§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who in his Department has been appointed to oversee and develop green issues; how many civil servants have been allocated new or additional responsibilities to deal with the management and development of green issues; and what additional allocation of resources has been made to support programmes related to green issues in his Department.
§ Mr. CurryMy right hon. Friend the Minister has taken personal responsibility for the development of environmental policies and for the follow-up to the White Paper "This Common Inheritance" (Cmd 1200) by the Ministry. I expect officials throughout the Department to take account of environmental considerations in discharging their duties. We have a duty under the Agriculture Act 1986 to balance the interests of agriculture with other interests in rural areas and the Government's commitment set out in chapter 7 of "This Common Inheritance" to seek a closer integration of agriculture and environmental policies. In 1991–92, expenditure on specific schemes designed to protect and enhance the countryside in England is expected to be of the order of £40 million. I have responsibilities for the conservation of living marine resources and protection of the marine environment.