Simon Hamilton
Strangford · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I have emphasised to the Member and the House before, that, whilst I accept that those are not good enough — that is why we have been developing the plan — there are alternative technologies in place that can present opportunities for those who just cannot get acceptable speeds.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. There are some initiatives that I believe will help and act as a driver to improve broadband access. One such intervention is the broadband universal service obligation (USO), which is being taken forward by Her Majesty's Government.”
“I thank the Member for his question. However, he is conflating two issues. I wrote to his party leader, and indeed to all Assembly party leaders, before making the announcement that I did last week about wanting to publish the details of the businesses in receipt of the non-domestic RHI scheme. It was my intention to do that tomorrow.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Chancellor, in his autumn statement, made some more funding available for telecommunications, and my Department is studying that and seeking to avail itself of that to the fullest possible extent.”
“In addition, my Department is managing a contract for the delivery of the superfast rollout programme, which, by 31 December, will provide access to superfast broadband with speeds of at least 24 megabits per second to a further 38,000 premises, both business and residential, across Northern Ireland, including in the Newry and Armagh cons…”
“I signalled the intention to do this a few weeks ago. The Member and the House will know that inspections of all installations would have taken place over the 20-year lifetime of the RHI scheme.”
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“Work will continue to develop other routes, as well as trying to ensure that the United Airlines flight remains.”
“We were faced with a very difficult set of circumstances, as the Member will appreciate and understand. Back in the summer, with the threat of the imminent withdrawal of our only transatlantic flight, I took the decision, which was backed and supported by the First Minister, the deputy First Minister and indeed other Members in the House, that it was too important to Northern Ireland to let it go and lose it. We obviously offered the support that we did. I took a very clear view very quickly that Northern Ireland needed to retain its only direct transatlantic route, but I also take the view, as I mentioned in response to other Members, that we need to work very hard to ensure that it is not our only transatlantic route or direct long-haul route to key strategic markets.”
“It is disappointing that, with the exception of a few charters, that has not yielded a permanent long-haul route over and above the United Airlines flight to Newark. Clearly, work continues to target key routes into places like Canada and the Middle East, as I have mentioned. I will continue to do that and to have all the conversations that I possibly can to try to attract various airlines. Indeed, I have already had some. <BR /> <BR />I think that APD should be scrapped. It works against peripheral regions like Northern Ireland. It is incumbent upon Her Majesty's Government to do in Northern Ireland what they have done with the highlands and islands of Scotland and scrap it specifically for that. They should take the burden for doing that, having introduced it in the first place.”
“<BR /> <BR />In recent times, we have attracted direct flights to Brussels and Amsterdam out of the City Airport and to Berlin and Milan out of the International Airport. There has been success in attracting routes, particularly into key markets. It was interesting that, when I was up at the International Airport welcoming the Berlin route, there were as many people coming from Germany to Northern Ireland as going out to it. It was not one of these routes whereby people leave Northern Ireland, spend their money there and come back; it was one where there was two-way traffic. <BR /> <BR />Those routes have been secured in spite of air passenger duty, which has obviously been waived at a cost to the Executive for long-haul flights.”
“I think that I counted about three questions there, Mr Speaker. I will try my best to answer them in the time that is available to me. <BR /> <BR />Again, there is a perception, perhaps, that we are not doing well in attracting air routes. We have always got to remember that this is a small region with a population of 1·8 million. It will be difficult to attract and have the volume of traffic, whether that be from tourism or trade, to justify routes to all parts of the world. That is why it is important that we are strategic in seeking routes to important areas. That is why I said in response to Mr Robinson's question that the Middle East is a gateway to that broader region and, indeed, into the Far East. It is an incredibly important place that we should be working on.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Member referred to our "intervention", and, over the last number of months, I came to a quick and firm view that, while these airports are not our responsibility — they are private entities that are not in our ownership — we as an Executive need to be a little bit more interventionist sometimes and not heed the advice of others. We need to be directly involved in trying to attract routes to Northern Ireland. It is my experience that, if we are not involved, we do not win; everybody else is getting directly involved and intervening. If Northern Ireland does not see its airports as strategic assets, we will not win, succeed or increase connectivity, and nor will we get the benefits in inbound tourism or trade that we hope for and expect.”
“The Member will know better than me of the challenges facing that airport over the last number of years. It was regrettable that Ryanair pulled out of City of Derry, albeit moving a lot of operations to Belfast International, which bolsters that airport. Clearly, we want connectivity to be maintained into the north-west, which is why the Executive were innovative and bold in doing what we did and in putting a mixed package of support forward for City of Derry Airport. We want to work very closely with it and the council. There has been a lot of contact with the council over the last number of weeks to try to attract in another airline or several airlines to solidify and affirm the position of City of Derry Airport and increase connectivity from the region.”
“I want to make sure that we are talking to key decision makers in those airlines over the coming months. Contact was made in the past, but I want to ensure that, as they seek to expand further, they hear from Belfast and City of Derry about tourism and trade potential in Northern Ireland.”
“They see the huge potential of exporting into the region, as we discussed in our debate on trade and exports yesterday. Whilst there are other connections that they can take, they know that there is huge potential not only for tourism — Middle East tourists tend to be very high spenders and travel in large groups — but for business. If we had a direct connection to the Middle East, there would be huge opportunities to grow trade as a result. <BR /> <BR />I am fully aware of the importance of air links, and not just from the point of view of tourism, outbound or inbound: routes with bigger planes, in particular, are hugely important for boosting trade. We made some very useful contacts when we were in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, both of which are home to major airlines that continue to grow.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I was pleased that the Executive were able to come forward with a package of support for City of Derry Airport, which is an incredibly important gateway to the north-west. Whilst the airport has had some difficulties, I hope that the package will attract in a new airline or airlines and enhance connectivity to the north-west. <BR /> <BR />The short answer to the Member's question on whether I used the opportunity of my visit to the Middle East last week to promote and to seek to develop air connectivity to Northern Ireland is that I did. The issue came up, even without my pushing it, time and time again, particularly in conversation with people from Northern Ireland who are doing business in the Middle East.”
“Belfast has also been successful in its bid to host Routes Europe in April 2017; it is a major aviation conference that brings together decision makers from airlines, airports and tourism authorities. <BR /> <BR />My officials are in regular contact with all Northern Ireland's airports to support them in their route development endeavours. We are exploring all options to expand our air access by developing strategic links to promote economic and tourism development in Northern Ireland. I will consider any proposal for a route with business or inbound tourism potential that can benefit our economy.”
“I look forward to seeing that trend continue in line with economic conditions and seeing increased air connectivity from Northern Ireland. I welcome recent positive developments in the sector, including the establishment of a Ryanair base at Belfast International and the launch of a new connection to Brussels from Belfast City Airport.”
“Air connectivity is an important driver of economic growth in Northern Ireland and provides access to key markets for investment, exports and tourism. I am keen to support our airports to improve Northern Ireland's air connectivity, particularly where a route can provide benefits to the wider economy. For example, we have provided support to United Airlines to secure Northern Ireland's only transatlantic connection to the United States, and the Executive have announced a £7 million package for the north-west to assist with the development and growth of the City of Derry Airport. <BR /> <BR />I am encouraged by the recent growth of 8% in the number of passengers passing through Northern Ireland's airports in the year to March 2016.”
“We owe it to him and his legacy to continue with that work over the next number of years. <BR /> <BR />I do not have a musical note in my head, but I admire the dedication of the people in our marching bands, who, weekend after weekend and throughout the week, practise and then go out to display their talent. We should acknowledge it as something that people are dedicated to, and wonderful discipline comes from that. If there is a tourism benefit, as I believe there is, we should seek to exploit that to the maximum.”
“"The king of Carrickfergus", somebody said. That is probably a more appropriate title. <BR /> <BR />It is a great event. Perhaps the Member or others have encouraged this: they look at events on all sides of our culture that hit the headlines for the wrong reasons, but they are few and far between. The Member will be aware that a vast number — the overwhelming majority — of loyal order parades throughout the year pass off peacefully and without incident. Sometimes we forget that. That is particularly so around the Twelfth, 13 July and other significant dates in our marching season. They are family events and have been increasingly so over the last number of years, and that has been to do with the far-sighted vision and leadership of people such as Drew Nelson.”
“I am very familiar with the Orange pageant in Carrickfergus. I have attended it a couple of times over the last number of years. It is a great day out, a great family day out. I also attend it to see David Hilditch dressed in period costume. Members, it is worth it for that alone. I encourage Members on all sides of the House to attend just to see David dressed as the Mayor of Carrickfergus, which, of course, he was in recent times.”
“That is another thing that adds to our overall tourism product. <BR /> <BR />The Member is right to identify that that will come at some cost, and I have been considering that cost with officials. I have not yet put a final figure on that, and it will obviously depend on what resources are available. A sector proven to be doing well is one that the Executive and, indeed, the Assembly as a whole would want to support, particularly if there is a bold, ambitious and forward-looking tourism strategy that we can all follow.”
“The Member is right that the Department is in the process of developing a tourism strategy for Northern Ireland. I want it to be ambitious. In the last number of years, we have seen significant growth in our tourism sector. In the last year, we recorded the highest ever level of external visitors to Northern Ireland, and I want to push on and build on that recent success. That will require some bold vision for tourism in Northern Ireland. We already have some fantastic products, such as Titanic Belfast and the Giant's Causeway, and lots of other parts of our tourism infrastructure have been developing positively and attracting people from around the world. We need to be bold and imaginative with hotels and air links and how we can further develop our infrastructure. It was great to see the Heaney HomePlace opening last week.”
“I am sure that the Member will agree with me that we should celebrate all our culture in Northern Ireland. People from outside Northern Ireland are interested in our culture, and, through Tourism NI and, indeed, Tourism Ireland, we have been trying to market and promote that so that, regardless of what part of the world people are from and what their family background is, there is something here that they will be interested in. We want that to be developed, professional and world-class, and we want there to be something for everyone. I am sure that the Member would agree that we must do that. It must also be part of any tourism strategy.”
“I mentioned some of the areas in which support had been given through Tourism NI, but support has also been given to the Belfast Tattoo, which is a hugely successful event now — it is now almost a fixed event in our calendar — as well as various pipe band championships. Some people maybe have a fixed view — an unfortunately fixed view — of marching bands, but the Member and other Members will appreciate that it goes much broader. It is quite a broad and expansive culture, and I am pleased that Tourism NI has continued to support it. I want it to do a lot more of that and develop it much further into the years ahead.”
“I absolutely agree with the Member. He is right: it is not entirely my Department's responsibility or duty to develop the tourism potential of either marching bands or Ulster-Scots heritage and culture. It spans a lot of Departments. The Member mentions the Department for Communities, and I am glad that the Minister for Communities has reintroduced the scheme to support the purchase of musical instruments by marching bands. I think that is around £200,000 a year. <BR /> <BR />The Member is right about the need to work with the Ulster-Scots Agency, and we have a very good relationship with it in the Department and through Tourism NI. I have already had some discussions during my time in office about how we can expand the potential.”
“It is a huge event that is very successful already, and I look forward to working with the Royal Black Institution to take it further.”
“You have the sham fight taking place in a lovely setting in what is a beautiful village for it. That potential is measured by the fact that, in 2015 and again in 2016 — the Member knows Scarva very well: it is a very small village — around 100,000 people visited Scarva on 13 July. It is an event with huge numbers, and that brings with it huge potential. That is why, in the 2015-16 financial year, Tourism NI backed the event for the first time to the tune of £20,000, with a further £15,000 this year. It is why we are using it to market the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink as well. I want to see that potential developed further with infrastructure, particularly around car parking and perhaps seating for the event, and I want to try to attract tour buses to get people to Scarva for the day.”
“Mr Speaker, if I may, I want to put on the record my sadness at the passing of Drew Nelson, which we learned of in the past 24 hours. A lot of the positive work being taken forward by the Orange Institution and the loyal orders owes a lot to Drew, particularly the development of the tourism potential of the institution and our loyal orders. If it had not been for Drew and his leadership, that would not have happened. We mourn his passing and will certainly miss his leadership in the Orange Institution and the wider family of loyal orders. <BR /> <BR />To answer Mr Anderson's question, there is huge potential for Scarva, which is a very special event. The Member will be able to testify that it is an excellent day out. The best marching bands from across Northern Ireland and further afield come to Scarva on 13 July.”
“I encourage any marching bands that are interested in showcasing themselves to a tourism market to apply to this fund, providing that they meet the criteria.”
“This event and Twelfth of July celebrations and Orangefest were promoted on the Tourism Northern Ireland website discovernorthernireland.com. <BR /> <BR />Research tells us that international visitors are interested in our heritage and culture. Potential visitors to Northern Ireland are already looking for information to inform their travel decisions for 2017. It is therefore important that marching bands are integrated into the local tourism offer and to make sure that they are included in the 'What's On' events guide so that they can become a valuable part of the overall tourism experience. Funding is available through the Tourism NI events fund, which is currently open for applications.”
“Since 2006, Tourism Northern Ireland has been working with the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland to help maximise the tourism potential of the flagship Twelfth parades. Tourism NI has worked in partnership with the flagship parades to provide tailored world host training. This training was specifically designed to facilitate engagement between marching bands and visitors. The aim was to equip parade participants with local product knowledge to enable them to maximise the tourism opportunity arising from local parades. This year, the Royal Black Institution's 13 July event at Scarva received support through the National Tourism Events Sponsorship Scheme and leveraged further funding through the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink tourism events scheme.”
“They held a number of clinics to provide advice and support around job seeking, interview techniques, CV development and the sort of things that you would expect, as well as to provide information packs to guide them through what was a very difficult time for them. <BR /> <BR />As I mentioned in response to Mr O'Dowd, 57 staff have taken voluntary redundancy, three have been redeployed within the group, and 10 have been retained as a skeleton staff to maintain the factory. I understand that some of those who have taken voluntary redundancy have found employment elsewhere, particularly in the agri-food sector in the locality. We will continue to work with those staff and ensure that all of that support is available to them on an ongoing basis so that they can get back into the world of work as quickly as possible.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I put on record my praise for her for being quick off the mark and inviting me down to her constituency to meet management from Lakeland Dairies. We did that a couple of days after the news first broke. The Member was there and can testify that all sorts of offers of support and assistance were made to the company, and those remain very much on the books. <BR /> <BR />My first priority is not to condemn the company but to ensure that the staff working at the Banbridge plant get all the support that they require in what is a very difficult time for them. Almost immediately, the employment services and Careers Service in my Department engaged with the staff at the Banbridge plant.”
“It is very easy for us to sit here and condemn them without understanding the entirety of what they had to deal with. My job is, first, to work with the now former employees to make sure that they have all the support that they require, but it is also to try to work with the company and indeed other companies to ensure that an agri-food sector in Northern Ireland that has been buoyant continues to flourish.”
“Those are very strong terms from the Member, and she is of course free to use those terms if she wants. I am not going to get into the business of condemning any business. I am concerned, and that is why I got involved in the issue immediately on hearing the news. I have concerns about how this has worked out and developed over recent months. I wanted to get involved directly in it and make that offer to the company that the support that was on the books was still there and, indeed, said that we would look at further support if that was something that the company wanted to avail itself of. I am not going to get into the business of condemning any company for decisions that they make when we are not in their position and cannot look at the fullness of the situation that they face.”
“<BR /> <BR />As for rumours or talk in the local area, that is not something that I have heard, and it is certainly not what I have heard directly from the company. My understanding is that 10 employees have been retained on-site as a skeleton staff to keep the plant ticking over for the winter period before seasonal work comes back next year. That is what I have been told. The fact that 10 staff have been retained at least points positively in that direction, and clearly we will continue to engage, at my level and at an official level, with Lakeland Dairies to ensure that they do what they say they will do. If there is any further support that they want to avail of, we will meet that with a positive response by engaging with them to see whether there is anything we can do.”
“I thank the Member for his question. He is right to point out, and I sought to do this in my answer, that we have made offers of support and that there is a history of making and remaking offers of support. In the meeting that I had with Mr Hanley immediately after the announcement, whilst looking into the history of the issue, I made it clear to him directly face to face that we would be prepared to look at the offer again, do whatever was required, and perhaps even enhance the support if it would secure employment at the Banbridge plant. That was not met with a favourable response on that occasion, not least because the scale of investment required in the plant far exceeds what the group is prepared to engage in.”
“Since the announcement of the consultation period, the employment service in my Department has actively engaged with Armaghdown Creameries. Out of the 70 employees, 57 have taken voluntary redundancy and three are being redeployed in the group.”
“Following that announcement, Invest NI had extensive communication with Fane Valley regarding the implementation of the investment and amending the offer to allow the new proposed joint-venture company to avail of its support. An amendment to the offer was issued to Fane Valley in March 2016, allowing it to draw down the offer upon completion of the joint venture. <BR /> <BR />In May 2016, Invest NI became aware that the proposed joint venture had become a sale, with Lakeland Dairies acquiring Armaghdown Creameries and the milk pool outright. I, and my officials in Invest NI, have met Lakeland Dairies and offered to novate the letter of support on several occasions since then. In August, Lakeland Dairies announced a 30-day consultation on ceasing production in the winter months.”
“I met with Mr Michael Hanley, the chief executive of Lakeland Dairies, in the immediate aftermath of the announcement regarding the Banbridge plant. In June 2014, Invest NI offered Armaghdown Creameries financial assistance of £750,000 in support of a £15·6 million capital investment project, which primarily involved the installation of equipment to enable the heat treatment of milk powder, the manufacture of products featuring low spores, and extending the shelf life of its product portfolio. Only £70,000 of the offer has been drawn down. <BR /> <BR />In August 2015, it was announced that Lakeland Dairies and the Fane Valley Group were in discussions to create a dairy joint venture with a view to enhancing economies of scale, improving efficiencies, and helping to underpin milk prices for dairy farmers.”
“No, I will not give way. <BR /> <BR />As we strive to become a globally competitive economy, I assure the supporters of the motion and the House as a whole that, in my role as Minister for the Economy, I will do all in my power to assist our exporting companies to succeed internationally and deliver for the people of Northern Ireland. I found the debate to be useful; I have no hesitation therefore in supporting the motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />I conclude by again recognising and celebrating the export success of local companies over the past year, as witnessed in the latest figures. Northern Ireland has fantastic companies across all sectors producing goods and services of the highest quality that can compete with businesses anywhere in the world. Globally, there are huge opportunities. We should have the ambition, confidence and self-belief to grasp them.”
“Creating the economy that we aspire to requires partnership between the public and private sectors. Our role in central and local government is to provide the framework and conditions that enable our companies to flourish and grow. For those that already export, Invest NI is increasing its support for market visits to ensure that businesses are able to strengthen existing relationships through the trade accelerator plan. That support will include assistance for more country visits and access to Invest NI's team of advisers based in countries around the world. For those that are yet to take the first step and begin exporting, Invest NI is enhancing its programme of support for first-time exporters, looking at our closest markets in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.”
“We have come through one of the worst recessions on record; we are forging ahead with plans for the introduction of reduced corporation tax; and we are on the cusp of an exciting new era for the United Kingdom. When and where doors are opened to new trading relationships and emerging markets, Northern Ireland must be ready to seize the opportunities. My Department's Export Matters action plan sets out our ambitions for growing exports with three main targets: to increase the volume of external sales by 80% by 2025; to increase the number of our companies engaged in external sales to 16,000 by 2025; and to increase the geographical diversity of our export markets. Key to achieving those targets is enabling the companies already active overseas to be more successful and supporting those not yet selling overseas to become export-active.”
“Growing our exports is a critical element of growing local business and transforming Northern Ireland into a globally competitive economy. It enables our economy to better withstand economic shocks and helps to ensure that everyone in Northern Ireland can contribute to and reap the benefits of growth. To do that, we must strive to be more competitive in everything that we do. Enhancing our competitiveness is an important element in supporting long-term economic growth. Being better than before is obviously laudable, but I make no apologies for believing that we should strive to be the best exporter amongst comparator regions. We need to know that we are forging ahead of similar small advanced economies. That is the true measure of competitiveness. <BR /> <BR />The opportunity exists now to transform our economy.”
“<BR /> <BR />I believe that the latest export figures show that the Executive strategy of focusing strongly on exports and supporting businesses to expand into new markets is working. However, we cannot stand still, and I want us to build on the success of this latest rise in exports by helping Northern Ireland to become an increasingly outward-looking trading region. There are still far too few companies exporting from Northern Ireland, and I believe that we are capable of much more.”
“<BR /> <BR />Clearly, as well as expanding our export opportunities with emerging markets, we will want to continue to trade with Europe. I was recently in Germany and found business there still to be very interested in investing in Northern Ireland. Germany is Northern Ireland's fourth biggest trading partner, as measured by exports and imports. We import around £100 million more in goods than we export to Germany. I am confident that, as a pragmatic nation, Germany, which dominates the EU, will want to ensure that future trading arrangements do not jeopardise its huge volume of exports to the United Kingdom. <BR /> <BR />I will continue to work closely with Dr Liam Fox, whom I have already engaged with, to ensure that Northern Ireland benefits from the new trading opportunities that Brexit will bring.”
“Securing trade deals with states and regions outside the EU should be our future focus, learning the lesson of, for example, the free trade agreement between Singapore and the Gulf Cooperation Council, which has seen an increase in trade of about 30% between the two since the commencement of the agreement just a few years ago. That is why our Invest NI developing markets and emerging/frontier markets are dominated by destinations outside the EU, such as Canada, the Middle East, Australia, India, south-east Asia, South Africa and Nigeria. To reflect that, our Invest NI trade mission calendar will focus heavily on markets such as Canada, China, Peru, Columbia, Mexico, the Middle East, Malaysia and Singapore over the next year.”
“In comparison, average GDP growth in the United Arab Emirates between 2000 and 2015 was 4·7%; in China, between 1989 and 2016, it was 9·82%; in Indonesia, between 2000 and 2016, it was 5·3%; and in Brazil, between 1991 and 2016, it was 2·72%. <BR /> <BR />We are all aware of the well-publicised and ongoing economic problems of the eurozone; we are probably less familiar with the diminishing competitiveness of the EU. The recently published World Economic Forum competitiveness index shows that 11 of the top 20 places are occupied by non-EU states, with non-EU states taking the top three positions.”
“It is the trend in the figures that is most interesting: EU markets, such as the Republic of Ireland and France, showed a 2·5% and 6·5% decrease respectively, while the US accounted for a staggering 74% increase over the last year. <BR /> <BR />Similarly, when we look at the trend in export figures by territory, Europe's trend is downward, while the Americas and Asia Pacific are upward. That reflects the fact that growth in the global economy is not being driven by Europe; it is being driven by the rest of the world, especially by the emerging markets. Between 1996 and 2016, average GDP growth in the European Union was a lowly 1·7%.”
“Our largest market for external sales outside our region is, of course, Great Britain. If you take manufacturing alone — I am using not HMRC figures but the wider figures that NISRA correlates — GB manufacturing accounts for £10 billion worth of sales outside this region. The ROI, by comparison, is £2·1 billion. That is a factor of five to one of a difference, a point made by Mr Allister in his contribution. <BR /> <BR />Of Northern Ireland's top 10 trading destinations, using the HMRC data, five are inside and five outside the EU. The five outside the EU include the US, our second biggest export destination, Canada, our third, as well as South Korea, China and Thailand. These non-EU markets account for 48% of exports and have been rising in our top-10 destinations.”
“<BR /> <BR />Trade is perhaps the area where the greatest number of opportunities arise from Brexit for the UK. I want us to continue to trade with the European Union post-Brexit. The nature of those trading arrangements will be determined by the upcoming negotiations, but we should use this once in a generation opportunity to be forward-thinking and outward-looking in our trade ambitions. If we look more closely at the aforementioned HMRC export statistics, we see that the greatest opportunities lie beyond the borders of the EU and that, while the EU accounts for a large chunk of Northern Ireland's exports, it is not perhaps as dominant as some would have us believe. <BR /> <BR />Mr Allister and Mr Lyons made the distinction between external sales and exports; that is an important distinction.”
“<BR /> <BR />Aspects of the proposed amendments to the motion predictably, given their source, focus on the impact of the democratic decision of the people of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. It is hard to take seriously the predictions of doom and gloom for Northern Ireland exports that emanate from the same people who predicted immediate doom and gloom for the UK economy after June's referendum. We all know that there are challenges for the UK as a whole and Northern Ireland in particular as a consequence of Brexit. The Executive continue to work closely with local business to identify these challenges and with Her Majesty's Government to secure the best possible deal for Northern Ireland, including securing the best possible deal on trade.”
“I will be engaged with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry at one of its Export First events in early November. Indeed, November is Exporting is GREAT month so there will be a renewed focus on exports in that month. <BR /> <BR />My role and that of my Department is to help open international doors for Northern Ireland companies, and, in the months ahead, I intend to work in close cooperation with our network of Invest NI teams around the globe and in concert with colleagues in the new Department for International Trade to expand our exports and build on the success that we have seen reflected in the latest figures. We are on the cusp of exciting times for the United Kingdom, and I am determined to ensure that Northern Ireland is perfectly placed to take advantage of the opportunities that the years ahead will present.”