Ministerial role

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for water, forestry, rural affairs and resource management

Organisations: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Responsibilities

The minister is responsible for water, resource and environmental management, rural Affairs and forestry, in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Responsibilities include:

Water

  • Water resource management and quality (including Ofwat)
  • Water Bill
  • Flooding, coastal erosion and flood insurance
  • Inland waterways

Resource and environmental management

  • Climate change adaptation
  • Environmental impacts of climate change mitigation (including biofuels)
  • Environmental regulation
  • Sustainable development including sustainable consumption and production
  • Waste management
  • Air quality, noise and litter
  • Localism and civil society
  • Deputising for the Secretary of State at EU Environment Council

Rural Affairs and forestry

  • Broadband and mobile technologies
  • Countryside and rights of way including coastal and wider access
  • Economic development, skills and apprenticeships
  • Domestic forestry policy (including Forestry Commission)

Commons handling of Lords portfolio

  • Environmental science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Pesticides, chemicals and industrial pollution
  • Genetically modified organisms
  • Plant and bee health
  • Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
  • Food and Environment Research Agency
  • Departmental administration
  • New Covent Garden Market Authority
  • Thames Tideway Tunnel
  • PFI projects

Previous holders of this role

  1. Dan Rogerson

    2013 to 2015