T4. Miss McAllister asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to provide an update on the green growth strategy. (AQT 1374/22-27)

Thank you, Nuala. The green growth strategy is an important issue that we talked about earlier when we linked it to climate change. My Department has been leading on the development of a green growth strategy on behalf of the Northern Ireland Executive, and it has collaborated with other Departments, local government, key stakeholders, businesses and the voluntary and community sectors. It is a draft multi-decade strategy for climate, the environment and the economy.

The strategy sets out a long-term vision for the future of Northern Ireland, where we transition from a high to a net zero emissions society and enjoy the long-term economic, social, health and environmental benefits that that will bring. In October 2021, the Executive agreed on the text of a draft green growth strategy, which was issued for consultation. The strategy was revised and updated to incorporate feedback from the consultation exercise and the impact of the Climate Change Act 2022. While my predecessor agreed the updated strategy, it was not possible to secure approval in the absence of an Executive. In the interim, the draft strategy has been further updated to reflect accuracy and relevance. It was shared with the Executive in December last year, and I await approval for it.

I thank the Minister for his answer. Forgive me if I missed or misheard what you said. Will you make it clear that you have brought papers to the Executive for approval? What has caused the delay in approval? Has your Department caused the delay, or have the papers not been brought to the Executive?

As I said, the draft green growth strategy was updated to reflect accuracy and relevance. It was shared with my Executive colleagues in December last year. Ministerial colleagues have come back with feedback, except for those from one party. I am still waiting for feedback from one partner in government. Once I receive that feedback, we can, hopefully, get agreement on the strategy, but it has been outstanding since December last year. It is important that we get it agreed because it gives us the opportunity to create good green jobs and increase decarbonisation.

There are many papers that I will continue to engage with my Executive colleagues on to get agreement for, including the climate action plan 2023-27. Essentially, all that I need is agreement to consult on the action plan. We are under an obligation to proceed with that plan, and it is important that we do it. We are also under an obligation to adopt the river basin management strategy, and agreement on that is outstanding. Agreement is also outstanding on the dilapidation Bill. I will continue to engage with my Executive colleagues on that, and I know that there was commentary yesterday about the dilapidation Bill's not having been presented to this place. Hopefully, we can get agreement on it at the Executive meeting on Thursday.

I also need to get agreement on a legislative consent motion on welfare requirements for cats, dogs and ferrets, and I need that by Thursday. I also need agreement on the peatlands strategy. I will continue to engage respectfully with my Executive colleagues. It is a power-sharing Executive, and I respect that we have different views. Hopefully, we can come to a common and agreed place.