Ministerial Duties at Defra

George Eustace seems to have retained his previous brief covering food and farming brief and which also includes marine. There is lots of cross over with the water brief on issues like land-use and CAP and catchment management.

Rory Stewart   EdieNet: The Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed the responsibilities that will be given to the new Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Rory Stewart.

http://www.edie.net/news/5/Rory-Stewart-UK-Waste-Resources-Minister-Defra/

Three weeks after Prime Minister David Cameron reshuffled his Cabinet following a Tory triumph in the general election, Defra has confirmed that Stewart – MP for Penrith and The Border – will retain control of waste and resources policy. The announcement comes after other recent moves within the Department which had cast doubts on where the specific responsibilities would lie and left Stewart’s role unconfirmed.

Lord de Mauley was recently axed from his role as Under-Secretary of State for Natural Environment and Science at Defra, with the number of politicians in the Department reduced from four to three. De Mauley’s responsibilities would be shared between the remaining three – Stewart, Liz Truss and minister of state George Eustice.

But Defra has this week clarified Stewart’s role, giving him the lead responsibility for the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Forestry Commission as well as natural environment, floods and water and resource and environmental management.

Stewart’s key responsibilities will include: –

– Natural environment

– Floods and water

– Resource and environmental management

– Rural affairs

Utility Week Viewpoint  Rory Stewart was named as a Defra minister in May following the Conservative victory in the general election. He replaces deposed Liberal Democrat MP Dan Rogerson, who lost his seat in the election, as water minister, a role he held for two years between 2013 and 2015.  His responsibilities will include the natural environment; floods and water; resource and environmental management; and rural affairs.

He will be shadowed by Labour MP Barry Gardiner who yesterday confirmed to Utility Week that he will replace Angela Smith as the water minister within the Labour shadow cabinet. Gardiner has significant environmental policy experience and will also be running for the position of Environmental Audit Committee chair.

Stewart will deputise for Environment secretary Liz Truss on the Environment Council and will have lead responsibility within the department for the Environment Agency, Natural England, and the Forestry Commission. Stewart has previously chaired the defence committee and been a member of the National Security Strategy joint committee. He has been vocal in the past about support for farmers and for upland reform.

http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/news/defra-names-rory-stewart-as-water-minister/1137902#.VXFp6WfbKpo