Environment

Ulster Unionist Councillor Stephen Nicholl has welcomed the announcement of a £100 million investment in the Northern Ireland

Leading North Antrim Ulster Unionist Robin Swann, the UUP's Spokesman on Social Economy, Energy and Consumer Affairs, has urged the community to exercise energy efficiency during the current credit crunch.

Ulster Unionist MLA, Tom Elliott has given a "broad welcome" to proposals brought forward for draft PPS21. With the Stormont Executive due to agree that the draft should be published for public consultation, the UUP's agriculture spokesman said that there was a need for members of Northern Ireland's rural community to study the proposals and make their opinions known.

Roy Beggs MLA, Ulster Unionist Party Spokesperson for the Environment has given a broad welcome to the Executive's agreement to bring forward a new Planning Policy to regulate development in the countryside. PPS 21 is set to replace the controversial PPS 14 which most rural dwellers considered to be too restrictive. Mr. Beggs has outlined his support for a more flexible policy that still maintains the fundamentals of sustainable development and environmental protection.

Roy Beggs MLA, Ulster Unionist Spokesman on the Environment, who obtained details of the outcomes of planning applications that have been referred to the central Planning Services Management Board has labelled the scheme a farce as a result of the board ignoring the views expressed by local councils.

Ulster Unionist Environment Spokesman Roy Beggs MLA today outlined the proposals which his Party has submitted to Local Government Boundaries Commissioner in response to his Provisional Recommendations.

Ulster Unionist DoE spokesman Roy Beggs MLA has linked the DUP's stewardship of the environment with Sinn Fein's performance at the Department of Education and has described both as a 'farce' and 'dysfunctional'.

Roy Beggs MLA, and Ulster Unionist Party Spokesperson for the Environment, has outlined his belief that Sammy Wilson still has to answer some serious questions after he was caught on his motorcycle without MOT or tax early this month. After tabling and receiving answers from Minister Wilson, relating to the incident, Mr. Beggs has expressed serious concern that the Minister responsible for MOT and the Driver and Vehicle regulations should be so ignorant of the law and its importance. In addition he has questioned Mr. Wilson's flippant and derisory response to getting caught.

Speaking in a debate on a ban or tax on plastic carrier bags in the Assembly, Roy Beggs MLA has noted that the lack of legislation coming forward on this and other issues is a sign that the DUP/ Sinn Fein dominated Executive is not working.

Ulster Unionist deputy Leader Danny Kennedy MLA, has accused Sammy Wilson of being at odds with the Local Government Boundaries Commissioner over the powers he possesses to alter Local Government Boundaries. During Question Time today the Minister for the Environment claimed that the Local Government Boundaries Commissioner had the power to meaningfully change the Boundaries proposed by the DUP in the Local Government (Boundaries) Bill. However, this is at odds with what the Commissioner has stated in his Provisional Recommendation Report.

Unionist Party MLA, Tom Elliott, has described his shock after figures realised by NI Water showed that a potential 165 million litres of water per day is being lost through leakage in Northern Ireland. The figures showed that this total was down on previous statistics, like in 2002 when the amount of leakage per day was 291 million litres, but for Mr Elliott the amount of water being lost still leaves ground for major concern.

Tom Elliott MLA, Ulster Unionist Party Spokesperson for Agriculture and Rural Development has broadly welcomed the Woodland Trust's 'Vision for Woodland in Northern Ireland', commenting that it adds strategic direction on the best way to improve the amount and quality of woodland cover in the Province. Mr. Elliott considers that the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development must give the report her full attention and act upon the main thrust of its message.

Speaking after a Stormont debate on Climate Change, Ulster Unionist MLA and environment spokesman Roy Beggs Jnr has said that the DUP have pulled yet another major policy U turn.

As the Ulster Unionist Party today brought forward a Private Members Motion looking at the latest increase in energy prices here, UUP MLA, David McNarry has called on the Executive to address the current crisis and initiate a wide ranging inquiry into energy prices in Northern Ireland.

Roy Beggs MLA for East Antrim and the UUP Environment spokesman has given a cautious welcome to the revelation that Scottish Power are considering installing underwater tidal powered, energy farms off the coast of Co Antrim, in the Pentland Firth, and in the sound of Islay.

Sam Gardiner Ulster Unionist MLA for Upper Bann and the Party's Environment Spokesperson has reacted with incredulity to Sammy Wilson's article questioning the relationship between green house gas emissions and climate change. Mr. Gardiner outlined his belief that the current Environment Minister was again placing the DUP outside the mainstream of UK politics and endangering Northern Ireland's international reputation. Mr. Gardiner also contended that Mr. Wilson was choosing to ignore the substantial body of scientific evidence and scientifc consensus that exists.

Ulster Unionist MLA Billy Armstrong has called upon the relevant Executive Ministers to adopt a cross-departmental approach to ensure that some of the factors which contributed to the recent flooding in the Tobermore and Maghera area are addressed at once. He also appealed to members of the public to be vigilant when in the vicinity of riverbanks and to report obstructions such as overhanging trees or build ups of gravel in a river bed etc, to the Rivers Agency immediately.

Sam Gardiner MLA, the Ulster Unionist Environment Spokesman, has said that two top government scientific advisers are advising the Government to plan for a four degree increase in temperature.

Sam Gardiner MLA, the Ulster Unionist Environment Spokesman, has said that the attitudes of the DUP and their Environment Minister, Sammy Wilson, have prevented environmental issues from being addressed with the right sense of urgency and are doing serious damage to the Province's reputation for having a clean environment.

FOLLOWING a debate in the Assembly this week on an incineration plant at Glenavy Billy Armstrong MLA for Mid Ulster has said we need to address the issue of renewable energy in Northern Ireland.

ULSTER Unionist MLA Basil McCrea has voiced his concern following an announcement today by Environment Minister Arlene Foster and her decision not to introduce an independent Environmental Protection Agency in Northern Ireland.