Mr Jim Nicholson: I represent a constituency that has suffered many atrocities in the past 16 years, many of which emanated from the Irish Republic. The right hon. Lady's remarks on Friday that we owe it to those who lost their lives to accept the agreement were highly offensive and totally insensitive. The families of those who lost their loved ones feel that they have been betrayed by the Prime Minister whom...
Mr Jim Nicholson: I welcome this opportunity to bring before the House the serious plight that has faced Northern Ireland agriculture during the summer as a result of adverse weather conditions. This summer has certainly been the worst in living memory. Indeed, many of the most elderly among the farming community cannot remember a worse situation facing the farmers in that part of the United Kingdom. From...
Mr Jim Nicholson: I assume that there is no argument with those figures, which show how serious the fodder problem is.
Mr Jim Nicholson: I thank my right hon. Friend for that intervention. What he says is correct. In the county of Fermanagh, which has a higher rainfall than any other part of the United Kingdom, the farmers are used to such conditions and can say, "We have faced this before." However, this time the problem has spread throughout Northern Ireland. No area has been left untouched by it. Many small farmers,...
Mr Jim Nicholson: Will the Minister give serious consideration to the plight of the young dairy farmer who is in a position neither to purchase nor to lease a quota? Will he consider giving such people a start on the bottom of the ladder so that they may have a future? Without young dairy farmers coming in, the industry will eventually die.
Mr Jim Nicholson: Will the Secretary of State tell the House what progress he has made in improving the conditions in border police stations, especially for the RUC personnel going to and coming from those police stations?
Mr Jim Nicholson: Will the Secretary of State take this opportunity to condemn the Provisional IRA and other terrorists for continuing their attacks on human life and property in the Newry area? The necessary investment in the Newry area cannot take place while the attacks continue.
Mr Jim Nicholson: I support what hon. Members have said on this subject. Like my hon. Friend the Member for Londonderry, East (Mr. Ross), I have an argicultural interest and am well aware of the problems that are being caused to the industry in Northern Ireland. The proposed changes will greatly add to the difficulties of those engaged in agriculture. The proposal to extend the 10-year write-off period to 25...
Mr Jim Nicholson: In recent months, 14 members of the RUC have been brutally butchered in my constituency by the IRA. The Secretary of State's words ring hollow in the ears of my constituents. The co-operation to which he refers with the Irish Republic is a sham and non-existent. Does the Secretary of State not recognise that fact?
Mr Jim Nicholson: Does the hon. Gentleman agree that we can thank membership of the EC for our present position, and for having ruined our intensive sectors, thus making us so dependent on the grass-based sectors?
Mr Jim Nicholson: I wish to examine class V, which deals with housing, and to raise some matters that have affected my constituency for a considerable time. The availability of renovation grants is causing concern. Many people find it difficult to qualify at one of the so-called entry points and that suggests to me that the conditions are too rigid, lack imagination and require a rethink. I shall outline...
Mr Jim Nicholson: Have the Minister and his right hon. Friend accepted the compromise proposal put forward in the negotiations to allow the Republic of Ireland an additional 58,000 tonnes of milk this year as a retrospective adjustment for last year? Does the hon. Gentleman recognise that many of us would not find that compromise acceptable? Will he bear in mind the serious position of Northern Ireland dairy...
Mr Jim Nicholson: Does the Secretary of State agree that not only Mrs. Ferraro but many other people come to Northern Ireland on these bucket-shop trips and go away experts—including some hon. Members sitting not too far away from me? Will the Secretary of State wholeheartedly add his support to the UDR, which has suffered much over the past 15 years in Northern Ireland? Is it not time that he brought...
Mr Jim Nicholson: asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made in achieving equality with other regions of the United Kingdom for small dairy farmers in respect of milk quotas.
Mr Jim Nicholson: Following the announcement by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food earlier this week that small dairy farmers in England and Wales would be brought back to the 1983 levels of production and that hardship cases would be met in full, will he assure me and the House that small dairy farmers in Northern Ireland will receive the same treatment, to which they are entitled?
Mr Jim Nicholson: In view of the protracted negotiations that are taking place in Brussels on the co-responsibility levy, will the right hon. Gentleman consider introducing an interim measure, to take effect from 1 April, to reduce the levy by 1·5 per cent.? That would at least provide some aid for the hard-pressed dairy farmers, who have suffered much in the last 12 months, and such a step would riot in any...
Mr Jim Nicholson: I join the Secretary of State and my right hon. Friend the Member for Lagan Valley (Mr. Molyneaux) in offering sympathy to those who have been bereaved. Yesterday saw the death of the 10th member of the RUC to be murdered in my constituency in the past five weeks, and a civilian was also murdered. Will the Secretary of State assure the House that he will give further consideration to more...
Mr Jim Nicholson: I rise to speak mainly with the aim of bringing hon. Members face to face with the problems of agriculture in Northern Ireland. I do not want in the limited time available to go into the more heavy aspects of the CAP. I wish to emphasise that agriculture in Northern Ireland has been through a traumatic time during the past 12 months. The imposition of dairy quotas caused great difficulty...
Mr Jim Nicholson: The right hon. Gentleman spoke earlier about helping small farmers. I remind him again that in Northern Ireland he has only 1 per cent. of what he required in the milk buy-out scheme, even after a second bite at the cherry to buy out further quota. How far along the road has he proceeded, and has he any solution to the problem?
Mr Jim Nicholson: I was prepared to condense a half-hour speech into one of 15 minutes, but now I find that I shall have to condense it even more. I shall do my best. Like my hon. Friend the Member for Antrim, South (Mr. Forsythe), I may have to make a somewhat disjointed speech, but I hope that hon. Members will bear with me. I turn first to the employment, or lack of employment, in my constituency. Once...
