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.
If the Member were in any way aware of the issues in relation to ammonia, he would know that I inherited a situation in which, as was recently found by the Office for Environmental Protection, the Department had acted unlawfully. I am working through the issues. If we have a genuine desire to turn around the UK's…
Does the Member agree that, during COVID, the farmers stepped up and made sure that our families in Northern Ireland were fed, that they were a key and critical part of the fight against COVID, and that it is about time that the UK Government recognised the role that they play and how critical they are?
Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Members for tabling this important motion. Since coming into post at the start of the year, I have had numerous opportunities to hear at first hand the difficulties from a financial and well-being perspective that are faced by farm businesses that are suffering from…
The Member outlines the issue of air quality and ammonia in Northern Ireland and how my Department, as a statutory consultee, is replying to the relevant planning authorities on that. I am aware of those concerns. When I took on this ministerial office in February, I inherited a number of challenges, one of which is…
I am aware of the Member's Bill and am working to engage constructively with the Member on it. There are lots of good elements in the Bill, and we talked about those recently. I believe that we can work towards introducing the Bill in this mandate. As the Member knows, we have a multi-party Executive. It is an…
That is entirely untrue, Matthew, and you know that. You know that I am firmly committed to the environment in Northern Ireland. You know that I stand very strongly in support of our manifesto. However, I face significant challenges in this job, one of which is about how to bring people with us and improve our…
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to make a statement to the Assembly on my plans to review environmental governance in Northern Ireland. Environmental governance is about ensuring that the decisions we make about how we protect and enhance our natural and marine environment are effective. They could be…
The draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2024 That the draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2024 be approved.
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Member for raising this important constituency matter and the other Members for their contributions to the debate. At the outset, let me say that, towards the end of my speech I will address the changes to inheritance tax and the loss of earmarked funding from Westminster. I…
I thank the Member for his questions. As you are aware, those are discussions that I am having with my Executive colleagues. The pace that I run this marathon at has to be the pace that my Executive colleagues are prepared to join me at. I will continue to encourage others to follow at that pace. I am very ambitious…
The actions that I am taking on setting the way forward are entirely in line with the recommendations of the CCC. I sent a letter today to congratulate the new chief executive of that organisation.
What you are getting is resolute action from me on climate change, and that is why I have come to the Assembly today to outline the work that I am doing in relation to it. If the Member cared about this issue, as he pretends he does, he would have read the judgement fully and read my written ministerial statement on 9…
Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, I thank you for this opportunity to update the Assembly on progress on our commitments, arising from the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022. Today, world leaders are gathering in Baku, in Azerbaijan, for the twenty-ninth UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, otherwise…
Today, as we mourn the passing of Anna, I want to give thanks for a life of public service, and that has been outlined by many today. That public service included her role as head of the Chinese Welfare Association then as an MLA for South Belfast and Chair of the Environment Committee. We are so lucky that Anna chose…
The steps that I am taking forward are multifaceted: one relates to working with the Minister for Infrastructure on waste water infrastructure, which, as evidenced in today's Question Time, is a key issue; and another relates to river basin management plans. We are reviewing the current plans and taking into account…
The lack of investment in waste water infrastructure in Northern Ireland is having a severe impact on water quality. It is contributing to about 24% of the issues in Northern Ireland. That is why we need to invest in those areas. The lack of investment in waste water infrastructure is not just holding back…
I am not personally aware of any discussions, albeit I am not saying that they have not occurred. I will make enquiries, today, and write to the Member by the end of the week.
I am concerned about that. My Department has received correspondence and is considering the issue. I encourage people to consult their general practitioner and health officials, in the first instance, because, obviously, it is a public health issue. The Department is looking at the issue, and I know the concerns about…
I am firmly committed to a just transition. I made a bid, via the Department of Finance, to the UK Government for a just transition fund for agriculture. That was not met, last week, as part of the Budget, so I will be engaging with my Executive colleagues on that funding for next year. Whatever we do around climate…
We are progressing the third climate change adaptation plan and engaging with Executive colleagues on it. Alongside that, we are looking to set our first carbon budgets and to introduce our first climate action plan. They are absolutely critical interventions that we need to make for Northern Ireland. I engage…
Yes. That is something about which I talked recently with relevant organisations, and it is something that I wish to do. Obviously, we need to have a discussion with the Finance Minister about it, but multi-annual budgeting would be fantastic because it would allow us to plan for the future. Now that the Member has…
I am aware of that ongoing issue. I am meeting the previous Chair of the AERA Committee, Lord Elliott — he has not gone away, you know — tomorrow, in relation to these issues, because we need to get the grants out on time. I am concerned about the delays that occurred in the previous financial year, and I am keen that…