cambridgeshire (Mr. Paice). Between the appointment of his new Front-Bench team in June and the debate on Lords amendments, there has been a change to the team, but not one that involves him. I am grateful for what he has said.