Andrew Muir
North Down · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. As Minister, I am grateful to the Chair of the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee and to Members from all sides of the Chamber for their consideration of the Bill and their contributions to the debate, which have been valuable and useful.”
“I will write to you with regard to your query. <BR /> <BR />The other issue, as I said, is reporting pollution incidents so that they can be effectively investigated. There is a duty on everyone to do that promptly.”
“Aquaculture provides real economic opportunities, and the Bill will help ensure that those opportunities are realised responsibly without compromising the environment. Importantly, the Bill includes transitional provisions so that existing licences can continue seamlessly as aquaculture licences, with their conditions unchanged.”
“That is not about being punitive for its own sake; it is about ensuring that the legal framework reflects the true value of our natural resources and the importance of protecting them for future generations.”
“<BR /> <BR />On strengthening the regulation of inland waters, the Bill modernises long-standing powers under the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966, ensuring that they are fit for today's environmental and industry challenges. That matters because fisheries management today goes far beyond simply catching fish.”
“<BR /> <BR />A full regulatory impact assessment of the financial impact has been completed. It concluded that the Bill does not introduce significant new financial burdens and that any costs are outweighed by the long-term benefits.”
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“Thank you for your kind comments. They are appreciated. <BR /> <BR />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 morning was really positive. The immediate focus has to be on ensuring that people are playing by the current rules around the nutrients action programme. That is what we are going to focus on, and I am confident that we will find a way forward in relation to that.”
“It is clear that time frames for implementation are very important to all concerned, and we need to find a way through that together. In respect of science and evidence, I provided reassurance about the processes in place.”
“<BR /> <BR />I welcome the outcome from the meeting this morning with the Ulster Farmers' Union and Northern Ireland Environment Link on the importance of everyone complying with existing regulations. People need to play by the rules, and the vast majority of farmers play by the rules. Let us put that on record. The focus must always be on the people who do not. I reassured everyone in the room that these are draft proposals. I heard their concerns and reiterated that no final decisions have been taken. I found it very heartening to have constructive discussions about the potential of setting up a stakeholder group consisting of agri-food and environmental stakeholders to consider the nutrients action programme proposals and the responses from the consultation to inform decisions on what will be implemented and the time frames for that.”
“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 will require Executive referral and decision. I am engaging and listening, and I am prepared to take on board feedback, as always. I really welcomed the opportunity this morning to have what was a challenging but constructive engagement with the Ulster Farmers' Union and Northern Ireland Environment Link. All in the room acknowledged the problem with water quality, and the agreement was that it needs to be resolved. I welcome the work that has been undertaken to date, and we all acknowledge that more needs to be done.”
“I stress that there are no quick fixes to the issues in Lough Neagh, but the longer that we leave it before we take action, the more costly it will be and the longer it will take to fix.”
“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 actions contained in the Lough Neagh action plan, 10 have been delivered, 23 are progressing, and I am committed to driving forward the implementation of the remaining actions. Actions delivered include progress on the Lough Neagh small business research initiatives, enhanced responses to reports of water pollution through an increase in water quality inspectors and an increased focus on areas of highest risk, with DAERA officials undertaking increased waterway inspections in several Lough Neagh catchments of concern.”
“There have been racist comments about people whom we are very fortunate to have working in our agri-food sector. Not for a very long time have I seen such vile homophobic comments about me. I am a gay man, and I am proud to be a gay man. That has no relevance whatsoever to the nutrients action programme or my ability to do this job.”
“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 hand. I encourage people to feed into the consultation because, as Minister, I am engaging with it, as are my officials. I thank my officials for their engagement on the nutrients action programme. They have engaged, and they have listened. <BR /> <BR />It is important that I put this on record: the social media commentary around the nutrients action programme in recent weeks has been disgraceful. There have been misogynistic comments about officials in my Department.”
“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 consider that matter.”
“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 secure over £12 million from the Finance Minister for a just transition fund for agriculture in this financial year, and we are delivering that on the ground. We are also setting up a just transition commission for Northern Ireland to ensure that there is fair and just pathway ahead. It is important that we deliver that support to farmers in Northern Ireland.”
“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 plan, just as we are consulting on the draft NAP proposals. It is important to say that they are draft proposals and that there is a public consultation on them. People should have the opportunity to have their say.”
“Those improvements in productivity will be supported through the beef sustainability package, the farming for sustainability knowledge transfer programme, the bovine genetics project and the carbon footprinting project through my Department's sustainable agriculture programme. Mandatory reductions in livestock numbers are not intended to form part of the forthcoming draft climate action plan.”
“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. <BR /> <BR />Improvements in livestock productivity are encouraged through a combination of the earlier age at slaughter of clean beef cattle, earlier age at first calving of suckler and dairy heifer replacements and reducing suckler and dairy cow calving intervals. The aim of implementing those productivity improvement actions is to maintain beef and milk output while removing older and more inefficient cattle from the Northern Ireland herd.”
“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 week to engage with the European Union and the relevant bodies that are represented there about that. I will continue to advocate for the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland.”
“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 the UK and the EU, and it is broader than just agri-food. It is important that that is part of it, but it also allows us to cooperate in other areas, such as emissions trading schemes and the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), and on the environment and climate change. I look forward to the reset and will continue to engage with my colleagues, North/South, east-west and across the EU.”
“As always, I will continue to engage. I have been speaking to a number of people who have outlined the benefits associated with it and the benefits of our access to the single market for goods. That is an advantage that Northern Ireland has, more broadly, beyond agri-food. It is important that we take advantage of those opportunities but that we also see the implementation of the agreement in a speedy manner, because we want to see the trade frictions that have previously been in place removed.”
“<BR /> <BR />I emphasise that it will take some time to turn the political agreement into a legal agreement. I am disappointed that customs and wider single market access is not part of the agreement, but I welcome it.”
“<BR /> <BR />I recognise concerns raised by the fishing sector that reciprocal access does not extend to access for Northern Ireland fishing vessels to the Irish 6-to-12 nautical-mile region. However, the extension of the existing arrangements until 2038 brings some certainty for our fishing sector, and there is no guarantee that annual negotiations would result in a better outcome. The UK Government have not yet provided any detail on the proposed £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, and I continue to press for that. <BR /> <BR />I am disappointed that veterinary medicines are not in the scope of the agreement, but I will continue to urge the UK Government and the EU to obtain a resolution in order to ensure continued supply.”
“The main benefit from the recent UK-EU agreement will arise from GB, Northern Ireland and the EU having the same regulations in the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) sphere and in a number of other agri-food areas. The commitment to align regulations should mean the removal of almost all SPS-related certification and controls on the movement of SPS goods between GB and the EU. That, in turn, should make it easier to move agri-foods and plants from GB to NI, with savings to businesses and government. I am aware that the UK Government have published their assessment on the long-run impact of an SPS agreement, which concluded a positive impact of up to 0·14% on GDP. That is equivalent to up to £5·1 billion when compared with projected UK GDP levels in 2040.”
“The independent panel is continuing its work and will report in due course. I will not be found wanting in coming forward with my response to that. When the SDLP had a chance to vote for an environmental protection agency as part of an amendment to the Climate Change Bill, you did not even turn up.”
“There is an inaccuracy in your question: you said that only those areas could prosecute environmental crime. Northern Ireland can prosecute environmental crime, so it is important to set the record straight on that, Matthew.”
“That was not a matter for discussion for the environment work sector. I outlined in the statement what the meeting focused on. To be honest, Mr Gaston, I think that the EU lives rent-free in your brain.”
“I recently shared a copy of the Northern Ireland climate change adaptation programme with my ministerial colleagues and requested any final comments before my Department launches an eight-week consultation on it. Subject to no major concerns being raised, I hope to launch the consultation late this month or early next month.”
“I am delivering for the farming community, but I am also very conscious of my statutory responsibilities, which I cannot shirk.”
“That is the context in which I operate, and I am very clear that the proposals for the nutrient action programme are just that: they are proposals. There is a commitment in the Programme for Government to tackle the issue of Lough Neagh. There is significant pressure, whether from the Office of Environmental Protection or others, to do that. I am striving to strike a balance between addressing those issues and concerns that are being set out to me and ensuring financial sustainability for the agri-food sector. That is something that I am very much committed to. I was the only Minister in the UK to secure ring-fenced funding for agriculture, agri-environment, fisheries and rural development. Additionally, I secured over £12 million for a just transition fund for agriculture. I am doing that work.”
“The first item in the list of future topics is:”
“I continue to undertake my responsibilities to the environment because they are statutory responsibilities that need to be discharged. It is important that we take cognisance of that. We also need to take cognisance of a report issued last week by the Office of Environmental Protection. It states:”
“Yes, it will. It was set out in the statements that were issued on Monday of last week that there will be further cooperation around those areas. That will be for the collective benefit of the EU, Northern Ireland and the UK more broadly. That is wise, because a lot of the issues that we are discussing with the British-Irish Council also extend to the European Union. It is important that we cooperate on those. I already cooperate quite a lot with my colleagues in the South, and I am seeking further engagement with my colleagues, particularly around Lough Neagh and nature recovery and also on agriculture and veterinary matters. That liaison already occurs, but the reset with the European Union allows us to broaden and deepen that collaboration. It is set out in the statement, and I welcome that particular paragraph.”
“Thank you very much. That is an important area. The invasive species work sector will focus on monitoring and surveillance technology, developing new technology, including AI, for monitoring invasive species across the islands; priority pathways, including exotic pets, as we have just talked about, to address exotic pet escape and establishment of actions across British-Irish Council member Administrations; and prompting awareness-raising campaigns such as Be Plant Wise and Check Clean Dry and coordinating the annual Invasive Species Week. It also includes alerts and rapid responses and, as was discussed in the statement, preventing the spread of Asian hornets, which threaten honeybees, native invertebrates and human health.”
“We want to work collaboratively because, as you know, those pets are likely to travel throughout the areas that are within the remit of the British-Irish Council, and I am very conscious of the associated risks. Again, I urge people who are in possession of any of those animals to register them.”
“Thank you, Michelle. Your Assembly question was useful in bringing out a bit more detail on the number of exotic pets that are registered in Northern Ireland. I continue to encourage people to register any exotic pets, because there is a requirement to do that. It is important that we recognise the risks to broader society if we do not properly manage that, and that is why it was agreed that it should be part of the work programme. Once the terms of reference are agreed, I will write to you to set them out. It is important that we do that. <BR /> <BR />At the meeting, we discussed some of the information that we have gathered on the situation that has presented itself.”
“I will follow up on that. That sits with the British-Irish Council, and I will seek to have it published as soon as possible.”
“Thank you, John. My Department has worked with stakeholders to co-design policies, strategies and action plans that are needed to address the dual climate and biodiversity crises that face the marine environment. They include a revised marine protected area strategy and a blue carbon action plan. I launched the blue carbon action plan on 23 April, and the revised marine protected area strategy will be published later this year. That will be followed by the seabird and elasmobranch strategies.”
“The statement is about the British-Irish Council environment sector, and I am glad to say that that cooperation occurs across all the member organisations of the British-Irish Council. We work collaboratively, which is good. <BR /> <BR />On your question about the nutrients action programme, that is out for consultation. I took a decision to extend it by four weeks, and I encourage people to feed back alternative solutions to tackle the challenges that are in front of us or to raise any concerns about that. The consultation is just that: a consultation on proposals. I understand that it is complex, and that is why I agreed to extend the consultation by four weeks.”
“We will continue to collaborate on that. <BR /> <BR />Additional research on Lough Neagh has been published, and I will lay that in the Assembly Library for Members to access. The research is about the contribution to water quality, and hopefully it will aid consideration of the issues affecting Lough Neagh.”
“We face an environmental catastrophe in Lough Neagh. It is a serious issue not just in respect of its impact on the environment but because 40% of our drinking water comes from Lough Neagh, so it is important that we face up to the actions that need to be taken around that. One of the specific issues that were discussed at the British-Irish Council in regard to Lough Neagh was zebra mussels. They are an invasive species and contribute to the issues that we face with Lough Neagh. The interventions that we can provide regarding that are rather limited. It is key that people ensure that, in any maritime operations, due diligence is taken to ensure that we do not spread the zebra mussels. The matter of invasive species is on the agenda of the British-Irish Council because it affects not just Northern Ireland but the South.”
“There are great examples of businesses in Northern Ireland showing that in action, and, hopefully, we can learn from one another and drive forward more work on it. An element of the circular economy sits with the Department for the Economy. Obviously, it will be invited to future British-Irish Council meetings, if those topics are on the agenda.”
“The publication of that sits with the British-Irish Council, but I will follow it up and request that it is promptly published, because that is important. <BR /> <BR />The circular economy was considered to be a relevant topic for future work. England, Scotland, Wales, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man face similar challenges in regard to that, so it was felt that it was important that we should take that forward, and the UK Government are happy to do that. I said at the meeting that we also need to take into consideration the unique position of Northern Ireland in respect of the Windsor framework and how that fits in to it all. <BR /> <BR />There are opportunities from the circular economy.”
“Ministers tasked officials to develop a work sector plan on the circular economy for future consideration in the second half of 2025. <BR /> <BR />I commend the statement to the Assembly and welcome any questions.”
“<BR /> <BR />Ministers affirmed the importance of continued collaboration across Administrations to combat the growing threat of invasive species. We agreed that the invasive non-native species and the Asian hornet task force subgroups would combine and be elevated into a separate invasive species work sector led by the UK Government. Ministers reviewed and endorsed a new work plan for the invasive species work sector, with a focus on the following priority areas: monitoring and surveillance technology; priority pathways — exotic pets; awareness raising; alerts and rapid response; and Asian hornets, which are yellow-legged hornets. <BR /> <BR />Ministers also considered future priorities for the environment work sector, with agreement to make the circular economy as the immediate topic of focus led by the UK Government.”
“<BR /> <BR />Ministers discussed and reviewed the environment work sector 2020-24 policy report and the activities of its subgroups — the invasive non-native species; the Asian hornet task force; marine litter marine environment; and climate adaptation — across the period. We commended the work undertaken and the value of shared cooperation on each of those areas. Ministers agreed that the 'Environment Work Sector Policy Report 2020-24' would be published. Ministers also agreed to the streamlining of the environment work sector, confirming the closure of the marine litter, marine environment and climate adaptation subgroups following the conclusion of their work plans and the mainstreaming of climate action across the British-Irish Council thematic programme.”
“The British-Irish Council environment work sector is led by the UK Government and has proved to be a constructive and unique forum for facilitating evidence exchange and practical collaboration since the Council was established. <BR /> <BR />During the meeting, Ministers discussed and reviewed the work of the environment work sector from 2020 to 2024. The meeting also focused on restructuring the environment work sector. It was chaired by Mary Creagh MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Minister for Nature, and involved Ministers from Ireland and the devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as the Governments of the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, regarding the seventeenth British-Irish Council (BIC) environment work sector meeting, which was held in Kew Gardens in London on Thursday 8 May of this year. Junior Minister Aisling Reilly MLA, junior Minister Pam Cameron MLA and I represented the Northern Ireland Executive at the meeting. The report has been endorsed by junior Ministers Reilly and Cameron, and they agreed that I should make the statement. <BR /> <BR />The British-Irish Council was established in 1999 and is a forum for its members to discuss, consult and use best endeavours to reach agreement and cooperation on matters of mutual interest within the competence of its member Administrations.”
“We are all together on giving people the tools through Farming with Nature.”
“I have made a strong commitment to Farming with Nature and to agrienvironment support schemes. That is why I secured ring-fenced funding for agriculture, agrienvironment, fisheries and rural development and why I will continue to engage with the Committee on the journey ahead with Farming with Nature. I am very grateful for the fantastic work by farmers across our country on enabling nature recovery and respect for biodiversity. We want to give them the tools to do that. The Farming with Nature transition scheme is the start of that journey. <BR /> <BR />I thank the members of the Committee who engaged in the Committee process. There will be further secondary legislation that will be subject to negative procedure. Thanks for the opportunity to engage on this matter and for the support.”
“I know that that is difficult, but our sole focus is on getting Farming with Nature out on the ground and scaled up so that farmers can access it. It is important that I give that clarity.”
“<BR /> <BR />John asked about the EFS, and I want to be open. When I came into office, a policy decision was made to move towards Farming with Nature, which is what I am presenting to Members today. We are looking to scale up, and the Farming with Nature transition scheme is not the ceiling of my ambition. We have to move at pace with Farming with Nature, however. We need to make it the focus of our resources. The EFS will therefore not be open for future applications.”
“<BR /> <BR />I will move on to other points. Michelle McIlveen raised some issues of which I am aware that were raised in Committee. Her points were consistent with what was said in Committee. I recognise her concerns about the complex nature of the nutrients action programme. That is why I have extended the consultation by four weeks to give people the opportunity to consider it and respond. <BR /> <BR />I will return to Farming with Nature. John asked about the relationship between farming and nature: that is why it is called "Farming with Nature". Understanding that there is an interrelationship between the two is key. Farmers are the custodians of our countryside and the people who are helping us deliver the change that is required to allow nature recovery and to address biodiversity loss.”
“This year, Farming with Nature is not linked to those standards, because they are still to be finalised, but there is a desire to consider how that relationship will emerge. The discussion about farm sustainability standards is separate, however. <BR /> <BR />Declan also outlined the challenge of getting the scheme out before the end of the financial year. I do not underestimate that challenge. We seek to progress the scheme as quickly as possible. I appreciate the Committee's engagement, but the pace of progress will be important. I look to everyone here to promote the scheme so that people can take it up. It will hopefully be popular, but it is a voluntary scheme, so we also hope that we can encourage people to become involved. It is important that we get people to buy into the scheme and that we support them to do so.”
“Members could be told different stories about the EFS in the South, which has now become the agri-climate rural environment scheme (ACRES), and about the environmental land management (ELM) schemes in England. Lots of learning is to be taken from those schemes. We have lost pace in rolling out agrienvironment schemes in Northern Ireland, so we are seeking to make a start on the roll-out of Farming with Nature from next month. <BR /> <BR />Declan asked about the cap, which is an important point. The cap will be £9,500 a year, and you can apply every year. The scheme will be run for two years initially, and we will then review it before considering any further roll-out. <BR /> <BR />A point was raised about farm sustainability standards.”