Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:30 pm on 10 September 2024.
Danny Donnelly
Alliance
2:30,
10 September 2024
T3. Mr Donnelly asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, given that today is World Suicide Prevention Day and evidence suggests that people living in rural areas have higher rates of suicide and there are higher rates of suicide in rurally based occupations such as agriculture, to outline what initiatives have been undertaken to support and improve mental health for people living and working in rural areas. (AQT 503/22-27)
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.
