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“The energy market is extremely complex and the price of energy varies considerably from one month to the next. Oil prices, for example, have been unstable recently due to the political circumstances in Iran and Nigeria. In the last year, Oil has moved between $50 and $68 a barrel. That is a variation of well over 20%. So a lot depends on market conditions when you buy your fuel. I have concerns that NIE may not be purchasing fuel at the most advantageous time. I think the public has a right to know details like this if they are being asked to pay a double figure increase.”

It is true that in 2003 gas prices went up by 18 per cent, in 2004 they rose by 12 per cent and this year they increased by 15 per cent. I have a suspicion that not all of these increases were really fully necessary. I suspect that at least some of these increases are hard-wired into the system and part and parcel of all the electricity supply companies internal financial planning. There is no underlying problem with gas supply and no real increase in demand or supply which cannot be predicted well ahead of time. We have known for 6 months now that this was likely to be a harder winter than usual. The meteorologists have been quite clear about that. So supply problems are more apparent than real.”

“There’s a lot of fear in the world gas market which leads to panic buying. The market is not working effectively and it is costing the consumer and businesses billions. The gas market suffers from too little competition. In 1999 there were 22 suppliers. Now, there are only six, most of them owning and controlling large parts of the supply chain.”

Tom said: “The Government have announced in the House of Lords last week that it will no longer fund Post Office Card accounts which are used to pay pensions and benefits to four million people in the United Kingdom. These replaced the old system of booklets and cash over the counter.

“There was major upheaval for many people on benefits, especially pensioners when the booklets and cash system was removed. Are these people now going to have to endure more unnecessary stress and worry?

“Rural communities and inner cities could be the hardest hit if the accounts close and with many people without bank accounts, post office card accounts were convenient to collect benefits and pensions. If these are taken away many post offices could be forced to close due a reduction in business.

“It is my firm belief that if you take the small rural schools and the post offices out of the community, the community will die. Government must realise that it is essential to provide basic facilities for the many people who still wish to live and work in rural parts of Northern Ireland.

“We have witnessed over the last number of years the enormous number of post offices that have been forced to close in rural areas and even in our larger towns. Many of the post offices have been relocated into shops and supermarkets and this is a further blow to the many people who depend on this service and is a lifeline for many elderly residents.

In a speech Sir Reg said,

“The political negotiations over recent years have been marred by a lack of transparency on the Government’s part. Secret deals, closed door negotiations and the delivery of unpopular policies have all contributed to a crisis of confidence in the political process. People don’t know what to expect next with concession after concession creeping out of the woodwork.

If public confidence in politics and politicians is to be restored then the Secretary of State must draw a firm line under the secretive and nudge-nudge, wink-wink politics that defined 2004-2005. We must move to a more transparent process where everybody knows where they stand and knows what’s coming next.

A fortnight ago I said that a good starting point would the publication of a full inventory of weapons decommissioned by the IRA. I also called on government to publish, in full, their papers on the Comprehensive Agreement including any and all side deals between the Government and Sinn Fein and the Government and the DUP. This would be a positive start.

It will take a long time for government to regain the trust of the public and for the public to have confidence in the political process here. The British Government, the Irish Government and Sinn Fein gave assurances over the years, which have not been honoured, and unionism has, as a result, become increasingly alienated from the political process.

In a statement, Sir Reg said: “I warmly welcome the fact that, finally, the SS Nomadic is returning to its home.

“This ship is a major link to Belfast’s ship-building past - its cultural significance and value to tourism are inestimable.

“This development represents a much-needed boost to the Titanic Project. Belfast is now in a great position to create a meaningful attraction for tourists.”

Michael McGimpsey said: “This is a welcome development. I had been in contact with senior government officials in recent days pleading with them to intervene directly and restore the SS Nomadic to its rightful place at Queen’s Island.

“Thankfully David Hanson and the government has stepped in to rescue the situation - but we should never have been in this position. The silliness of some in the City Hall could have seen the entire project sabotaged.

In a statement Mr Nicholson said,

“I am deeply disappointed for the workers affected by this decision and express sympathy for them and their families.

“This is a hammer – blow for the local area and the local economy in the North West. I am also concerned that it could have a devastating effect on the Province’s poultry industry, which is so vitally important to Northern Ireland.

“Globalisation has hit the Northern Ireland community hard over the years and it is the competition from cheap, foreign, sub standard poultry imports, which has hit Farm Fed chickens hard.

Sir Reg said,

“The 8000 strong Chinese community have contributed much to society and the economy in Northern Ireland. Society in this part of the United Kingdom has been enriched by the cultural heritage of the Chinese community and by the participation of the Chinese community in our civic and economic life. This has greatly contributed to the diversity of Northern Ireland, which benefits us all.

Our society still has much to do to ensure that the Chinese community has equal access to services and is free of the blight of racist intimidation and discrimination. The Ulster Unionist Party is committed to continuing to address this agenda.

Sir Reg said,

“The 8000 strong Chinese community have contributed much to society and the economy in Northern Ireland. Society in this part of the United Kingdom has been enriched by the cultural heritage of the Chinese community and by the participation of the Chinese community in our civic and economic life. This has greatly contributed to the diversity of Northern Ireland, which benefits us all.

Our society still has much to do to ensure that the Chinese community has equal access to services and is free of the blight of racist intimidation and discrimination. The Ulster Unionist Party is committed to continuing to address this agenda.

In a statement, Mr Beggs said: “I was surprise to find whilst passing through the station that the main platform at Carrickfergus station was unable to be used as a result of the partial collapse of a neighbouring Roads Service roof, which fell onto the railway line.

“This is bizarre case of a unstable Roads Service roof disrupting the rail service. It has highlighted the bigger issue of why is a decaying, under-utilised Roads Service building stopping the expansion of the highly successful Translink Park and Ride facility?”

The unstable building backs onto the East Antrim railway line just beyond the platform at Carrickfergus Station. The collapse has resulted in the closure of the recently upgraded number 1 platform adjacent to the main town station. Commuters travelling to Belfast now must use the subway and the unheated waiting area, rather than the recently upgraded area within the main station building.

He added: “I have now written to the Minister for Regional Development who is responsible for funding for both Translink and the Roads Service, to ask that he would personally intervene in the prolonged property negotiations. This property is a publicly owned asset which is being under utilised by Roads Service and could enable Translink to expand their successful park and ride facility.”

Millions of pounds of taxpayer’s money have been invested in upgrading the railway line between Larne and Belfast. Over £1m was invested in upgrading and renewing the Historic Carrickfergus Station, which is a combined rail and bus station.

In a statement Mr Nicholson said,

“I was stunned by the sheer size of this years CAP under spend, especially if you consider that the CAP budget was itself set at an amount 777 million Euros lower than forecast expenditure.

“By far the biggest savings were found in the dairy sector, where spending appears to have finished 1.05bn Euros lower than budgeted. This was mainly because the favourable market situation led to considerable savings in the volumes covered by internal market disposal mechanisms and export refunds.

“Another major saving came from under spend on dried fodder aid and POESI schemes.

“At the same time, expenditure in certain sectors was also higher than expected. For example in cereals where there was an overspend of 271 million Euros.

Sir Reg was speaking as the House of Commons gave an advance notice of its forthcoming business. Under forthcoming business there will be a debate on Motions relating to Sinn Fein allowances” on Wednesday 8th February. This is an attempt by Government to reinstate the funding withdrawn from Sinn Fein last Spring, and according to Media Reports will be backdated to November.

In a statement Sir Reg said,

“People will be bewildered if Sinn Fein’s allowances are restored while IRA criminality is still on-going and before the IMC has made its reports.