uuptoday.org

Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson has welcomed the decision by the European Parliament and EU agriculture Ministers to have a zero set-aside rate in 2008.

The decision means that farmers across the European Union will no longer be forced to keep a significant part of their land out of production and according to Jim Nicholson will help to relieve some of the pressures on Northern Ireland’s farmers and allay fears over food shortages.

Speaking from Strasbourg Mr Nicholson said,

“Following recent concerns over soaring animal feed prices I am glad to see that this measure has passed through the European Parliament and approved by EU farm Ministers. Cereal levels are now at dangerously low levels prompting fears that we could be facing food shortages over the coming months.

“This decision should be the first step in the total abolition of the EU’s set aside policy. Set-aside is an out of date policy that should have been abolished during the previous reforms to the CAP. The benefits to the environment that came from the original scheme are now covered, to a large extent, by rural development schemes and cross compliance.

“Abolishing set-aside will enable farmers to respond to the market, will keep food prices down and will help alleviate Europe’s growing food security problems.”

Sam Gardiner MLA, has said he remains deeply dissatisfied with Enterprise Minister Nigel Dodds’s explanation as to why Craigavon, Banbridge and Lisburn had received only 29 investor visits in the past 5 years compared to 368 for Belfast.

“When I asked the Minister to explain why, in the last five years, the areas of Craigavon, Banbridge and Lisburn combined had had only 29 visits organised by Invest NI for inward investors, compared to 368 for Belfast, he told me that the content of a visit programme, the locations that have been chosen to visit, and the investment decision, rested solely with the prospective investor.”

“That amounts to nothing more than ducking the question because it suggests that his Department and INI have no input into helping and advising inward investors where to invest. No-one is going to believe that and I certainly don’t. I cannot accept that an overseas investor would know enough about Northern Ireland to have a precise idea about where they would want to locate. They must have been briefed on the Province by someone and that someone has got to be INI. If it was not then INI are not doing their job.”

“To suggest, as the Minister does, that investors are placing an increasing emphasis on locations that have close proximity to universities is to rule out the whole of Northern Ireland outside Belfast.”

“The Minister said that investors are looking for large labour pools and excellent infrastructure. It also suggests that all people who train in University live in Belfast. They do not. Only 280,000 live in Belfast compared to 1.4 million who do not. In any case the infrastructural links of Craigavon, Banbridge and Lisburn are arguably better than those of Belfast with its traffic chaos.”

“The truth is that Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Nigel Dodds represents a Belfast constituency and is supporting Belfast.”

Sam Gardiner MLA, the Ulster Unionist Assemblyman for Upper Bann, is to seek a meeting with the Chief Executive of the Craigavon Area Hospitals Groups HSS Trust, and with Health Minister Michael McGimpsey, following the disclosure in the Assembly that Craigavon Area Hospitals have the worst record for MRSA in the Province over the past 5 years.

“I am disturbed by the figures made available by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey and I intend to discuss these figures with both him and with the Chief Executive of the Craigavon Area Hospitals Groups HSS Trust.”

“Craigavon Area Hospital Group HSS Trust has had 35 deaths from MRSA in the past five years. This compares to 20 in the Royal Group of Hospitals, 17 in Altnagelvin, 24 in the Ulster Hospital, 11 in the Sperrin Lakeland Trust, 6 in the Causeway Trust and only 1 in the Green Park trust. I am shocked by Craigavon’s position at the top of the table – well clear of Belfast City Hospital in second place with 27 deaths.”

“This is not the kind of table Craigavon wants to be at the head of. It is a table of death.”

“The vast bulk of these deaths occurred in Craigavon and not in Lurgan or South Tyrone. Craigavon accounts for 15% of all MRSA deaths in the Province. There are questions that need an answer.”

UUP DCAL spokesman David McNarry won Committee backing today to demand a full explanation by DUP Minister Edwin Poots as to why his department wants to ‘surrender’ £1.5 Million this year for the implementation of the proposed Ulster Scots Academy.

The Department of Culture Arts and Leisure is surrendering * £1.5 Million of the budget allocated for the implementation of the Academy for this year. The Committee has decided not to approve the surrender until a fuller explanation from the Department on the rationale and whether the money from this year can be re-couped next year.

In a statement after the Committee met today, Mr McNarry said,

“I have been following with great interest the development of the Ulster Scots Academy and am keen to see this project come to fruition at the earliest opportunity. I know, from my own constituency in Newtwonards, that much preparatory work is being undertaken and plans are being made based on the existing budget allocation.

I was therefore alarmed to hear from the Minister and his department that they are surrendering, for surrender is exactly what it is, £1.5 Million of the budget for this year, while this vital preparatory and planning work is underway.

I am delighted that the Committee has accepted my recommendation not to give our blessing to the surrender of this money until the Minister can assure us that it is retrievable next year and offers us a fuller explanation for the rationale of this move.

I personally am against any surrendering of funds to what I see is a vital component in the present and future development and celebration of Ulster Scots Culture.”

At the meeting of the Committee for the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister yesterday the delay in the appointment of the Victims Commissioner was discussed.

Speaking after the meeting the Chairperson Mr Danny Kennedy said,

“Grave concerns were expressed by members regarding the lack of progress in appointing a Victims Commissioner. Recognising the importance of this issue to the wider community and acknowledging the growing speculation arising from the unexplained delay, the Committee believes that action on this issue is now crucial.”

Mr Kennedy confirmed that the Committee will be pressing the First Minister and deputy First Minister for an urgent response on the reasons for the delay and the current difficulties surrounding the appointment.

Mr Kennedy also said that given the sensitivities around this issue, the Committee will be offering to meet with the First Minster and deputy First Minister, if necessary in private session, to discuss this matter.