§ Lord Marlesfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Who made the decision that no one from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs should attend the 2001 Annual Crops Conference held at Linton; and why the decision not to attend was made. [HL2173]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)Crops magazine, which was the organiser of the conference, originally invited my right honourable friend the Secretary of State to give a keynote speech. Diary commitments did not permit her or any other member of the Defra ministerial team to do so.