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Mr Andrew Muir: Assembly records
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.
I thank the Member for her questions. I have lead responsibility for that legislation, but the overall responsibility falls to all Ministers. I am holding a number of bilateral meetings with Ministers. Last week, I met the Infrastructure Minister to discuss the obligations arising from the climate change legislation…
I thank the Member for her opening remarks. The Department is reeling after that. I think especially of Norman, who is grieving the loss. It is just very hard to comprehend, to be honest, and life will never be the same. We are working through the budget, and I have been looking at what we can allocate to Forests for…
There has been a continued increase in the number of dogs that have been registered and licensed as XL bullies. I recognise that that number is probably an underestimate, because people have to voluntarily identify the breed and register it. We are unique in Northern Ireland in having a licensing system that allows us…
I am aware of the concerns. I engaged with the USPCA before I made the announcement in the Chamber. I recognised that there would probably be a difference of opinion on it. I was presented with a public-safety issue and the current legislation. I know what the calls are from the organisations that you outlined: that…
It would be difficult for me to provide a written response, because it is not my responsibility. I am happy to write to the Member on the work that I have done on it. I consider it as important. In politics, we need to focus on solutions, and that is what I am focused on. Far too many people are focused on…
I am very aware of the concerns around this, which are raised with me regularly. That issue does not fit within my area of responsibility; it is the responsibility of the UK Government in their negotiations with the European Union. We know the protocol on engagement with the European Union, as set out by the Foreign,…
I am keen for the scheme to open as soon as possible. I have been engaging with officials on my budget. I am keen that there is an allocation for it and that we are able to launch it as soon as possible. I engaged with officials last week and on Thursday 25 April, which was the day of the Budget agreement. I will do…
I thank the Member for her question. I am very aware of the concerns about the impact of sand extraction on Lough Neagh, and I recently I met officials about it. In response to that, I have asked for a scientific review to be undertaken on the impact of sand extraction on the environment. As Minister, I will be guided…
I thank the Member for her question. The future management and ownership of Lough Neagh is a long-term issue. The focus is on short- and medium-term interventions, which Patsy McGlone questioned me about recently. I welcome the recently announced engagement by the Lough Neagh Partnership on the Lough Neagh heritage…
I bid for resource and capital funding for that. I received £1·6 million of capital but did not receive any resource. The budget allocation to my Department was disappointing, but I am not going to stop there. I am engaging with officials to see where we can reallocate resources in the Department so that we can put…
I thank the Member for his question. I am indeed, and that is why we need to move at pace on the issues with Lough Neagh. In the time ahead, I will continue to engage with my Executive colleagues on the adoption of an environmental improvement plan for Northern Ireland, because we need to take a strategic approach to…
Following the coming into force of the Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations 2024, implementation of the requirements of the Official Controls Regulations in Northern Ireland, which include documentary checks, is something that no longer sits within my ministerial responsibilities and now comes under the…
I am conscious that Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom yet to ban the third-party sale of pups and kittens. My officials have been exploring options for the regulation of the third-party sale of pups and kittens and are working at pace on developing options for my consideration. I will carefully…
I have listened to calls for the reform of animal welfare in Northern Ireland and carefully considered what is needed to enhance protections for our animals. Whilst I am determined to bring forward legislation on important animal welfare issues, I am cognisant of the time remaining in this mandate and what can be…
There is a lot that can be done by businesses. The transposition of the circular economy package into domestic legislation amended the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 and introduced a range of targets, including a 65% municipal recycling rate by 2035. That legislation also extended the…
I totally agree. I have a consultation under way in relation to recycling, and I will consult on a waste strategy. There is a lot that we need to do around this. Landfill results in a cost to councils and ratepayers. That is why we want to move to a much more sustainable way forward. I have confidence that we will do…
We are making good progress today. Despite having policy and legislation in place to divert resources up the waste hierarchy, too much of our waste ends up in landfill. From households, it is around 23% of waste, and, from businesses, it is even higher. I want to reduce waste generation through effective waste…
I am keen to ensure that there is that interoperability, and my officials are in regular contact with counterparts in Ireland, along with their scheme administrator, to learn lessons from their experience in setting up their scheme, which was launched in February. Stakeholders and business representatives from across…
On 25 April, I published a joint policy statement alongside Ministers in other UK nations. That provided an update on the positions that we have reached to aid interoperability and the smooth running of the DRS throughout the UK. The update was very much informed by input from stakeholders, which was undertaken in the…
I have been making representations to the UK Government and Minister Steve Baker. I sent a letter to Minister Steve Baker, and officials are in communication with the UK Government. There is a list of diseases that are covered as part of this. It is a long list, so I will place it in the Library so that people are…
I thank the Member for her supplementary question. No criticism was intended; apologies. I am conscious that the rate of infection is approximately 10% here in Northern Ireland, whereas it is 5% down South. I am particularly aware of the issues, for example, in Fermanagh. A number of interventions can be taken around…
Following the coming into force of the Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations 2024, implementation of the requirements of animal health law in Northern Ireland, including those relating to bovine TB, no longer sits within my ministerial responsibilities and now comes under the direction and control of the…