§ Mrs. FitzsimonsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the bilateral Concordat between his Department and the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales will come into force; and if he will make a statement.[134504]
§ Mr. Nick BrownI am pleased to say that letters formalising the bilateral concordat between this Department and the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales were exchanged on 17 October 2000. The Concordat, which is an agreement on the working relationship between the National Assembly for Wales Agriculture Department (NAWAD) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, establishes for all matters relating to the Welsh Assembly's responsibilities for agriculture, fisheries and food, an agreed framework for co-operation between the Administrations.
I look forward to continuing the close and constructive relationship that my Department has developed with NAWAD following the introduction of devolution on 1 July 1999.
Copies have been lodged in the Library of the House and the document is on the Internet at http://www.maff.gov.uk/aboutmaf/devolve/devolve.htm. The Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales is placing copies in the Library of the Welsh Assembly.