§ Mr. Peter Bottomleyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list his Department's responsibilities relating to children and the statutes from which these arise showing which branch or division within his Department and which Minister deals with each of these responsibilities; who is responsible for co-ordinating the various responsibilities relating to children within his Department; and who is responsible for coordinating his responsibilities for children with those of other Departments.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerUnder the Agricultural Wages Act 1948, my Department is responsible for enforcing in England the minimum rates of wages fixed by the Agricultural Wages Board: these include rates for juveniles employed in agriculture. The headquarters division concerned is agricultural training, wages and plant health division.
In making regulations under the Food and Drugs Act 1955 relating to the safety, composition and labelling of food, careful attention is paid to the special needs of children. I share responsibility in England and Wales with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Social
United Kingdom West Germany France Italy Netherlands Belgium/Luxembourg Irish Republic Denmark 1969 … 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 1970 … 107 103 104 101 112 106 100 93 1971 … 108 105 108 101 114 112 112 99 1972 … 111 102 108 96 111 107 107 94 1973 … 113 104 116 103 116 113 104 96 1974 … 119 108 118 107 126 120 123 107 1975 … 113 105 112 108 132 111 144 97 1976 … 111 104 111 106 129 103 132 97 1977 … 120 107 112 107 135 114 149 105 1978 … 122 114 121 108 145 118 146 109 Notes: (i) Index numbers based on 1969 = 100. (ii) The source of the above information is the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report annual production figures as a percentage of gross national product for the agriculture industry since 1 January 1969 compared
410WServices and the Secretary of State for Wales. Food standards division and food additives and contaminants division deal with these matters in my Department.
Subject to my overall responsibility, my noble Friend the Minister of State is responsible for the first area of work and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the second. Co-ordination with other Departments rests with the divisions concerned.