Latest from UUP
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119 releases
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Armstrong: Farm fire costs rose four times faster here than across the UK
Ulster Unionist MLA Diana Armstrong calls for investment in rural fire services after farm fire costs rose 73% in Northern Ireland.
Agriculture and rural affairs Economy and employment Issue: NFU Mutual's Farm Fires Report 2025 statistics release Original release: Armstrong: Farm fire costs rose four times faster here than across the UK (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong: Full story on Enniskillen Bypass delay still untold
Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Diana Armstrong calls on the Infrastructure Minister to publish a clear timetable for the A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass, detailing the High Court procurement challenge, its impact on start dates and the availability of the £6.6 million budget.
Infrastructure and transport Issue: High Court challenge to Enniskillen bypass procurement Original release: Armstrong: Full story on Enniskillen Bypass delay still untold (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Swann calls on Treasury to scrap Air Passenger Duty in Northern Ireland
UUP MP Robin Swann writes to the Chancellor urging HM Treasury to consider abolishing or substantially, gradually reducing Air Passenger Duty for flights from Northern Ireland airports ahead of the Budget, arguing Dublin Airport gains a competitive edge.
Public finance and taxation Economy and employment Issue: Air Passenger Duty reform for Northern Ireland airports ahead of Budget Original release: Swann calls on Treasury to scrap Air Passenger Duty in Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong: Biomethane consultation must deliver what the Assembly already voted for
UUP Deputy Leader and Agriculture Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA welcomes the Biomethane Strategy consultation, six months after an Assembly motion she says called for one, and sets out three tests the strategy must meet. These include a stable, inflation-proofed support mechanism, planning and…
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Issue: Biomethane Strategy consultation launch Original release: Armstrong: Biomethane consultation must deliver what the Assembly already voted for (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong marks International Day of Rural Women with call for action on women in farming
UUP Deputy Leader Diana Armstrong MLA asks DAERA what progress it has made since the Breaking the Grass Ceiling report on women in agriculture, four years on. She calls for recognition of women's farm work, support for women without legal stake in family farms, and rural service provision.
Agriculture and rural affairs Economy and employment Original release: Armstrong marks International Day of Rural Women with call for action on women in farming (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 15 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Minister threatens every farmer’s herd over a problem he says is 7%
UUP Deputy Leader and Agriculture Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA challenges the Agriculture Minister over Belfast Telegraph remarks that about 7% of farmers produce around 70% of phosphorus, and his warning about herd size. She calls for support for the 90% of farmers doing the right thing and…
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Issue: Agriculture Minister's phosphorus remarks and herd size warning in Belfast Telegraph interview Original release: Minister threatens every farmer’s herd over a problem he says is 7% (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 14 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Diesel up 60p a litre since February with no end in sight
UUP Deputy Leader and Agriculture Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA calls on the Chancellor to rule out any fuel duty rise in this month's Budget, citing diesel prices averaging over 194p a litre in Fermanagh and Tyrone and the heavier impact on rural households and farm businesses.
Economy and employment Agriculture and rural affairs Original release: Diesel up 60p a litre since February with no end in sight (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 9 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Ulster Unionist Party responds to A5 judgment
UUP Infrastructure Spokesperson John Stewart MLA responds to the Court of Appeal judgment clearing the A5 Western Transport Corridor, blaming departmental failures for years of delay. He calls on the Infrastructure Minister to publish a realistic timetable, an updated cost figure, funding plans…
Infrastructure and transport Public finance and taxation Issue: Court of Appeal ruling overturning A5 road judgment Original release: Ulster Unionist Party responds to A5 judgment (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 7 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong seeks clarity for A5 landowners following Court of Appeal judgment
Infrastructure and transport Agriculture and rural affairs Original release: Armstrong seeks clarity for A5 landowners following Court of Appeal judgment (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 9 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong: A5 farmers to be paid 2024 prices for land taken in 2026
UUP Deputy Leader and Agriculture spokesperson Diana Armstrong says A5 route farmers are being shortchanged, as the Infrastructure Minister confirmed land taken for the scheme will be valued at November 2024 prices. She calls for the valuation law to be changed and asks what discretion exists over…
Agriculture and rural affairs Infrastructure and transport Issue: A5 land vesting compensation valued at November 2024 prices Original release: Armstrong: A5 farmers to be paid 2024 prices for land taken in 2026 (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 9 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Burrows asks Director of Public Prosecutions to refer unduly lenient rape sentences to Court of Appeal
UUP leader Jon Burrows MLA urges the Director of Public Prosecutions, Stephen Herron, to refer two rape sentences to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient, arguing a three-year custodial term is inadequate. He also asks whether deportation notices have been issued against both men.
Justice and policing Disability and equality Issue: Unduly lenient rape sentences referral request to Director of Public Prosecutions Original release: Burrows asks Director of Public Prosecutions to refer unduly lenient rape sentences to Court of Appeal (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 3 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong: A year lost, and still nothing for the big investments farmers need
Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader and Agriculture Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA says farmers went a year without capital investment support after DAERA delays, and calls for clarity on when larger farm investment support will open. She says the Sustainable Farming Investment Scheme opened only in…
Agriculture and rural affairs Economy and employment Issue: DAERA farm capital investment support letters of offer figures Original release: Armstrong: A year lost, and still nothing for the big investments farmers need (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 2 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Cllr Richard Smart selected as Ulster Unionist candidate for Strangford
UUP leader Jon Burrows says the party has chosen Councillor Richard Smart, a Newtownards councillor and former Ards and North Down mayor, to contest Strangford at next May's Assembly election. Mike Nesbitt, the outgoing Strangford MLA, offers his backing.
Other Local government Issue: Ulster Unionist selection of Richard Smart for Strangford Assembly candidacy Original release: Cllr Richard Smart selected as Ulster Unionist candidate for Strangford (opens in a new tab)
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Ulster Unionist Party selects Cllr Pete Wray as North Down candidate
Ulster Unionist Party selects Councillor Pete Wray as its North Down candidate for the May 2026 Assembly election; leader Jon Burrows lauds his council record and Wray says he will push for better road funding, NI Water fixes, Bangor regeneration, education and community safety.
Other Infrastructure and transport Issue: UUP selects North Down Assembly candidate Original release: Ulster Unionist Party selects Cllr Pete Wray as North Down candidate (opens in a new tab)
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Minister's change of heart delivers common sense choice for girls, says Burrows
UUP leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA welcomes new guidance giving girls the option to wear trousers as part of school uniform, calling it a common-sense outcome. He says the Education Minister should have acted earlier through uniform guidance rather than forcing the Education…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Minister Givan's school trousers guidance for girls Original release: Minister's change of heart delivers common sense choice for girls, says Burrows (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong: Rural isolation must never mean suffering in silence
UUP Agriculture and Rural Affairs Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA, during Rural Crime Week, highlights barriers facing rural domestic abuse victims, including distance from refuges and farm ownership issues, and asks the Justice Minister to check whether rural victims get equal refuge and…
Justice and policing Agriculture and rural affairs Original release: Armstrong: Rural isolation must never mean suffering in silence (opens in a new tab)
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Stewart: It's not the flag on the lamppost, it's whether the lamppost works
UUP Infrastructure Spokesperson John Stewart MLA says the party will vote against the Display of Flags and Emblems Bill at Second Stage, arguing it forces the Department for Infrastructure to judge cultural symbols instead of fixing roads, street lighting and drainage.
Community relations and legacy Infrastructure and transport Issue: Display of Flags and Emblems Bill Second Stage Original release: Stewart: It's not the flag on the lamppost, it's whether the lamppost works (opens in a new tab)
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NI Water's infrastructure is at capacity and holding Northern Ireland back
UUP infrastructure spokesperson John Stewart MLA says NI Water's real crisis is wastewater capacity, not governance, blocking housing developments. He urges DfI to bring forward a funding plan now, alongside Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins's forensic governance audit rather than after it.
Infrastructure and transport Housing Issue: Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins forensic governance audit of NI Water Original release: NI Water's infrastructure is at capacity and holding Northern Ireland back (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong: Minister refusing to face reality on climate targets
UUP Deputy Leader and Agriculture Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA responds to DAERA Minister Andrew Muir's Croke Park climate speech, calling for Northern Ireland's climate targets to be reviewed and revised, citing Climate Change Committee advice on an 82% reduction and Scotland's move to…
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: DAERA Minister Andrew Muir Environment Ireland Conference climate action speech Original release: Armstrong: Minister refusing to face reality on climate targets (opens in a new tab)
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Diana Armstrong is new AERA committee chair
UUP MLA Diana Armstrong, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, says she will chair the Assembly's agriculture and environment committee, replacing Robbie Butler, and pledges to hold the Department to account on farm affordability, bovine TB, mental health and the Dilapidation Bill.
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Issue: Diana Armstrong appointed chair of AERA committee Original release: Diana Armstrong is new AERA committee chair (opens in a new tab)