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Mr Robin Swann, the Ulster Unionist Party’s Spokesman on Social Economy, Energy and Consumer Affairs, has congratulated those supermarkets in the Province which have pledged to develop facilities to assist pensioners and older shoppers.

Mr Swann, who is also a senior member of the North Antrim UUP management committee, made his remarks after attending the launch of a major report into the provision of facilities for older people in supermarkets.

He added: “I would thoroughly commend the Consumer Council for its research report which was commissioned in partnership with Age Concern and entitled Silver Service? Are supermarkets meeting the needs of older shoppers?

“I thoroughly welcome this study and congratulate those major supermarkets in Northern Ireland which have pledged their commitment to older shoppers and supported them during the researching of this report.

“But I would strongly urge those supermarkets and retailers which have not signed up to the ‘silver service’ recommendations to do so as a matter of priority.

“It is no longer good enough for retailers just to listen to their customers; they must also take action on what they are being told.

“Both the Consumer Council and Age Concern are to be especially congratulated on this excellent study as it is the first of its kind in the UK , and I hope it sets a standard that retailers will deliver on.

“What is being asked is not an impossible mission, but quite achievable, and is in the interest of the retailers, as older consumers are big payers in the Northern Ireland economy with an estimated annual spending of £5.7 billion.

“The report has highlighted specific areas which should be addressed without delay to make it easier for some older consumers to access food.

“There needs to be a review of portion sizes, as often older people living alone cannot use or afford to purchase large volumes of items so they can not avail of many special offers or discounts for bulk buying.

“There is also a need for affordable, accessible and nutritional food for everyone in today’s society.

“Equally, there is a need for easily identifiable food labeling, which would reflect not just nutritional information, but also pricing, as both these points of clarity were raised as an issue.

“Access to any facility is a prime necessity, and retailers should ensure their premises are easily accessed by older shoppers through either public or private transport,” said Mr Swann.

Ulster Unionist Assembly member David McClarty is calling for interested agencies to form a regional job creation initiative aim the North West which in an effort to bring new investment to the area.

The East Londonderry MLA was commenting following news of 70 more job losses with the closure in January of electronics firm Huco Lightronics in Limavady.

Mr. McClarty said: “Despite being told a review of operations was underway last year nothing can prepare people for the devastating news that they no longer have a job and this is something that is becoming all too familiar in the area.

“I sympathise with the staff involved who have been working under a cloud for some time as concerns were aired about the future of the company which has given employment to people for 18 years.

“We are continuing to witness an erosion in employment opportunities for those living in the region and it is time that there was a co-ordinated response.

“The North West hinterland outside Londonderry seems to be almost becoming an industrial wasteland with businesses closing and fewer openings.

“Large towns such as Limavady and Coleraine and suffering and many more people are being forced to travel greater distances to obtain employment.

“Re-training in new skills is obviously an option for some of those who are out of work but the overriding concern is that there are less openings for the existing workforce, let alone school leavers.

“Job creation is an area which must be placed even higher on everyone’s priorities. We have all been trying to make progress on this issue in a variety of ways. Maybe the best way to succeed is to come together on a wider scale and make a concerted pitch to the relevant agencies.

“The Government must identify that there is a real problem so far as employment here is concerned. Coleraine and Limavady are feeling the down draft and things must change dramatically before it is too late.”

Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Tom Elliott has stated his anger at figures revelling that billions of pounds that should be released to farmers across Europe is instead been given to businesses who are not entitled to a penny.

Mr Elliott said: “Figures released by the European Court of Auditors show that upwards of 2.8 billion pound was wasted or mismanaged by the EU during 2006. Some of this money was due to be put into farming initiatives including here in the United Kingdom, at a time when the agricultural industry needs all the support it can get. To hear of such a loss is aggravating to say the least. However, what is worse is the fact that much of the mismanaged money is going to companies such as Golf Clubs and railway companies when many of them are not entitled to any of the funding.”

The figures released meant that for the thirteenth year in a row the European Court of Auditors was unable to give EU spending a ‘clean bill of health’. Rather, it stated that individual members of the EU, who are responsible for overseeing up to 80% of EU funding, are failing their citizens by not efficiently monitoring who is getting money more carefully.

The Ulster Unionist Agricultural spokesman went on to say: “It is a disgrace that so many farmers are losing out due to the mishandling of money. We cannot afford to be wasting funds or giving it away to people who are not eligible. The necessary checks should be reviewed to see how this money is being allowed to go to companies that should not be receiving it. If the government are serious about helping the agricultural industry then it is vital that the look into this, and see how things can be improved.”

Ulster Unionist MLA, Tom Elliott, has voiced his concern that DRD Minister, Conor Murphy, has offered nothing new to Fermanagh with regards road infrastructure and finance.

In a statement Mr. Elliott said: “Following the re-establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly most people in the West of the Province, and in particular Fermanagh, were hopeful that an injection of finance would be provided to improve the road infrastructure.

“Unfortunately this has not happened and following the visit of Minister Conor Murphy to the county and his meeting with council members it appears that Fermanagh is going to remain in the wilderness with respect to roads investment in the near future.

The Fermanagh and South Tyrone assemblyman continued by comparing the level of investment granted to towns in neighbouring Tyrone to that offered to Fermanagh in recent years.

Tom continued: “Looking to towns such as Strabane and Omagh where numerous bypasses and other considerable works have been permitted we can see a huge disparity in roads investment opening up. Fermanagh is in need of real and tangible strategic investment in roads if it is to be able to cope with the growing traffic pressures.

“This is particularly necessary for Enniskillen due to its central position in the county where the bottlenecks and restrictions to traffic flow are impeding tourism and business throughout the region.”

In conclusion Tom added: “After meeting with the Minister it is evident once more that the much fabled financial package did not amount to what we were led to believe, the future financial prosperity of Northern Ireland depends heavily on a modern road network, it will underpin much of the progress that we all recognise is required, yet what is on offer for Fermanagh falls short of the mark.”

Ulster Unionist MLA for East Londonderry David McClarty speaking in the Assembly today during a debate on the closure of the Seagate plant in Limavady called on the DETI Minister to give special attention to the North West Area

In a speech Mr McClarty said,

“The afternoon of 29th October 2007 was a black day for the Limavady and Northern Ireland economy, when the employees at Seagate’s Limavady plant were informed that they were to lose their jobs.

This was truly devastating news for Northern Ireland’s economic ambitions, and has led to considerable concern for the economic future of Limavady and the surrounding North West region. Unfortunately the news got worse for an already beleaguered Limavady community when Huco Lightronics, an electronic firm, announced its intention to close in January 2008, with a loss of 70 jobs.

The economic consequences for Limavady and the North West continue to be of serious concern. It is estimated that unemployment could double in the area. Furthermore, it is also reported that these latest redundancies could mean that

So what do we need to see happen in terms of a governmental response?

I know already that the work of assisting the Seagate workforce to re-engage with the labour-market, having regard for their skills profile and geographical location, is already underway. This is extremely important. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, along with Invest NI, and the Department of Employment and Learning must work diligently to find alternative employment for the Seagate employees who want to remain economically active.

These workers are extremely talented and must be given every opportunity to avail of retraining and educational programmes to enable them to remain in employment. In addition to this, I would be grateful if the Minister could inform the House if there are any renewed plans, as a result of the Seagate job losses, to highlight and promote the north-west region of Northern Ireland as a prime location for investment at the Investment Conference being hosted by the Executive in the spring of next year.

I believe that the North West must be given special attention by DETI, and I look forward to the Minister’s response on this point.

I want to see this Assembly and the Executive act now, so that we can offer a future of hope and economic prosperity for this already beleaguered and fraught community.”

Ulster Unionist Education spokesman Basil McCrea today asked the Education Minister whether she agreed with CCEA that the latest date for a decision on a transfer test is January 2008 and whether she intended to address the issue or merely run down the clock so that no discussion is possible.

Mr McCrea posed the question during Ministers question time in the Assembly today amid growing concerns from parents and teachers that the question of what will replace the transfer test is still hanging in the air with only 73 days to go before academic selection becomes obsolete.

In a statement Mr McCrea said,

“We need to know if the Minister agrees with deadline set by CCEA. There are few things more important to parents than the educational future of their children and the Minister’s delay in making a decision is causing worry and distress to many.

Minister Ruane is putting everyone in a very unfair position by refusing to enter into a debate on this. It is very unreasonable, with just 73 days to go before academic selection is consigned to the dustbin, to ask people to be patient.

Either the Minister knows exactly what she is going to do and that she is so confident about her plans that she doesn’t need to tell anyone or she is being driven by a political agenda to do away with academic selection but doesn’t have a clue what to replace it with. All this stalling leads me to believe that she is not on top of her brief.”

Ulster Unionist Environment Spokesman, Sam Gardiner MLA, has said that the setting up of a world seed conservation bank in a mountain cave close to the North Pole on the Svalbard Islands was another indicator that massive climate change was anticipated.

“A doomsday vault has been carved into a frozen mountainside in the archipelago of Svalbard, a few hundred miles from the North Pole. Over the next few weeks, the huge cavern - backed by the Norwegian government and the Bill Gates Foundation - will have more than a million types of seed deposited in it. It will be officially opened in February next year.”

“The Rome-based Global Crop Diversity Trust which is building the vault plans to preserve old strains of crop which are likely to be needed as climate change kicks in and makes it impossible to grow existing new strains in affected areas.”

“The site, close to the North Pole, was chosen so that it did not matter if refrigeration equipment failed. There are three vaults and scientists have been cooling the inside to the -16degres necessary. Many of the older varieties stored there are less productive than new strains of crop but are much hardier and resistant to climate change.”

“This is another sign that key organisations are preparing for significant climate change. This seed project could prove vital to counteract starvation if new crop varieties fail.”

Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott has said that figures relesed showing departmental underspend in nearly all parts of the Executive is very worrying for the people of Northern Ireland.

Mr Elliott said: “As a member of the committee of the First and Deputy first Ministers office I was able to attain figures showing the underspend by all departments within the Stormont Executive for 2006-2007. There are many depressing statistics. For example, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) had a gross underspend of £5,714,000 for that year. This included falls in the amount invested in Rural Development which underspent by 24.3% or £431,000 and Environment and Renewable Energy which underspent by 84.1% or £837,000. I do not want to be over critical of the department as areas such as the River Agency saw an increase in spending, but with other parts of the rural community losing out it is a very worrying time.”

Across each of the departments underspending has become a major issue. The biggest fall in percentage was experienced by that of the Office of First and deputy First Ministers which saw an underspend of 36.5% or £842,000 overall.

However, more worrying some individual areas within departments suffered monumental losses including that of the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency within the Department of the Environment, which saw a huge underspend of 54.4%.

The Fermanagh and South Tyrone representative went on to say: “The issue of underspending is certainly one that needs to be studied closely at as it effects every department. Realistically I understand that not each departmental area is not going to receive the same funding every year. What the biggest problem here is, is that there are so many areas within each department that are suffering from underspend that services to the people of Northern Ireland can not avoid been effected. MLA’s are elected to work for the people and so it is our duty to make sure the underspending is tackled so that the people of Northern Ireland receive the best services possible.”

Upper Bann Ulster Unionist Assembly Member, George Savage MLA today, in conjunction with fellow MLA’s Danny Kennedy, David McNarry and David Burnside lodged the following motion for debate in the Assembly,

That this Assembly believes, following devolution in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, that a Royal Commission should be appointed to review the steps that need to be taken to maintain the unity of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom.

Speaking from Stormont, George said,

“It has come to my attention that Government in Westminster has tasked the Minister for Justice and Lord Chancellor, Jack Straw to consult with regard to a new written constitution in the United Kingdom. This raises a number of important issues for us here in Northern Ireland and that is why in our 2007 Election Manifesto, my Party called for a Royal Commission to be appointed”.

“It is deeply concerning that at the present time, every devolved government in the United Kingdom is headed by nationalists of some sort. In Wales, Plaid Cymru are in coalition with Labour, in Scotland the SNP are the minority government and in Northern Ireland, the Executive is an uneasy coalition of the Ulster Nationalists of the DUP and the Irish Nationalists of Sinn Fein.”

“for this very reason, we want to ensure the continuance of the Union because that lies at the very core of being a Unionist and that is one of the central aims of the Ulster Unionist Party – to promote, strengthen and maintain the Union. I am concerned that this proposed codified UK Constitution will lead to the beginning of a federalized United Kingdom. I am also keen to ensure that the position of Northern Ireland, her citizens and her interests are protected within this document.”

“We, here in Northern Ireland are an integral part of the United Kingdom and this motion which I have lodged today, to all intents and purposes, is concerned with the future constitutional make up of the United Kingdom”

“I look forward to the debate in the Assembly where it will be most interesting to see and hear the viewpoints of both the Irish and perhaps more importantly and interestingly, the Ulster Nationalists.”

Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has said he has received assurances from the First Minister that Rathlin Island could have a future tidal electricity generating facility.

Assemblyman Dr Coulter received his assurance in a verbal reply from the First Minister during oral questions at Stormont.

The UUP MLA said: “I put specific questions to the First Minister - will he indicate whether there has been any progress on furthering a tidal electricity generation facility near Rathlin Island, which the Sustainable Development Commission claims will produce 10% of Northern Ireland’s energy needs? Does he think that it will damage in any way the tourist potential of that great tourist area?

“In his response, the First Minister assured me there should be such a supply of electricity to Rathlin Island.

“This would be substantial progress for the island since 1970 because then, there were no public toilets on Rathlin, and no new houses had been built during a 40-year period. I was exceptionally heartened to hear the First Minister state he would like to see a tidal supply of electricity bringing light and power to the island,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.

The First Minister’s assurances to Dr Coulter have also been welcomed by Mr Robin Swann, the UUP’s Energy Spokesman and a senior member of the North Antrim UUP management committee.