All of Mr Andrew Muir’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
That is an important issue, Patsy. The DAERA Direct offices, for example, are really important. It is important that my departmental headquarters are in the north-west and that a number of staff are able to base themselves there whilst having the flexibility to work from home. It is important that we serve all our…
First, thank you for that, Patsy. I am thick-skinned enough to be able take some of the comments that were aimed at me. They were a bit shocking: I have not seen anything like that since the '90s. Some of the comments about foreign nationals who are working in our agri-food sector were beneath contempt, and it is…
The puppy-smuggling trade in Northern Ireland commonly involves rogue dog breeders and puppy traffickers attempting to transport low-welfare pups via the two main ferry ports in Northern Ireland to be offered for sale in Great Britain. My Department created the Paws for Thought multi-agency group in 2020 to coordinate…
Thank you very much for your question, and thank you for your kind comments. An independent resilience review was undertaken, and, as far as I am aware, it is on our website. Hopefully, it will outline a bit more on the evaluation of the importance of shows in Northern Ireland. The review was given full consideration,…
Thank you very much for your question, Gary, and thank you for your kind comments. DAERA generally has a presence at those shows, and I think that that presence is warmly welcomed. They are a good opportunity for engagement with the agriculture community, and we will continue that engagement alongside the support that…
Provision of funding for local shows is not a statutory obligation under the Agriculture Act (Northern Ireland) 1949, and opportunities for financial support in the form of discretionary sponsorship are extremely limited. One such potential opportunity for funding exists under the Northern Ireland regional food…
Thank you very much, Connie. Your comments are very much appreciated. The scheme will align with those in England, Scotland and the South of Ireland. Wales has decided to do its own thing, and I have meeting with Welsh officials on the matter afterwards. It is good that there will be North/South alignment, and,…
Thank you very much, Mark, and thank you for your kind comments. It is important for you to say that, and I appreciate it. The deposit return scheme will be positive. There is a value in the products that are being returned, so that will help people to understand the scheme's financial viability going forward. There…
I am pleased to report that, alongside the EFRA Secretary of State, I approved the appointment of the UK Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) on 6 May as the operator of the deposit return scheme (DRS) in England and Northern Ireland. Subject to parliamentary approval, it has also been designated as the DRS scheme…
The carrier bag levy income is used to fund environmental projects, and each project is assessed against the environmental benefits that it can deliver. While all the projects and their benefits are too numerous to list today, I would like to highlight just a few examples. The levy funds the reuse and repair…
It has made a contribution. In the greater scheme of what we can do on household recycling, it is not that significant, but it has an important role to play not just in recycling but in reducing waste going into, for example, our marine environment, which is something that we want to deal with. There is a wider sphere…
I welcome the success of the carrier bag levy, which, since its introduction in 2013, has already removed approximately 2·4 billion bags from circulation across Northern Ireland. Our carrier bag levy is the most extensive of its kind across the UK and extends to bags of all materials, not just plastic bags. The…
Thank you, Matthew, for your kind comments. Some of the social media commentary from well-known personalities and the comments below that commentary — they are platforming it — do not reflect the farming community in Northern Ireland. The reception that I have had from all arts and parts in Northern Ireland has been…
Thank you very much, Robbie. It was really good to meet you and the Deputy Chair beforehand, and I thank you for your ongoing productive relationship with me and the Department. We have a challenge here. We have a crisis in water quality. It is not just Lough Neagh: Lough Erne and many other waterbodies across…
Thank you, Trevor, for your kind remarks. In the discourse around this and many other issues, it is much better to play the ball and not the player. There is a consultation on the issue. There are many good people across the Chamber for whom I have a lot of respect, and we can debate these things. Let us find a way…
Thank you for your kind comments. They are appreciated. A regulatory impact assessment has already been undertaken, and we will undertake an economic impact assessment. Let us be very clear: my agenda is not about herd reduction; it is about financial and environmental sustainability. The outcome from the meeting this…
Thank you, Michelle. There is a requirement arising from the Lough Neagh action plan and the environmental improvement plan. There is also a requirement in law to review the nutrients action programme. We are undertaking a consultation on draft proposals. No final decisions have been taken. As I have always stated, it…
I am delighted that protecting Lough Neagh is a key priority in the Programme for Government 2024-27. It reinforces the need for the implementation of the science-led actions in the Lough Neagh action plan. We need collective action and support to continue on that journey. I am pleased to report that, of the 37…
There is a lot of misinformation that relates to the question that was posed by Mr Gaston. The proposals are in draft; no final decisions have been taken. I am blue in the face from saying that. It is not about doing what he outlined. It is about ensuring financial and environmental sustainability, which go hand in…
I am very conscious that granting those licences is a regulatory decision that sits with the Department for the Economy. I have to respect the process that is followed in relation to that. If the Member wishes to write to me about specific concerns around greenhouse gas emissions and that issue, I would be happy to…
As Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, I worked with my Executive colleagues to make a bid to the UK Government for a just transition fund for agriculture. That bid was not successful in the Budget that came out at the end of October last year. I was not defeated. I worked on it, and I was able to…
Your tabled question for oral answer was about the climate action plan, which relates to greenhouse gas emissions. I will give people their say on that. There is a requirement to undertake a 16-week consultation as part of doing that. Once I get Executive agreement, we will go out to consultation on the climate action…
The policies and proposals for consultation included in the draft climate action plan that relate to livestock focus on improving cattle productivity and harnessing the benefits of genetics and dietary interventions, not herd reduction. Improvements in livestock productivity are encouraged through a combination of the…
I have been engaging significantly with the UK Government. On the day of the agreement and in the days following, I had meetings with the UK Government, and I will continue to do that. It is important, as it is turned into a legal text, that the needs of Northern Ireland are shaped. I will also be in Brussels next…
We already have access to the single market for goods, including agri-food, and there has already been significant cooperation on an all-island basis. For example, the dairy industry has been able to take advantage of the benefits of the Windsor framework around access. The agreement is a reset in relations between…