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Ulster Unionists have put the finishing touches to a resolution designed to attract broad support from MLAs opposing government plans to create seven Super Councils as part of the Review of Public Administration.

The resolution states: ‘This Assembly calls on the Secretary of State to take note that there is no Cross-Community support for the current proposals on the Review of Public  Administration as it applies to Local Government.

‘Further, asks the Secretary of State to note that only a minority of consultees to the recent “Further Consultation” supported his proposals and calls on the Secretary of State to respond to the cross-party consensus which fundamentally opposes the establishment of the seven-council model.’

In a statement, UUP RPA Spokesperson, and South Antrim MLA, Jim Wilson said: “It was an Ulster Unionist Minister who initiated the Review of Public Administration. We fully back the need for reform. However, since picking up the baton three years ago, Direct Rule has run us into a sectarian cul-de-sac.

“Outside Stormont, Ministers are content to ignore the will of Northern Ireland’s locally elected representatives. How will Ministers respond when MLAs debate and reject their plans from inside the devolved administration of Northern Ireland? This is a major test of Direct Rule.

“The voice of the people of Northern Ireland must be heard on this issue, and that is what our resolution is designed to achieve.

“There is clear cross-community consensus opposing government plans. In January Ulster Unionists tabled a motion at Belfast City Council registering opposition to these reforms. That motion was carried, clearly showing that the political will is there to turn government over on this issue. Even from within government, former Secretary of State Paul Murphy has said that reducing councils down from 26 to 7 was ‘too much’.”

He added: “So let’s formalise this consensus within the Assembly and send a clear message to Direct Rulers – Northern Ireland rejects the sectarian carve up of local government structures.”

Ulster Unionists intend to table a series of resolutions – on education reforms; the review of public administration; water charges; taxation; and industrial de-rating – in order to immediately put the interim assembly to work for the people of Northern Ireland.

UUP Leader Sir Reg Empey said: “We’ve prepared a range of resolutions covering issues that are of utmost concern to the community at large. We believe there is demand in the community for MLAs to express interest on these issues.”

He added: “A limited amount of assembly time should be set aside straight away to deal with these matters and put the Secretary of State to the test on whether he’s listening or not. After which we can then focus our efforts on restoring devolution - we have already proposed a restoration of devolution committee precisely for this purpose.”

Ulster Unionist South Antrim assembly member, Jim Wilson, has raised concerns that, despite growing public concerns over anti-social behaviour, ASBO legislation appears to have been an unqualified failure here.

The UUP MLA has said that with just eight ASBOs issued since 2004, government should come clean as to whether it bungled its much-hyped legislation.

In a statement, Mr Wilson said: “According to new research, Europeans feel that the UK has among the worst anti-social behaviour problems on the continent - and more than eight out of 10 Britons feel that anti-social behaviour is a growing problem.

“The problem of yobbish behaviour is a major issue for people in my constituency. Yet given increasing public concerns, ASBOs do not appear to be having the desired effect.

“Since the introduction of ASBOs in August 2004, they’ve been used just eight times. This despite the fact that then Criminal Justice Minister John Spellar vowed these tough new laws would be used ‘early and effectively’.

“As recently as two months ago, Peter Hain also reassured the House of Commons that ASBOs ‘will continue to be deployed with energy and confidence in Northern Ireland, where they can be just as effective as in Great Britain’.

“I don’t think people here buy any of that. They know the reality is quite different. Fine words from Ministers are no replacement for firm action.”

He added “Government has to come clean: Is there an institutional unwillingness to issue ASBOs? Is the ASBO fit for purpose? Is the fact that so few have been issued not a signal that the government bungled the legislation?

“Or if we take the government’s commitments at face value, then they must be saying that, despite all the evidence, Northern Ireland has a miniscule rate of anti-social behaviour. Clearly, that would be completely ridiculous position to take.”

Concluding he said: “Cautions and non-custodial sanctions are increasingly important to the judicial process. The Home Office’s own figures state that in the 1960s only about 10% of offenders were dealt with by caution – by the 1990s that figure had risen to over one third of all offenders.

“ABSOs are not a catch-all solution to tackling anti-social behaviour, but they are an important tool to clamping down on yob culture.

“Government may promise reviews and delay confronting difficult questions, but that holds no comfort for the victims of anti-social behaviour. The NIO’s credibility is on the line - if government is more about public interest than self interest it will sort this mess out now rather than persistently duck the issue.”

South Antrim MLA Jim Wilson has expressed dismay that funding cuts by the NHSSB has forced Speechmatters to announce the closure of its services in Homefirst Areas.

Mr Wilson appealed to Minister Shaun Woodward for advice and is disappointed that the Minister offered little solution to help those with Aphasia in South Antrim.

Mr Wilson said:

“It is a disgrace that this funding has been stopped in the Homefirst area. To remove support from speech matters to victims of strokes or head injuries is a huge obstacle blocking their road to recovery.

“My office has been inundated with letters from people affected by this, including not just those who suffer from aphasia, but family and friends who support them as they come to terms with their disability.

“The letter I have received from the Minister in response to my complaint is vague and frankly not very helpful. The whole fiasco has been a bureaucratic nightmare and the NHSBB is, in my view, using red tape as an excuse. It is a clear example of how a postcode lottery can throw a patient’s life into turmoil”.

Ulster Unionist South Antrim Assembly Member, Jim Wilson, has voiced his dismay over firearms application processing, and questioned whether it is now PSNI policy to restrict genuine sportsmen from participating in their chosen discipline.

In a statement, Mr Wilson said: “Shooting is a widespread and popular sport in Northern Ireland. While we are a relatively small nation, we have consistently performed well on the international stage – mostly recently when David Beattie brought a silver medal back from the Commonwealth Games last month.

“Yet the time it takes for our sportspeople to apply and receive a response to firearms applications is plainly ridiculous.

“It’s not unusual for certificates to take up to eight months to process. I know of one case where an individual, who has previously competed internationally for Northern Ireland, will miss an entire season due to the length of time it takes to process their application. Is it really necessary for competitors to wait several months to upgrade or buy new equipment?

“Farmers are also unhappy, as are gun dealers who must wait for months on customers paying for newly purchased firearms.

“Of course there ought to be reliable vetting in place, but the present system verges on the punitive. Exhaustive form-filling and time-consuming procedures are not the way forward. We need to put this kind of convoluted bureaucracy behind us.”

He added: “Plainly this cannot continue. Those legally entitled to own firearms take their responsibilities seriously. The PSNI Chief Constable should state clearly what the problem is. Is it in the guidelines? Or is it in human resources?

“I would urge the PSNI to take immediate steps to resolve the situation – or will they remain wedded to a policy that is unjustly prejudiced against responsible, law-abiding people?”

Ulster Unionist South Antrim assembly member, Jim Wilson, has welcomed the announcement that £6million is to be invested to clear the current waiting list for drugs to treat severe arthritis.

In a statement, Mr Wilson said: “A number of individuals have approached my office over this issue. It also affects some members of my own family, so I am aware of the misery it causes.

“The statistics of this health issue in Northern Ireland are alarming with approximately 230,000 people affected Province-wide. Over 70% of sufferers are sufficiently affected to come within the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act; 1 in 5 GP visits concern arthritis and related conditions; the disease is the largest physical cause of disability and days off work in Northern Ireland and is the largest cause of disability in this country.

“Alarming statistics indeed – even more alarming is the fact that Northern Ireland has not had a dedicated strategy on arthritis and provision for people here continues to lag behind that on the UK mainland despite medical predictions that cases can be expected to increase.

“People assume that arthritis only affects the elderly. This is not the case. It can be a seriously debilitating illness which can affect all ages, and whilst it cannot be cured, medication can help people to manage their pain.

“Access to rheumatology services tends to be slow and sporadic and service provision here in Northern Ireland is way behind that on offer in the rest of the UK. Access to new treatments that have been proven successful in the USA is relatively good in mainland UK, with 2/3 of consultants satisfied that they can prescribe the drugs as required.

“Here in Northern Ireland we have, at the last count, nearly 450 people on a 2-year waiting list for such drugs. Additionally recent evidence suggests that this province has one of the lowest numbers of rheumatologists per head of population than anywhere else in Europe.

“This announcement is welcome news indeed. According to the Minister we can expect the number of people who are receiving specialist medicine to double and it is anticipated that everyone on the current waiting list will receive their treatment within the next two years.”

Ulster Unionist Spokesperson for the Review of Public Administration Jim Wilson has restated the Party’s opposition to the seven-council model and voiced his concerns relating to administrative checks and balances during a meeting with NIO Local Government Minister Lord Rooker.

“We feel that the paper circulated by the RPA team is impractical and unworkable. We intend to go back to the government to put forward our views on how to achieve the proper balance.”

ULster Unionist South Antrim assembly member, Jim Wilson, has attended the launch of the 2006 Special Olympic Ireland Games at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

“There are countless sponsorship opportunities for interested businesses. I would appeal to anyone who thinks they can help to get in touch with the organisers and pledge your support for this very worthwhile event,” said Mr Wilson.

Ulster Unionist Spokesperson on the Review of Public Administration, Jim Wilson, has called on government to take account of the broad swathe of support the UUP’s Belfast City council motion gained – and to ultimately rethink a policy that is overwhelmingly opposed by the vast majority of elected representatives here.

He added: “I trust that other councils across the country will follow the example set by Belfast. In the final analysis the Minister doesn’t have the clear support of Unionists or nationalists. The irony is that the only political party willing to support British government policy is Sinn Fein.”