Made in Northern Ireland

Good morning John

We’ve had a really encouraging few days at the Balmoral Show where thousands of people have visited our stand and engaged with colleagues and I.

I met people from every walk of life. Rural dwellers (delighted that the DUP has helped deliver fibre broadband) and urban dwellers who were bringing their children for a day out.

Like the Giants Causeway or the Samson and Goliath cranes, the Balmoral Show is iconic to Northern Ireland. The well-groomed cattle, sheep, pigs and hens are alongside the tractors - that seem to get bigger each year - but at the heart of the Show is Northern Ireland produce.

Made in Northern Ireland. We are 3% of the UK population yet we supply 20% of the UK’s food. The Food and Drink Sector is worth £7Billion and we export to 70 different countries. The NI Food and Drink Association estimate that the sector supports 113,000 jobs.

I love the pride people have in their rosettes and their awarding winning homegrown produce. Repeatedly I heard them say “this is all made in Northern Ireland”.

People love Northern Ireland. They want the place they call home to prosper.

Whether it is unrealistic climate proposals or challenges with veterinary medicines, the DUP will always stand up and speak up for the people who work 24/7 to make sure there is food on our plates. In the few months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there was a stark reality dawning on some people for the first time of the importance of food security.

It makes no sense to regulate our agri-food sector out of existence in the name of emissions and then ship our food from South America where it has been grown in deforested fields. We stand for keeping the distance from farm to fork as short as possible.

On Monday, DUP MLAs are tabling a motion in the Northern Ireland Assembly to highlight the potential of our defence Sector. Our aerospace, defence, security, and space sectors employed 9,000 people across Northern Ireland in 2022 and provided over 500 apprenticeships. But there is huge potential for growth which is why the DUP has pressed the Government to increase Ministry of Defence spending in Northern Ireland.

In 2022/23, MOD expenditure per person with UK industry was £100 in Northern Ireland, compared to a regional average of £380 in Scotland and England, and £250 in Wales.

Many of the companies in our defence sector are small businesses so they struggle to get the big contracts but they must get access to the supply chain. Last year the MOD spent only £2 million with SMEs in Northern Ireland compared to £29 million in Scotland and £408m in South West of England. As a proportion of the MOD’s expenditure with SMEs, Northern Ireland only received 0.15%.

I am in the business of turning these figures around and getting a better deal for Northern Ireland.

Some MLAs are opposed to a growing defence sector that can support well paid jobs. This is madness.

There is no threat to the Belfast Agreement from the Northern Ireland economy seeking to play a more active role in the defence economy and infrastructure of the United Kingdom. Equipment produced here, such as NLAW anti-tank weapons, have assisted in the defence of democracy in Ukraine.

The high-quality, well-paid jobs these industries can provide, and are already providing, deliver prosperity for communities in all parts of the United Kingdom.

Finally, this week I challenged the Government in Parliament through tabling an Urgent Question to outline how they would stop Northern Ireland becoming a magnet for illegal migrants.

Watch my full question and the Minister’s reply below