John Blair
South Antrim · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“It supports the Department's role in enforcement by ensuring that animal welfare standards are being upheld. At their core, the regulations are based on prevention, accountability and transparency.”
“I, like others, rise as a member of the AERA Committee in support of the regulations, which seek to make CCTV mandatory in our slaughterhouses. I do not intend to repeat all of the relevant points that have been covered by the Committee Chair and Committee colleagues.”
“<BR /> <BR />I recognise the work of my colleague the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, who is using the powers within his remit to help mitigate climate change.”
“I rise as chair of the all-party group on climate action to address the extreme heatwave that is forecast to hit mainland UK, including a rare red weather warning, with temperatures forecast to be as high as 40°C. It is yet another reminder that climate change is not a distant future risk that we can brush under the carpet.”
“They place pressure on our health service, disrupt transport and infrastructure, reduce productivity and threaten food production, water supplies and biodiversity. If such events continue to grow in severity and frequency, the cost to our communities, our local economy and our natural environment will only rise.”
“I thank the member of the Commission for that reply. It is good to hear that those reviews take place, of course. However, further to the information that was presented, will there be an ongoing review of the continuous improvement plan, and will that information be available to Members?”
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“I thank the First Minister for her reply. We are still awaiting not only an international relations strategy but the promised Europe strategy. Given evidence that the UK is pivoting closer to the European Union and its economic area, should those strategies not be addressed urgently rather than be left on the shelf?”
“<BR /> <BR />A more sustainable and resilient Northern Ireland is within our reach if we choose to grasp it. That means trusting the evidence, backing the businesses and organisations with the expertise to deliver, and creating the policy framework that allows innovation to flourish rather than stifling it. Therefore, I thank the Ulster Unionist Party for bringing the important motion to the House today. I support its call for action on biomethane and anaerobic digestion as a strategy for Northern Ireland.”
“The crisis at Lough Neagh is a well-known example in my constituency of South Antrim of what happens when we fail to manage nutrients properly, when we fail to protect our waterways and when we allow short-term thinking to trump long-term sustainability. <BR /> <BR />Of course, the motion is also, in some respects, aspirational in nature. That is not intended to be a criticism of the motion. The workload and resources required to develop such a strategy would fall on Departments that are already under severe pressure. Resource and budgetary constraints are real and ever-present, and we hear about them here daily. Executive support will also be required, as will effective interdepartmental working, which we all know has too often proved challenging to achieve.”
“That is exactly the kind of practical science-led innovation that we should be backing in the Assembly. That work is already producing tangible progress. To date, the farm-to-export project has reportedly removed more than 10,000 tons of organic solids from farms, reducing the need for imported feed and nitrogen fertiliser and producing more than 6 GWh of renewable gas. <BR /> <BR />However, this is not just about energy and economics; it is fundamentally about protecting our environment and honouring our climate commitments. Northern Ireland has already seen far too clearly what happens when we ignore our natural environmental limits.”
“As with any developing method, the research and evidence must be there to ensure that it can deliver and that it is sustainable and economically viable. <BR /> <BR />Successful bidding companies for that project have been awarded £4 million over three years to help Northern Ireland's agriculture sector reduce excess phosphorus from livestock slurry as part of the Lough Neagh action plan. When visiting an AD plant near Dundonald, not far from here, Minister Muir described it as a "significant milestone" in delivery. He also noticed its potential to radically change the way in which nutrients are managed by the farming community, provide a sustainable future for our agri-food sector and offer an excellent example of green growth in action through emissions reductions, environmental improvements and green job opportunities.”
“Whilst we have treated much of that as a problem to be managed, we need to see it as a resource to be harnessed. Therefore, Alliance sees that Northern Ireland lacks a clear cross-departmental strategy to bridge the gap between where we are and where we need to be on biomethane and anaerobic digestion. However, any strategy must be adequately funded and must help farmers meet their environmental obligations in a practical and realistic way. It must be grounded in scientific evidence and shaped by innovation, not by short-term thinking. The AERA Minister has always been open to new and innovative ideas that are guided by scientific evidence. That is why the Minister has supported research on anaerobic digestion through the small business research initiative on the sustainable utilisation of livestock slurry.”
“I am pleased to speak as Alliance AERA spokesperson to support the motion on clean biomethane for Northern Ireland's energy, food and environmental security. I welcome the motion, especially following the backward-looking motion from the DUP, last week, on climate. That motion sought to cling to climate denial, but this motion looks ahead to how Northern Ireland can secure our energy future, support our farmers, protect our natural environment and build real resilience into our economy. <BR /> <BR />The motion states:”
“Given the uncertainty around the budgetary demands on the Mobuoy issue and the constraints on budgets more generally, can the Minister give us any information on his Department's financial outlook under the proposed three-year Budget and how that relates to those issues?”
“What engagement has the Minister had with AFBI regarding the issues covered in the statement?”
“I really appreciate the Member's giving way. I hope that she accepts that I genuinely could not do so for her earlier because the clock was against me, and I showed that it was. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Member for taking the intervention and ask her this in good faith. If I accept, as I do, that she thinks that the road is being held up by the Climate Change Act — her colleague said earlier that that road had been held up for 10 years — may I ask for the rationale for that? If the road has been held up for 10 years and the Act came in four years ago, how can we account for the other six years during which it was held up?”
“Businesses are cutting emissions; farmers are adopting more nature-friendly practices; and community groups and young people are campaigning for cleaner air, active travel and restored habitats. The public want greener options and innovative solutions. We must listen to them and act accordingly. Recent research carried out by the RSPB in February clearly indicates public opinion. Some 86% of respondents believe that the Executive should do more, not less, to restore nature and fight climate change. That 86% figure directly contradicts the stance expressed by the DUP in the motion. Therefore it will not surprise the House to hear that we will vote against the motion.”
“I cannot, at this point; I really am going to run out of time. <BR /> <BR />A net zero Northern Ireland is a vision for a better, healthier, more prosperous Northern Ireland. The transition will be challenging. It will require upfront investment, new skills, better planning and support for those most exposed to change, but the status quo is not an option. The cost of inaction will dwarf the cost of acting now. <BR /> <BR />Of course, reaching net zero is not the responsibility of the AERA Minister alone; it requires commitment from every Department and, crucially, political will from the Assembly. That means putting a firm stop to the stop-start government that has led to wider delays in climate policy coming forward. While we debate, people outside the Chamber are getting on with it.”
“Across the EU and beyond, Governments are investing in clean technologies, renewable energy, green skills and nature restoration because they see clear evidence that those investments create resilient jobs, attract investment and future-proof their economies. If we row back now, Northern Ireland will not save money. We will simply fall further behind. Businesses, including farms, are already innovating by using precision agriculture, restoring peatlands, investing in renewables and cutting waste and emissions. Our job is to support and accelerate that innovation, not undermine it with mixed messages from the Assembly.”
“That is a gross evasion of the facts. The Climate Change Committee reports that each pound invested in net zero generates between £2 and £4 in benefits, including decreased fuel imports, reduced energy costs and the prevention of climate damage. Additionally, the Economy Department has indicated that research shows that there are currently over 100,000 jobs in Northern Ireland's green sector, with a potential to grow another 58,000 by 2035.”
“Thank you. I am sure that the Member, like me, has ample evidence in his constituency inbox that shows the demand for high-quality active travel. However, the way in which active travel has been put in the motion misunderstands a modern, efficient transport system that reduces congestion, cuts emissions, improves air quality and relieves pressure on the health service by helping to tackle obesity, heart disease and poor mental health. Alliance is proud to defend investment in active travel and to stand alongside groups, such as the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, that know that increased active travel options benefit everyone. <BR /> <BR />I turn to the motion's claim about the alleged burden of net zero on ratepayers, householders and farmers.”
“Absolutely. I thank the Member for the intervention.”
“From the green growth strategy to the environmental improvement plan, the Minister has shown how climate, biodiversity and green jobs can be integrated, rather than treated as competing priorities. The DUP motion goes further by criticising the legal requirement for a minimum spend on active travel and wrongly presents it as a barrier to road maintenance.”
“<BR /> <BR />The motion implies that the Climate Change Act is an obstacle to vital infrastructure such as the A5 and A4, yet the recent court judgement was clear that the problem was not the climate legislation but failures in planning and coordination across Departments. Climate law does not stop infrastructure; it demands better infrastructure that is properly assessed, consistent with emissions targets and aligned with a credible pathway to net zero. Furthermore, the motion attacks the draft climate action plan and implies that DAERA's work is an unjustifiable burden on farmers and households. In reality, the Minister has acted quickly to begin meeting our legal obligations and to place Northern Ireland on a more sustainable footing.”
“No. Not so early, and probably not given the time limits. <BR /> <BR />Climate change is not theoretical for the people of Northern Ireland. We already face more frequent and intense flooding, which causes damage to homes, farms and businesses. Our rivers and loughs are under pressure from rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and ecological stress. There are heavier downpours that overwhelm the drainage and sewerage systems. Just last week, we had reports of blue-green algal blooms appearing again in Lough Neagh. Those are not abstract concerns that we can brush under the carpet; they threaten public health, food security, tourism and our quality of life. Put simply: every delay to serious climate action means greater damage and higher future costs.”
“I speak on behalf of the Alliance Party to oppose the motion. Let us be honest about what the motion really is. It is not about better evidence, better value for money or better public services; it is about rolling back the climate commitments that the Assembly has already made in law and casting doubt, yet again, on the reality and urgency of the climate crisis. What we have here is Trumpian denial in one of its forms from the usual source. <BR /> <BR />As I have stressed in the Chamber on numerous occasions —”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for her reply. What conversations, if any, has she or the Executive Office had with the Home Office concerning the likelihood of further refugees coming to the UK from war zones?”
“The deputy First Minister referred to the Strategic Investment Board in her reply to the substantive question, and it came up again in answer to a supplementary question. What functions that the Strategic Investment Board currently holds might be transferred to an infrastructure commission? Has any preparatory work been done in that regard?”
“For those reasons, we hope that others in the Chamber will join us in urging:”
“In the Minister's response, she talked about the financial assistance that was recently announced by the UK Government as being simply insufficient. She also informed us that the renewable economy is worth over £1·4 billion. The Minister went on to acknowledge that it will be difficult to achieve targets but stressed that a number of strands of work can assist us in doing that. Perhaps all of us should be ambitious when it comes to those targets. <BR /> <BR />The Alliance motion is not just about meeting our legal climate targets; it is about the kind of society that we are trying to build, one that chooses clean air over pollution, resilience over vulnerability and long-term security over short-term convenience. Renewables are cheaper, cleaner and more secure. Fossil fuels are costly, polluting and unstable.”
“It is bizarre that she could not support the motion, which is trying to address that over-reliance on fossil fuels and global markets. Mark Durkan referenced fuel poverty, including that in his constituency of Foyle. He said that there was a need for a modern and resilient system. Sian Mulholland addressed similar points. Pádraig Delargy reminded us that:”
“Not at the moment, Mr Buckley, no. <BR /> <BR />I am sure that Mr Brett, being the reasonable guy that he is, would not expect me to try to solve that obsession for him. In responding to an intervention from one of his colleagues, he mentioned the need to deliver the North/South interconnector: that is the issue on which cross-party support should be available. He also mentioned that 30% of renewable energy is not reaching the network. Again, that is something on which, we should all agree, every effort should be made. <BR /> <BR />In moving amendment No 2, Colm Gildernew talked about the global scenario and the ongoing war in the Middle East. Diana Armstrong said that her party shares the concern about rising energy prices. She referenced overexposure to global energy markets and said that it was stark.”
“In moving amendment No 1, Phillip Brett talked about other parties having an obsession with net zero. I will venture to suggest that Hansard would probably back me up in saying that Mr Brett's party has mentioned net zero more often than any other party in the past days and weeks. I am sure that he would not, for a moment, expect me to be able to rectify that obsession.”
“<BR /> <BR />On the other hand, the Sinn Féin amendment rightly and undeniably emphasises the role of the Department for Communities as the body responsible for addressing fuel poverty and managing fuel support schemes. Supporting that amendment does not detract from the motion's core environmental goals; on the contrary, it reinforces them by reminding us that a just transition must bring people with it, especially those on lower incomes, those in poorly insulated homes and those already in or on the brink of fuel poverty. <BR /> <BR />I turn now to comments made by other Members. I will try not to repeat reflections that were made in the previous winding-up speeches. In proposing the motion, my colleague Kate Nicholl ably addressed the dependency on fossil fuels. That point is worth repeating right through the debate and beyond.”
“I thank the Member for the intervention. I will come to that and some aspects of his comments that, I think, should bring cross-party support if they do not already. <BR /> <BR />Whilst the Alliance Party is not suggesting that we pull the use of fossil fuels overnight, the DUP amendment frames fossil fuels as an inevitable reality of our future. By describing fossil fuels as an ongoing and essential part of the energy mix, it risks locking us into long-term dependence on the very fuels that cause the climate breakdown and expose our constituents to repeated price shocks. From both a climate and energy-security perspective, they can no longer be treated as a permanent pillar of our future system.”
“It reduces the air pollution that still damages public health in our towns and cities and cuts emissions in line with our legal obligations.”
“Despite the denials of some, it is not renewable energy that is driving climate breakdown but fossil fuels: coal, oil and gas, the very fuels on which we remain overdependent. The motion recognises that reality. It reaffirms that greater generation of renewable energy is the clearest and lowest-cost pathway not only to protecting our climate but to enhancing our energy security and deliver more stable and, ultimately, lower costs for consumers. That is why it is right that the motion prioritises renewables, North/South collaboration on infrastructure and interconnection and a credible comprehensive plan to end our reliance on fossil fuels. <BR /> <BR />A system that is dominated by domestic renewables shields us from volatile global fossil fuel markets and the geopolitical crises that drive price spikes.”
“I am sure that all of us have been contacted in the past few weeks by constituents who are not only concerned about the rising cost of fuel and what that means for their families but incredibly frustrated by the inconsistency of bills and the resulting inability to plan for the future because of that. While the focus on bills is, of course, important — no one here will deny that — what is arguably more crucial is addressing the underlying cause behind them, because, if we continue on our current path, we will face this crisis or similar crises again and again and our energy supplies will become pawns on the global stage, if they are not that already. <BR /> <BR />Our dependence on fossil fuels is not just an economic vulnerability but an environmental and climate emergency.”
“Principal Deputy Speaker, thank you. With your permission, I will begin by addressing the issue of Members here being called "zealots" for daring to have a difference of opinion with a Member over there. I make it clear, through you, Principal Deputy Speaker, that having a different opinion does not make me a zealot. It means that I have a different opinion, and the Member would do well to celebrate democracy and the freedoms within it, including difference, in the way that some of us can. <BR /> <BR />At the heart of the Alliance motion is the removal of our dependence on volatile imported fossil fuels that are driving fuel poverty and the climate crisis.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. I will try to tease out more detail from him, either today or in the forthcoming information. Does the Minister accept that, if we are serious about reducing complications from diabetes and improving outcomes, we need not just activity data but an accreditable audit framework that shows where care is working, where it is variable and where, therefore, improvement is needed.”
“I thank the Minister for that reply. On the subject of data, further to the question, given the BMA's warning that consultant vacancies may be significantly under-reported because only posts under active recruitment are counted, does he accept that decisions may be flawed if the data that he referenced previously understates the scale of need?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. In addition to the fact that the financial memorandum tells us in paragraph 19 that the Bill will have no impact and then tells us that an £11·4 million commitment will be required, does the Member accept that, in relation to the environment, which Members from his party have referenced, there is absolutely no commitment in the Bill? Zero. Zilch. Although those Members continue to refer to the environment, there are no commitments here at all. Does he agree, and does he accept that there should be?”
“I thank the Minister for her reply. I hope that she does not mind my asking for reassurance on the timelines. Given the significant range of policy area within the scope of the 'good jobs' Bill, what confidence can she give the House that there will be enough time in this mandate to introduce the Bill? Are there any draft timelines for doing so?”
“<BR /> <BR />Alliance will continue to work constructively with the Minister, farmers and stakeholders to ensure that all farmers — upland and lowland — are properly valued and supported and that our spending advances rural prosperity and environmental responsibility. For those reasons, the Alliance Party will vote against the Bill at Second Stage.”
“However, the Alliance Party cannot support the Bill at Second Stage, because the Alliance Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs already supports farmers in constrained areas through initiatives such as the farm support and development programme and the others that have been mentioned and because there is little evidence of land abandonment or a drop in productivity since previous ANC payments ceased. Further reasons not to support the Bill are its failures to integrate environmental standards at a time of climate and nature emergency and to offer a credible, sustainable funding plan to a Department with budgets that are already under intense pressure.”
“I note in that regard that the draft legislation provides for that inflationary uplift to ANC payments, whereas no other agriculture scheme enjoys a similar automatic uplift. <BR /> <BR />I am particularly concerned that funding might be diverted from beneficial and urgently needed programmes such as environmental improvement and animal welfare initiatives. Those are precisely the areas that we should be scaling up, not cutting. There is also, as I mentioned, the realistic prospect of a negative financial impact on other areas in the agri sector. <BR /> <BR />Opposing the Bill does not mean turning our backs on farmers in upland and constrained areas. I recognise the depth of concern among those farmers about their livelihoods, communities and the future of their family farms.”
“Departmental budgets are already seriously stretched, particularly in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. The explanatory and financial memorandum acknowledges that an ANC scheme would cost around £11·4 million per year, with costs rising over time to keep pace with inflation. To put that into context, that is more than double the amount ring-fenced each year for the restoration of Lough Neagh, which stands at around £5 million per annum. The Bill provides no new funding, and the Minister would therefore have to find the money in DAERA's existing, highly constrained, budget; indeed, that is acknowledged in the financial memorandum provided with the Bill. It would be irresponsible to sign up to a new, inflation-linked annual spend on that scale without being clear about where the funding comes from.”
“As a minimum, there should be clear conditions and standards around stocking densities, soil and peatland protection, water quality, habitat management and an explicit link to schemes such as Farming with Nature and to the new farm sustainability standards that the Minister intends to introduce in 2026. I am left wondering whether the Member was willing to work with the Minister to include some of those measures in the Bill in the first place. In the context of the climate and biodiversity crisis that I mentioned, we should help farmers in marginal, constrained areas to pivot towards maximising the delivery of environmental public good alongside sustainable food production, not locking in a blunt, area-based payment that simply recreates the old model. <BR /> <BR />That leads me to our next major concern: funding.”
“I will not give way again so soon. I hope that Members understand that. <BR /> <BR />Those factors lead to the next fundamental difficulty that Alliance has with the Bill: its complete lack of environmental safeguards. The Member's explanatory notes highlight the potential environmental benefits of upland and constrained farms, but the Bill reflects none of that. In the current context, that is not acceptable. Climate change has already affected Northern Ireland agriculture with more frequent extreme rainfall, flooding and unseasonal weather, impacting on farm incomes and viability. We also face serious challenges with ammonia and phosphorus pollution, the health of Lough Neagh and wider biodiversity decline. In that situation, the environment cannot be treated as an afterthought.”
“As I indicated at the start, I understand some of the principle behind the Bill and the challenges facing farmers in areas of constraint. In summary, a number of the points raised by the proposer of the Bill can be addressed by reference to or checking of the existing schemes and environmental initiatives that I mentioned a moment ago. <BR /> <BR />All farmers should be treated fairly, and there should be links to public support of wider environmental and climate responsibilities.”
“Together, those measures show that the Minister is already supporting farm businesses in constrained areas in a way that treats all farmers fairly and links public support to wider — I will give way to the Bill sponsor.”
“The Minister has made it clear that he does not intend simply to recreate an old, EU-style ANC scheme; instead, he has chosen to invest dedicated and ring-fenced funding of over £330 million a year in a comprehensive farm support and development programme. The new farm sustainability payment already provides support for agricultural activity across Northern Ireland, including in disadvantaged and constrained areas. Alongside that, there is the beef sustainability package, the emerging Farming with Nature package, the soil nutrient health scheme, the ruminant genetics programme, farming for carbon projects, the Farming for the Generations pilot, new knowledge transfer schemes, horticulture support, capital investment and supply chain initiatives.”
“We have no business pitting one group of farmers against another. The underlying rationale for ANC support is to maintain agricultural activity in constrained areas and to prevent land abandonment. However, there is no evidence that sticks of significant land abandonment in Northern Ireland nor of a particular drop in productivity since the previous ANC payments ceased following EU exit. Indeed, ANC payments were previously provided under ministerial direction and, then, as explained today, phased out. <BR /> <BR />Furthermore, it is important that we consider the Bill in the context of what the Department already delivers.”
“I begin by recognising the effort and dedication of the Member who has introduced the private Member's Bill. I am going through the same process, so I fully understand how challenging it can be. I also acknowledge the real difficulties faced by farmers in upland and other constrained areas. Harsh winters, shorter growing seasons, poor soils, higher input costs and higher infrastructure costs are among the challenges that they face. Where we differ with the Member is not in recognising the pressure on farmers in areas with natural constraints but on how best and most responsibly that pressure should be addressed. <BR /> <BR />From the Alliance Party's perspective, all farmers should be valued and supported, whether upland or lowland; whether large or small; and whether they specialise in livestock, crops or horticulture.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Given that the Barnett consequentials announced last week largely cover the reserve claim, albeit they are short by £20 million, will Departments benefit from that money throughout the period, or will it simply be absorbed by covering the repayments?”
“Every person in Northern Ireland has a role to play in making sure that their waste is disposed of correctly and recognising that what we throw away is, in fact, a valuable resource. Alliance will continue to show leadership at every level of government to ensure that Northern Ireland moves decisively towards higher rates of recycling, less waste and a genuine circular economy.”