§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Prime Minister if she will set out the responsibility for forestry of each of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Secretary of State for Wales, Secretary of State for Scotland and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; and when the respective responsibilities were last changed.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Secretary of State for Wales and the Secretary of State for Scotland have individual territorial responsibility for forestry matters in England, Wales and Scotland respectively. They act jointly on forestry policy questions affecting Great Britain as a whole, with the Secretary of State for Scotland taking the lead. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has responsibility for all forestry questions in Northern Ireland.
These arrangements are of long standing and were last changed in 1979 when the Secretary of State for Scotland assumed lead responsibility for policy questions in Great Britain.