This Order in Council, made under the Ministers of the Crown Act 1975, dissolves the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, transfers its functions in general to the Secretary of State, and transfers its property, rights and liabilities in general to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Article 2 dissolves the Ministry. It also transfers to the Secretary of State the functions of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and transfers joint functions, where exercised by that Minister with the Secretary of State at large, to the Secretary of State. However, if a function is exercisable jointly with a named Secretary of State, the Minister’s share of the function is transferred to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Article 3 provides for specific transfers in cases where the formulas in article 2 are not to apply.

Article 4 provides for the transfer of property, rights and liabilities, and for the designation of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the extent required for the continued holding of foreign property.

Article 5, Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 provide for amendments of, and repeals and revocations to, legislation in consequence of articles 2 and 3.

Article 6 makes supplementary provision including provision for continuity in relation to the exercise of transferred functions.

Nothing in this Order alters the functions of the National Assembly for Wales, the Scottish Ministers or the devolved authorities in Northern Ireland.