Oral Answers to Questions — Wales – in the House of Commons at 11:30 am on 21 May 2008.
Anne McIntosh
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
11:30,
21 May 2008
What discussions he has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on policy on culling badgers to tackle bovine tuberculosis.
Huw Irranca-Davies
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with Welsh Assembly Ministers on a range of issues, including bovine TB.
Anne McIntosh
Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Has the Minister studied the Welsh Assembly strategy for badger control? Does he agree or disagree with it, and what discussions have taken place about it?
Huw Irranca-Davies
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales
As the hon. Lady will know, the issue is devolved, but we do have discussions with Welsh Assembly Government colleagues. In 2007 more than 7,900 cattle were slaughtered in Wales as a result of bovine TB compared with fewer than 700 in 1997, and the cost of compensation has risen from £1.8 million in 2000-01 to £15.2 million. While the approach is targeted and part of a wider strategy, we are watching with interest to see how the situation unfolds in Wales.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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.
