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Ulster Unionist Member of the European Parliament Jim Nicholson MEP has said that Government and all aspects of the agricultural industry must work in total partnership if Northern Ireland is to remain Foot and Mouth disease free.

In a statement Mr Nicholson said,

“The European Commission’s decision to acknowledge Northern Ireland’s disease free status should hopefully allow NI farmers to continue exporting abroad without hassle. However, the situation does need to be monitored closely given the problems that were encountered the last time with some of our export markets.

“Once again the priority must be keeping Northern Ireland foot and mouth disease free. Only by the Government and the industry working together in total partnership will that be achieved.

“In London Defra’s immediate task must be to stop the disease spreading further. However farmers will be rightly asking how this has been allowed to happen again so soon after the last outbreak. Farmers have a number of questions about the bio security lapses at Pirbright that this government seems unwilling to answer.

“Yet again I must express my deep disappointment that Sinn Fein have sought to play politics with an issue as sensitive as foot and mouth by releasing a statement calling for a brand Ireland approach to marketing local produce. There is a time and place for these types of discussions. In the middle of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease is certainly neither the time nor place.”

Ulster Unionist Assembly member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Tom Elliott MLA has praised the initiative by the Chief Electoral Officer for NI that registering to vote has become easier with a simplified form which is now available in eight different languages.

Tom said: “The languages the forms are now available include, Ulster Scots, Irish, Mandarin, Polish , Latvian, Cantonese and Lithuanian and this reflects the increasing diverse society that are currently living in Northern Ireland.

From this year, no longer will forms be collected by electoral canvassers and will now be working on a system of continuous registration. This means that the Register published on 1 December 2006 will be continually updated using information obtained from electors and other government bodies.

It is imperative as we start a new university term that students and those who will attain 18 over the next year are registered and if in doubt check with your local Area Electoral Office. There are still a considerable number of people who are not registered on the current register and would urge them as we approach a possible election to make certain they are registered and not wait until an election is announced. A Freephone number is open each weekday to gain advice (0800 4320712)

It is interesting to note the number of foreign nationals who have been added to the electoral register over the past three months. This is clearly demonstrated in Dungannon district and are showing their desire to play a full part in our democratic process. Indeed in certain wards there are more foreign nationals being added to the register than indigenous people?”

Tom concluded: “I would encourage everyone to make sure that they are on the electoral register so that they can have their say in the political future of Northern Ireland”

UUP South Belfast Cllr. Bob Stoker today questioned Police response times after a number of repeated attacks on residents on the Loyalist side of the Westlink/RodenStreet area and said he was particularly worried about the potential for further attacks this coming weekend.

In a statement Mr Stoker, who strongly condemned the attacks, said,

“There have been a recent and increasing spate of attacks on residents in the Roden Street area from the other side of the Westlink. Projectiles and other missiles are being hurled across at properties and endangering lives. Residents have indicated to me that they are particularly concerned at the poor response of the PSNI in getting to the scene promptly.

I am concerned that the weekend will see an escalation in the number of attacks, which I condemn completely. These attacks are designed to provoke a response and I trust that residents on the Loyalist side will not be sucked in nor stoop to this deliberate provocation.

The PSNI, given the repeated nature of the attacks, should be standing ready to respond quickly this weekend. Residents have reported having to wait upwards of half an hour for a response. This to me and them is unacceptable.”

Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has written to the Environment Minister, Arlene Foster and the Tourism Minister, Nigel Dodds, under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, requesting information surrounding their recent announcements on the future of the Giant’s Causeway Visitors Centre.

Mr Nicholson has specifically requested that the Department of the Environment provide him with all documentation surrounding the Minster’s decision to be “of a mind to approve” Seaport Investment’s planning proposal for a visitor’s centre at the Giant’s Causeway, including the Planning Service’s advice to the Minister on Seaport Investment’s proposal and copies of any correspondence the two Ministers may have had on the issue.

In a statement Mr Nicholson said,

“No matter, where I go through Europe and the rest of the world people always talk about the Giants Causeway and how lucky Northern Ireland is to have such a unique and wonderful site. Without question, it is the jewel in Northern Ireland’s tourism crown. A word class tourist attraction requires a world – class visitor’s centre.

“However, such a visitor’s centre should be in public hands for the common good of all in our community. I have very serious concerns about the road the Minister is going down.

“I have requested information from both DOE and DETI, which I feel, given the circumstances and the public interest in the issue, is absolutely essential to obtain, both for transparency and accountability in Government and for gaining a clearer understanding of why both Ministers have arrived at the decisions they have.”

Sam Gardiner MLA, the Ulster Unionist Assemblyman for Upper Bann, got an assurance from the First Minister Ian Paisley, during Assembly Question time on Monday, that the First Minister would report back to the Assembly on the eradication of duplication and over-staffing within his Department.

Mr Gardiner said :

“I told the First Minister, after he gave me a lengthy list of all the co-ordinating jobs his Department carried out, that one man’s co-ordination was another man’s duplication. My concern is that for every job supposedly co-ordinating the work of government in Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness’s joint department, there is a carbon copy of that job in each of the Northern Ireland Departments. So under the name of co-ordination we are, in fact, getting duplication and that this is costing the taxpayer a fortune in inflated staff salaries.”

“The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister is a flabby and overweight Department and this has just been made worse by the two Junior Ministers, Ian Paisley Jr and Gerry Kelly, appointing two Special Advisers. It wasn’t just that we were getting what I call bureaucracy-creep with the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister growing and growing. It was the way these two individuals were appointed. It was done behind the Assembly’s back through an Order in Council in Whitehall. They were clearly wanting to avoid Assembly scrutiny. They knew there would be trouble in the Assembly over adding two new senior staff with a whole pyramid of supporting staff below them to the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister payroll.”

“The First Minister had promised he will report back to the Assembly on the reduction of this duplication within his and Mr McGuinness’s joint department. I await that report with interest and will lose no opportunity reminding the First Minister and his deputy of their commitment.”

Portrush UUP representative Norman Hillis says Environment Minister Arlene Foster should step back from the brink after indicating that she is minded to grant planning permission for the construction of a new Giant’s Causeway Visitors’ Centre by a private developer.

The vice chairman of the Causeway Coast and Glens Ltd believes the Minister should now listen to what respected groups such as the National Trust and the public are saying over the issue.

Mr. Hillis said: “I believe that the best step the Minister can take is a step back from the brink and take cognisance of what reaction there has been to her announcement.

“There has been a public outcry on this issue because people are concerned about the Minister’s sudden u-turn on the issue.

“The fact that after having the full support of the National Trust and other interested parties for the publicly run option and organised a worldwide competition for a design, the Minister has indicated her intention to revert to a private option, has set alarm bells ringing.

“The issue does need to be resolved quickly but not by disregarding the concerns of the people who have been looking after a world famous attraction for decades.”