Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture, Fisheries and Food – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 22 November 1973.
Mr John Gorst
, Hendon North
12:00,
22 November 1973
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation containing stricter measures to deal with the burning of stubble; and if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT actual or estimated figures showing the cost of damage caused by such fires during the past five years.
Mr James Stodart
, Edinburgh West
I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Huntingdonshire (Sir D. Renton) and the hon. Member for Wandsworth, Central (Mr. Thomas Cox) on 18th October.—[Vol. 861, c. 254–5.] I regret that the information requested in the second part of the Question is not available.
Mr John Gorst
, Hendon North
Will my hon. Friend take account of the fact that the incineration of the countryside and the destruction of hedges and trees is not declining but is increasing year by year and is a hazard not merely to the farming community but also to the environment as a whole?
Mr James Stodart
, Edinburgh West
I take the point. My information is that there have been fewer incidents this year, certainly as regards call-outs of fire brigades, than there were last year. But I attach great seriousness to the point which my hon. Friend has made.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
