§ Mr. Anthony Grantasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out in the Official Report the precise responsibilities of the Ministers in his Department.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerI have overall responsibility for the policy and functions of the Ministry. The division of responsibility between the other Ministers in my Department is as follows:
My hon. Friend the Member for North Angus and Mearns (Mr. Buchanan-Smith) 39W the Minister of State has responsibility for agricultural support policy and the EEC, including matters connected with the annual review and EEC price fixing; fisheries policy; marketing policy; and the following commodities—cereals, meat, milk, potatoes and sugar.
My noble Friend, Earl Ferrers, the Minister of State, has responsibility for agricultural resources policy, which includes agriculture in the national economy; agricultural finance and taxation; the supply of fertilisers; energy and other inputs; horticulture; animal health and welfare; advisory policy; regional administration; agricultural labour matters; environmental pollution, pesticides and infestation policy; plant health; and seeds.
My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary has responsibility for food policy and food standards; agricultural land and forestry matters, including land use, tenure, improvement and drainage; research and development; emergency services; relations with all overseas countries and international organisations—except community member States; economics and statistics; and [...]opical foods.