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North Down MLA Leslie Cree, today stated, “I am pleased that Government has at last recognised that the people of Northern Ireland were opposed to the imposition of their proposals on water charges.”

At a meeting in Hillsborough on Monday (12 March), the four main political parties pressed the Secretary of State to defer the water charges planned for 1 April 2007.

Mr Cree UUP Chief spokesman for Regional Development said, “It was good to see progress being made in this very controversial subject which has been a major concern for ratepayers in Northern Ireland.”

He continued, “ I firmly believe that basing water charges on the valuation of a home is ridiculous.  It bears no relation on ability to pay and does not encourage economy in the use of water.  We already pay for water through the regional rates and should not be asked to pay twice.”

In conclusion the politician said “ I am optimistic that the Government will put a hold on the implementation of additional water charges until the new Assembly has had an opportunity to decide on a more equitable way to improve our water and sewerage facilities within the next year. I will continue to lobby for this outcome.”

Ulster Unionist MLA, Tom Elliott, has condemned those involved in two break-ins in homes in the Kesh area at the weekend and urged anyone with information to make it known to the police.

In a statement Tom said: “Crimes such as this cause immense worry and inconvenience to the families involved, to have your family home broken into and belongings taken, is very distressing.

“Those involved in carrying out these crimes have little regard for the property of others and the fear that their actions can bring to a community is intolerable, I condemn their actions.”

In conclusion Tom, chairman of the Fermanagh DPP, added: “In addition, events such as these highlight the need for greater policing resources in the Province, particularly in the west. A greater police presence would undoubtedly act as a deterrent to those contemplating carrying out such crimes, this would in turn improve community confidence.

“Breaking and entering is an offence which the police take very seriously and which society will not tolerate. Anybody with information on these incidents should pass it on to the PSNI immediately to allow their officers to carry out a thorough investigation and bring about prosecutions of those responsible.”

Ulster Unionist Newry & Armagh assembly member, Danny Kennedy, has strongly condemned those behind attacks on police and ambulance service personnel at the scene of the helicopter crash in Crossmaglen.

In a statement, Mr Kennedy said: “There is simply no excuse for any member of the emergency services to come under attack at any time. In this instance, police were acting for the public good by safely preserving the crash site.

“I also understand that ambulance crews were similarly targeted by stone-throwers. It is completely unacceptable for ambulance crews to be harassed in this way.

“Those behind these attacks, who were engaging in mindless, destructive behaviour, have nothing to offer the people of Northern Ireland.”

He added: “Regrettably there is considerable difference between resolutions passed at the Sinn Fein ard fheis and practical support for law and order on the ground in republican areas. Clearly much progress remains to be made.

“I would wish those injured in the crash a full and speedy recovery. I would also urge anyone with information on the subsequent violent attacks to contact police. The emergency services do a vitally important and difficult job. That job must not be made more difficult by the actions of an idiotic minority.”

UUP MEP Jim Nicholson has claimed a victory for Northern Ireland’s agriculture community and for the European Parliament in the battle over voluntary modulation.

The so-called ‘voluntary modulation’ proposals would allow Britain to voluntarily withhold up to one fifth of farmers’ CAP payments, and redistribute that funding into rural development schemes. The Prime Minister negotiated the deal as part of the EU’s budget settlement in December 2005 after Britain’s lacklustre negotiating skill secured a measly 2.5 percent of the EU’s rural development budget.

In a statement Mr Nicholson said,

“The deadlock on this issue looks like it has been broken. I am confident that the Parliament’s agriculture committee will pass the proposals today and that the Budgets committee will free up the funds it has been holding back this Wednesday.

“The British government have agreed to a number of major concessions over plans to cut UK farmers’ subsidies by a fifth including a full impact assessment to look at the impact this will have on farmers, a commitment not to modulate the full 20% and significant match funding.

“There are still some concerns over regionalisation, which takes into account the varying circumstances facing farmers across the UK because this is a devolved matter and I would urge any future agriculture Minister to set modulation at the lowest possible level.

“It has been a serious concern of mine that rural development programmes would have been held up by this fiasco, but surely it was better to hold out for a deal that will be far better for our farmers in the long-term. However, we wouldn’t have been in this position in the first place, if our government had have been more effective at negotiating a better deal for rural development.

“To all those who have claimed that the European Parliament is a toothless, useless tiger, this issue has proven that the Parliament can be a positive force for change and can have relevance in people’s everyday lives.”

Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has said today that Monday’s meeting of the EU farm Council should produce a tremendous victory for the European Parliament and Northern Ireland’s farmers over the issue of voluntary modulation.

Farmers were faced with a 20% income cut if the UK agrees to the Commission proposal before the Parliament to cut the value of the Single Farm Payment and use the amounts released to fund rural development schemes.

Mr. Nicholson said it is his understanding that regionalization in the UK will be agreed therefore taking into account the circumstances facing farmers in Northern Ireland.

In a statement Mr. Nicholson said,

“It is becoming increasingly clear that both the Commission and the Council are about to pull back from a conflict with the Parliament’s Agriculture and Budget’s committee who are closely working together to achieve a better and more equitable agreement throughout Europe for the future of the Second Pillar.

“I am hopeful that now that a more equitable agreement on voluntary modulation is in sight. It is my understanding that regionalisation within the UK will be agreed and that National co – financing has been assured as far as England is concerned. What we do not know, at this point, is if co – financing will also be agreed for Northern Ireland. We now have a magnificent window of opportunity opening up to us, but we must grasp this and ensure that our farmers should not have any less a fair deal than any other part of Europe.

“I have to admit that after serving 17 years as a member of the European Parliament’s agriculture committee, this is a gratifying result. For the first time we can claim a real victory rather than on occasions in the past when we were reduced to merely huffing and puffing.

“The challenge now for Northern Ireland’s agriculture sector is to get to grips with EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel’s so called CAP “health check” and the implications it will have for Northern Ireland farming over the next 10 years.”