---
election_year: 2015
party_id: uup
party_name: Ulster Unionist Party
party_leader: Mike Nesbitt
political_spectrum: centre-right
victory: false
government_outcome: opposition
sections:
  - economy
  - taxation
  - health
  - education
  - housing
  - foreign-policy
  - environment
  - transport
  - law-and-order
  - welfare
  - democracy-and-constitution
  - energy
  - science-and-technology
  - local-government
---

# Ulster Unionist Party Manifesto 2015

Ulster Unionist Party Westminster Manifesto 2015
Introduction from Mike Nesbitt MLA - Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
After all we in Northern Ireland have been through, this cannot be as good as it gets.

You should demand better of your politicians.

I want our people to feel healthier, happier and more prosperous.

I want our politics to switch from a culture of Dependency on welfare and the Block Grant, to a mind-set where we are focused on generating serious wealth for all our people.

I want to tackle the toxic legacies of the Troubles: sectarianism, and poor mental health and wellbeing.

Here are some big ideas that could change Northern Ireland for the better:

Educate our children together from age 4 and you give them a virtual inoculation against sectarianism;

Improve mental health and wellbeing and you get a Triple Win, addressing the legacy of the past, empowering people to move off benefits, and rebalancing the economy by making people economically active;

Create tens of thousands of new jobs and you transform society as more and more people find their lives have proper meaning and purpose.

Our politics never changes unless you make it happen. The 7th of May is your chance.

Last year, your votes in the Local Government elections helped us turn a corner.

Now we want to return the favour.

Together, we can force through a new relationship which better respects you, the people.

I want us to move away from the current position, where the parties at the heart of our politics operate a High Accountability, Low Trust regime. That's to say, they demand you account for your every action, yet they offer you very little trust in return, and seldom account for their own activities.

The 7th May represents an opportunity to stop voting out of fear, because people say bad things will happen to you if you do not support them.

The 7th of May is a chance to vote for Hope.

The 7th of May is One Day, where your One Vote, is a chance to vote for Change.

That is why on the 7th of May, I am asking YOU to Vote Ulster Unionist.

Mike

Mike Nesbitt MLA
Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party

PLAYING A POSITIVE ROLE WITHIN THE UNION
"Our values are not an auction item"

This is an uncertain time for the United Kingdom. Scottish Nationalism has not accepted the democratic outcome of the referendum on Independence. They may have lost that battle, but their war continues. In fact, they have done more to destabilise the Union than Irish Republicanism ever did, and the Scottish Nationalist Party did so without bombs or bullets.

Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond see themselves as Kingmakers on the 8th of May. Their SNP will not put the broader interests of the UK first and foremost. If their MPs are required to support a Government, then there is a very real prospect that it will further destabilise the Union, creating fear and uncertainty, not just among the citizens of the UK, but also with our global partners, economically and politically. We have spoken to the US Administration and they do not welcome an undermining of the "Special Relationship" between the UK and the United States of America.

A stable Union is the most important result a good unionist should hope for in this Election.

Ulster Unionist MPs will be responsible citizens of the United Kingdom, defending, promoting and advancing the Union at this time of immense uncertainty. While our MPs will seek to do the best they can for the people of Northern Ireland, we will also work in the best interests of the UK as a whole.

In the event that neither Labour nor the Conservative Party secure a majority of seats in the House of Commons, the Ulster Unionist Party will not be going to Downing Street holding out the begging bowl. Neither the United Kingdom or Northern Ireland will profit from MPs intent only on short-term advantage, no matter what the longer-term damage that does to our place in the Union. The Ulster Unionist Party values are not an auction item, available to the highest bidder.

"The Union makes sense: politically, economically, socially and culturally."

Instead we aspire to work with the UK Government to secure the tools and resources that will help us start moving away from our Dependency culture and start generating serious wealth for our people.

We believe the Union makes sense: politically, economically, socially and culturally. Economically, you need look no further than the global league table of prosperity. Who votes for relegation?

While the UK economy is one of the strongest in the world, there are key challenges to be faced, none bigger than our debt mountain. Currently, the UK Government spends more servicing debt than it does on Education. It is also more than is spent on public services in Northern Ireland and Wales combined. That is an inconvenient truth for those who oppose actions to address the issue. We do not wish to leave £1.4 Trillion of debt as a legacy for our children.

Rebalancing our economy should have three focal points for the public sector:

DEBT REDUCTION. At £1.4 Trillion, that equates to £54,353 per household;

PRODUCTIVITY. Every one percent of public sector staff time saved through increased productivity is worth £1.6 Billion to the public purse, or £64 Million in Northern Ireland;

TALENT MANAGEMENT. It is crucial that the current Voluntary Exit Scheme manages the radical change in public sector headcount, to ensure we retain the right people, with the right skills, in the right places.

For our private sector, the challenge is simple: growth.

A HEALTHIER PEOPLE
"If we feel unwell, the National Health Service is there for us. Now the NHS itself is sick, we need to be there to make it better."

SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE HEALTHCARE
Over the last four years our National Health Service has been put under intolerable strains. Health and Social Care Trusts being forced to make swingeing in year cuts to frontline services last year was an appalling demonstration of how badly the situation has deteriorated.

We want to cure that, with:

Better use of funding and resources;

Decisive political leadership;

Strategic vision for health provision.

We need to get serious about prevention, ensure the NHS is fit for the future and more efficient in its use of staff, funding and resources.

We will benchmark the performance of the NHS in Northern Ireland against the best performing aspects of the NHS in Great Britain, measuring:

Safety, Quality of Care and Patient Experience;

Investment in people, skills, facilities and resources;

Waiting times.

The UK expenditure on health has now fallen behind many of our major European neighbours such as France, Germany and Denmark. The trend within Northern Ireland over recent years is of ineffective investment whilst demand and cost pressures continue to grow exponentially.

We will provide the political leadership that ensures there is a strategic vision for the future that takes account of changing demand, delivering the resources required to maintain a consistently safe and high quality NHS.

Waiting times for elective surgery are spiralling, with patients facing the trauma of late-notice postponement;

Waiting times in Emergency Departments are unacceptably long with target times not just missed, but missed in ways that are unsafe to the point of posing increased risk to patients;

Many cancer services are in crisis, with far too many patients waiting unjustifiable lengths of time for diagnosis and treatment.

These factors impact hugely on staff morale, which is at an all-time low; the impact of underfunding and ineffective use of resources has only served to further undermine public and staff confidence in the health service.

We will:

Not compromise on the core principle of the NHS remaining free at the point of delivery, available to everyone based on need, not the ability to pay;

Continue to oppose the introduction of charges on the sick. That includes falsehearted attempts to predetermine a specialised drugs fund on the reintroduction of prescriptions charges;

Put patients back at the heart of all the NHS does and ask frontline staff to tell us how best to transform the NHS back to its best.

Our commitments to our hospitals:
In light of the growing evidence that demonstrates higher death rates at weekends in our hospitals and in the knowledge that illness and injury does not discriminate in relation to time of day or day of the week, we will begin the process of ensuring acute services within the NHS are delivered 24 hours a day 7 days a week. We will extend evening and weekend consultant coverage and ensure staffing levels match patient flows;

We will tackle the shortage of specialist staff working in Emergency Departments, ensuring senior doctors are present 24 hours a day, removing patients' fear of inappropriate or untimely treatment;

We will introduce a new revised workforce planning structure to ensure every hospital maintains safe and sustainable staffing levels.

"Hospitals are also not always a safe place if patients do not absolutely need to be there"

Our commitments to primary care:
We will reverse the trend of Northern Ireland having the lowest number of GPs per head in the United Kingdom;

We will ensure GP hubs are equipped to provide extended opening hours to reduce the number of patients having to seek help inappropriately at hospital;

We will place a greater emphasis on public health awareness campaigns and invest in early intervention efforts; we will focus on keeping our communities well and preventing illness.

Our analysis of future needs:
Dementia is a growing epidemic. Every year across the UK, dementia is attributable to 60,000 deaths. By 2025, we will have 1,000,000 people in the UK suffering from dementia. We need to prepare the NHS now! We will make our health service dementia-proof, so that every health care professional is trained and aware, and every healthcare facility is dementia-friendly, tackling issues including light and sound, not least the sometimes chaotic and confusing environment of an Emergency Department. Family members who care for people with dementia save the UK 11 Billion pounds every year;

Northern Ireland has one of the worst per capita rates of poor mental health and wellbeing in the world, directly linked to the Troubles. We will tackle that to unlock a Triple Win: tackling a toxic Troubles legacy, empowering people to come off Welfare, and rebalancing our economy by making more people economically active;

Cancer diagnostic and treatment services require urgent investment. The cruelty of leaving patients and their loved ones waiting for months for a medical diagnosis must be ended.

Balancing the NHS budget:
Frontline and administrative staff agree, there are huge efficiencies to be made to free up funds to make the NHS work for you;

Following the significant reform of local health structures carried out by Michael McGimpsey, it is regrettable that only four years later a number of bodies set up to act in a more streamlined manner have actually been allowed to swell in size by over 40%. It is clear there are significant savings to be made once again in the administration of our local health service;

We will review procurement in the Health Service;

We will ensure that all revenue raised through the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) goes towards ensuring our patients with rare diseases are no longer last to receive new revolutionary treatments;

We will reduce costs by introducing a new alcohol and drug misuse framework.

The NHS is the jewel in the United Kingdom's crown. We will protect it, revive it, restore it to good health. In return we will deliver healthier people, not least in the area of poor mental health and wellbeing. Too many of our people wake up every morning with no real sense of purpose in their lives and go to bed without a sense of having achieved anything worthwhile. Good health, mental and physical will transform our society; we will restore the NHS to its former glory. We will sustain it and make it a service that everyone can be proud of and others envy.

The NHS is the bedrock of our society. You can only build a strong, healthy and sustainable forward-thinking population on the basis of good physical and mental health, with a focus on prevention as well as treating illness.

A STRONG AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT
COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE
It is our responsibility to create a clean and healthy environment to pass on to future generations. Yet, the challenge of tackling climate change is no less formidable now than it was five years ago.

We will:

In the absence of Northern Ireland specific legislation, reduce our carbon emissions in line with the United Kingdom's commitments;

Require all public bodies, including our eleven local councils, to set carbon reduction strategies with accompanying targets to measure progress;

Improve outdoor air quality, by continuing to reduce traffic emissions by further promoting public transport. We'll also continue our cycling revolution to allow more people to avail of this healthy and sustainable mode of travel.

A SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY OF ENERGY
Northern Ireland is facing an energy crisis. We remain far too dependent on the import of fossil fuels as our capacity to generate power through traditional means is being much reduced. A new approach is needed.

We will:

Work closely with partners across the UK and Ireland to achieve a coordinated supply of energy, and to promote the longer term integration of the electricity market;

Maximise Northern Ireland's sustainable energy resources by supporting further renewable advances in solar, biomass and hydro technologies;

Oppose applications to frack unless they have been independently supported by means of positive Environmental Impact Assessments, Health Impact Assessments, Economic Business Plans and any other process necessary to form an evidence based judgement;

Seek support to ensure the electricity grid can facilitate a greater range of decarbonised energy sources;

Increase storage capacity to safeguard our energy security from global events;

Secure a final resolution to the application for the North South Interconnector by using both overhead and underground cabling.

TACKLING THE BLIGHT OF FUEL POVERTY
Northern Ireland continues to suffer from the worst rates of fuel poverty in the United Kingdom. Far too many households, over 43% at last count, have to spend more than a tenth of their income on heating their home. Advances in tackling fuel poverty have been minimal with progress far too slow. It's clear a new approach is needed.

We will:

Introduce an extensive area based approach to identify households in acute poverty;

Rectify the flaws with the current Affordable Warmth scheme, including the problems with self-referrals;

Support local councils to provide innovative retro-fit schemes with a particular focus on cavity wall insulation;

By 2020, ensure that Northern Ireland implements a full rollout of gas and electricity Smart Meters;

Make it a requirement for social housing to meet a minimum level of efficiency;

Make it a requirement for private rental properties to meet a minimum Energy Performance Certificate rating.

DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE PLANNING SYSTEM
The importance of planning cannot be over-estimated. It impacts everything from economic development (airport runways, new retail outlets, factory expansions) to daily lives (neighbours building extensions to their homes, replacement dwellings). In short, it is key to our quality of life.

We believe planning should achieve sustainable development, whilst promoting economic and societal improvement. With the transfer of planning powers to our eleven new Councils, local people now have a greater opportunity than ever before to shape the look and functionality of their communities.

We will:

Ensure a balance between sustainability and economic considerations in planning decisions;

Encourage greater use of land that has been previously developed;

Ensure that our Councils use their new planning powers to deliver more energy efficient buildings.

CONSERVING OUR NATURAL LANDSCAPE AND NATIVE SPECIES
Northern Ireland’s countryside is coveted internationally and cherished locally. That requires that a balance must be reached to maximise the dual responsibilities of maximising the economic and tourism potential, and our duty to preserve the countryside for future generations to enjoy.

We wish to reverse the unfortunate trend of recent years that has seen statutory bodies acting reactively. They must be proactive. Instead of schemes such ASSIs (Areas of Special Scientific Interest) being allocated only to meet targets, we will ensure that communities are given the real opportunity to feed into the discussions on how best to protect their local landscapes.

In addition, real focus is needed on preserving our historic built environment. Buildings can be restored but if lost they can never truly be replaced.

We will:

Tackle robustly the threat posed to our local biodiversity by invasive species;

Work effectively with the European Union on policies such as the European Birds and Habitats Directive in order to ensure that breaches, such as those on Strangford Lough, are avoided;

Give local communities and land owners greater say in the designation of lands.

ENHANCING OUR ANIMAL WELFARE STANDARDS
Too often, animals in Northern Ireland are subjected to cruel and unnecessary suffering. Despite repeated media exposés of abuse of sickening proportions, animal welfare remains a major issue here. Previous attempts to tackle the problem have clearly not been enough. Further action is needed.

The Ulster Unionist Party strongly believes in the principle that securing animal welfare and respecting the rights of those who engage in country sports, such as shooting, are values that should be mutually dependent - not exclusive.

We will:

Overhaul the Welfare of Animals Act to deliver greater numbers of successful prosecutions;

Seek to regulate the sale of live poultry and domestic pets in open and indoor markets;

Review the online sale and distribution of cats and dogs;

Ensure all animals are stunned pre-slaughter with strict enforcement by DARD.

A PROSPEROUS PEOPLE
“If you want Northern Ireland to be less dependent on the Block Grant from London, join us in generating serious wealth for our people.”

AN ECONOMY EQUIPPED FOR THE FUTURE
Our ambition for the people of Northern Ireland is simply put. The Ulster Unionist Party wants Northern Ireland to be the most attractive region in Europe in which to do business. Why? Because to succeed will make our people more prosperous and we believe that will be transformational for our society.

There was a time when this corner of the United Kingdom was a major economic powerhouse. It led the world in ship building; we had the globe’s largest rope works; our textile industry was vibrant; we produced brilliant engineers and agriculture was a staple industry.

“We paid our way”

The Ulster Unionist Party wants Northern Ireland to once again establish itself as a major economic powerhouse. We may always require a Block Grant from Westminster, but we should aspire to be less dependent, generating our own wealth, and with it, restoring pride and a sense of purpose to our people.

When we talk about the economy, it boils down to how much money our people have in their back pockets. In simple terms, there is a huge prosperity gap between ourselves in Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. If people in Great Britain have £1 in their pockets, our citizens have only 77 pence. To close that gap, we need to start generating serious wealth.

"We want a shift from dependency to wealth generation.”

CORPORATION TAX
Giving Stormont the power to vary the rate of Corporation Tax in Northern Ireland was an Ulster Unionist idea. We regret it was not resolved sooner, because it could and should have been, but that is in the past and the challenge now is to move swiftly to agree the Rate and Date.

We support:

A rate of 12.5%. This matches the current rate in the Republic of Ireland and represents a 7.5% positive differential with GB, now that the UK-wide rate has dropped to 20%;

Introducing the rate at the earliest possible date, which is 1st April 2017;

Encouraging Invest NI, supported by Leaders of all the Executive Parties and Northern Ireland’s business spokespersons, to start immediately marketing Northern Ireland to Foreign Direct Investors, not least in the USA, where the Corporation Tax rate is 35%.

BEYOND CORPORATION TAX
The Ulster Unionist Party never considered a lower rate of Corporation Tax as a silver bullet for our economy. Rather, it is the centre piece in a basket of measures, including:

An appropriately skilled workforce;

Sufficient A grade office accommodation to meet demand;

Fast track planning for major economic initiatives.

In order for Northern Ireland to meet its potential to make its people more prosperous, we need a new economic model; a model that is not so overly-dependent on the public sector, or which stifles private sector growth, or ignores the massive potential of social enterprises, which make up the Third Sector, the so-called “not for profit” businesses that plough profit back into the organisation and the communities they serve.

Within that paradigm, the foundation of this new economy is our micro and small and medium sized enterprise (micro and SMEs). Let us liberate their insatiable entrepreneurial spirit. 99.9% of businesses in Northern Ireland are small. Together they provide 347,000 jobs.

In order to grow the economy in Northern Ireland we will:

Seek to deliver the latent ambition among our business community for a Northern Ireland-owned bank, focused on promoting and advancing the rebalancing of our economy;

Support long-term business investment by opening up access to finance. We will also seek a formal review of the market restrictions for new non-bank sources of finance;

Reform procurement to further open up the £3 Billion annual procurement budget in Northern Ireland to make it more accessible to our micro and SME companies;

Reduce unnecessary business costs, especially for start ups;

Focus government on properly supporting, empowering and resourcing social economies;

Demand reform to EU regulations that disproportionately impact small and medium sized businesses;

Ensure our councils adopt a town centre first approach, with out-of-town planning applications going through rigorous tests to check their potential impact on existing businesses;

Identify and remove gaps in our broadband and mobile network service provision;

Foster and develop the untapped potential of the third sector, including Northern Ireland’s 3,300 community and voluntary organisations. This will include improving the relationship, communication and structures between Government and these organisations. This is especially relevant for organisations that rely on funding from sources such as the European Social Fund;

Keep the interests of businesses and employers at the heart of the decision making process.

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE - EDUCATION
The Ulster Unionist Party believes now is the time to start commencing the transition to a single education system where children of all faiths and none learn together. There would be no more sectors, no more enforced social segregation.

If we offer inoculation jabs against MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) why not give a virtual inoculation against sectarianism? If children share space and experience from age 4, you transform our future, by eliminating the ignorance of “the other” and truly embracing the strength of diversity.

The Ulster Unionist Party has a vision of education where every child is valued equally for their individual, innate ability, creativity and talent, irrespective of whether it is academic, technical, vocational, sporting, artistic, or any unique combination of all. That means every child is cherished, not just the academic boys and girls.

When Martin McGuinness became the first Minister of Education post the 1998 Agreement, he listened when you told him you did not like the 11-Plus Examination, but he closed his ears when you also said you wanted selection, because life involves selection; for jobs, sports teams, performing arts - name it, you will face selection!

Our discussions and broader research with business leaders leaves us in no doubt: if we are serious about closing the prosperity gap, we need to align our education system to three key questions:

What ability, creativity and talent lies within the individual child;

How does that fit within making our people more prosperous;

What do we need to change to make it happen?

To improve the prospects of our young people, we will:

Match Scotland’s record where 80% of day to day expenditure is managed by School Principals supporting children, by cutting administrative costs and putting more of the budget into frontline, classroom teaching;

Resolve the post primary transfer stalemate. The current commercialised nature of the test means the State has lost control of State schools;

Recognise your child’s education is about more than their transfer to post-primary education and bring forward a holistic package of teaching, learning and support.

Our commitments:
We will target schools in deprived communities and introduce a pupil premium. It is abhorrent that successive Sinn Fein Education Ministers have failed to break the cycle of educational underachievement in these areas;

We will push hard to develop a skills-based agenda based around the STEM subjects - Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths;

We will acknowledge and fix the problem of Careers Guidance. We should, could, and with your support, will do better for our children, by making careers’ guidance a core part of the Northern Ireland schools’ curriculum from the age of 15;

We support the retention of the Dickson Plan;

We will amend the Fair Employment and Treatment Order to repeal the exemption for teachers and end the requirement for primary school teachers in the Maintained sector to hold a Catholic Certificate in religious education;

We will end the postcode lottery for pre-school places. Currently, that allows the Government to boast huge success rates in placement offers, with no acknowledgement of the impracticality of families availing of same and the consequent lowering of the percentage of placements accepted.

STEPS TOWARDS RECOVERY - FOR BOTH PEOPLE AND BUSINESS
FAIRER WAGES AND TAXATION
The introduction of the National Minimum Wage in 1998 increased low-end wages for several million workers effectively overnight. However, as a result of only modest increases up until 2014, the value of the minimum wage has fallen significantly in real terms since 2008. We support the principle of the Living Wage, but given the Northern Ireland economy is constituted almost exclusively by micro and SMEs, for whom the Living Wage would represent an existential threat, the practical step for Northern Ireland at this stage is to restore the Minimum Wage to the position originally intended.

We will:

Increase the national minimum wage over the next 3 years to rebalance the shortfalls from previous years;

Expect any company benefitting from the 12.5% rate of Corporation Tax to pay the Living Wage from April 2017;

Close taxation loopholes with zero tolerance on tax evasion;

Seek to gradually rebalance the relationship between the Regional and Domestic Rates, to ensure a greater share of a household’s annual rates bill is collected for the benefit of their local council;

Commission an expert panel to review business rates, listening closely to the often devastating impact rates have on our private sector;

Support measures to increase the personal allowance to £12,500 by 2020;

Introduce a simpler PAYE payroll process for small businesses;

Review the current pension tax relief rates so that greater support goes to savings from the lowest incomes, rather than at present disproportionality benefitting the wealthiest savers;

Oppose reintroducing the 50% top rate of income tax for people earning over £150,000 as previous experience shows an increased rate could actually lead to a reduced total tax take.

REFORMING VAT
The current 20% value added tax rate is crippling two of our key industrial sectors: Construction and Tourism. The Ulster Unionist Party has repeatedly argued the need for concessionary VAT rates for these sectors, to help rebalance our economy and grow our private sector.

We believe Northern Ireland should learn from the experience of the Isle of Man, where a 5% VAT rate has applied since 1995 to hospitality, and from 1999 to aspects of construction, both with identifiable benefits to their economy.

The Tynwald government, aided by HM Treasury, successfully lobbied the EU for a concessionary VAT rate for the Repair Maintenance and Improvement (RM&I) of existing dwellings. RM&I covers all activities to existing dwellings, from relatively minor works such as painting and decorating, to the more major, including extensions and conversions.

In 1999, under Council Directive 1999/85/EC, the Isle of Man applied a concessionary 5% VAT rate to RM&I, with the Isle of Man Government assessing the initiative being responsible for:

Stimulating the construction industry;

Retaining skills;

Creating new, permanent jobs, including apprenticeships;

Offering citizens an affordable way to improve their dwelling;

Regenerating the existing housing stock;

Helping Government achieve its target of reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050;

Reducing the viability of the black / shadow / informal economy;

Generating a perception of positive momentum and hope.

A KNOWLEDGE BASED ECONOMY
To transform Northern Ireland into a vibrant knowledge based economy we must improve our current research and development capacity.

We will:

Seek to double the number of PhDs in Northern Ireland by 2020;

Protect the UK’s science and research budget, which currently stands at £4.6 Billion;

Encourage a greater focus on STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) at GCSE and A-level to ensure we have the appropriately skilled workforce to meet the future demands of a modern economy;

Seek the expansion of Higher Education in the North West.

INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE
A 21st century economy requires 21st century infrastructure. Northern Ireland’s road and rail network are lagging behind. It is imperative that for businesses and commuters alike, our network is efficient and robust.

We will:

Support a new infrastructure strategy that balances the needs of all our regions;

Support the full development of the A26, A6 and A5 road projects;

Invest in our rail infrastructure, starting by completing the current Enterprise refurbishment project, improving the rail connection to Londonderry and developing a new Belfast Transport Hub.

DEVELOPING OUR DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Fast and reliable broadband is no longer a luxury, it is a basic necessity for almost every business in Northern Ireland and an increasingly important part of most of our daily lives.

While Northern Ireland has had significant success in rolling out fibre optic broadband, major gaps still exist. We must seek to complete the job and ensure no business or household is left behind.

We will:

Incentivise the major telecommunication companies to deliver superfast broadband to 95% of the Northern Ireland population by 2017;

Encourage the rollout of new 4G and 5G mobile technology across Northern Ireland;

Tackle mobile “not-spots” that exist in many rural areas.

SUPPORTING OUR AEROSPACE SECTOR
Northern Ireland is a global leader in aerospace. From the design of aircraft seating to the manufacture of wing components, our local industry is at the cutting edge.

We will:

Continue to support the Aerospace Growth Partnership to ensure Northern Ireland remains a world-class destination for aerospace investment;

Fight for the retention of high-skilled engineering jobs in Northern Ireland;

Seek further investment in research and development for the local aerospace sector.

PROMOTING THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
The creative industries, including film, television, and digital media, are one of the fastest-growing sectors of our economy. Northern Ireland has already proven it can compete on a global stage.

We will:

Support Northern Ireland Screen in its efforts to attract major international productions to our shores;

Invest in local talent and ensure our young people have the skills to work in this burgeoning sector;

Seek to expand the available studio space in Northern Ireland.

GROWING OUR TOURISM SECTOR
Tourism is one of the most important pillars of our economy, yet its potential remains largely untapped. We must move beyond being a destination that people visit for a single day, to one where they stay and spend.

We will:

Support the development of new world-class tourist attractions;

Campaign for the abolition of Air Passenger Duty on all flights to and from Northern Ireland;

Work with local councils to promote our unique heritage and culture to a global audience.

MAKING THE MOST OF OUR PEOPLE
“Our people are our greatest resource. We must ensure that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS
Childcare in Northern Ireland is among the most expensive in the United Kingdom. This creates a significant barrier for parents, particularly mothers, who want to return to the workforce.

We will:

Seek to introduce 15 hours of free childcare per week for all 3 and 4 year olds;

Support the introduction of tax-free childcare for working families;

Encourage the development of more community-based childcare facilities.

DELIVERING SOCIAL JUSTICE
A prosperous society is one that leaves no one behind. We must tackle the root causes of poverty and social exclusion.

We will:

Ensure work pays in order to break the cycle of welfare dependency;

Introduce a statutory duty on Departments to work towards eliminating child poverty;

Close the 23% prosperity gap that has developed between citizens here and the rest of the UK.

REFORMING WELFARE FOR A FAIRER SOCIETY
The welfare system must be a safety net for those who need it, but it must also encourage those who can work to do so. We support the principle of Universal Credit, but it must be implemented in a way that is fair and compassionate.

We will:

Ensure that no one who is genuinely unable to work is left without support;

Protect the most vulnerable members of our society from the impact of welfare changes;

Support the provision of advice and guidance for those transitioning to the new welfare system.

SUPPORTING OUR SENIOR CITIZENS
Our senior citizens have contributed a lifetime to our society. They deserve to live their later years with dignity and security.

We will:

Protect the "triple lock" on the state pension;

Maintain the winter fuel payment, free bus passes, and free TV licenses for those over 75;

Invest in social care to ensure that older people can live independently in their own homes for as long as possible.

PROTECTING OUR PEOPLE
KEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE
The first duty of any government is to protect its citizens. In Northern Ireland, this means tackling both ordinary crime and the remaining threat from dissident republicans.

We will:

Ensure the PSNI is adequately resourced to deal with all threats to public safety;

Support a zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour;

Work to build stronger links between the police and the communities they serve.

DELIVERING JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS
The legacy of the Troubles continues to cast a long shadow over our society. We must ensure that victims and survivors receive the justice and support they deserve.

We will:

Support the establishment of a comprehensive and transparent process for dealing with the past;

Ensure that the needs of victims are at the heart of any legacy process;

Oppose any attempt to grant a general amnesty for Troubles-related crimes.

STRENGTHENING OUR NATIONAL SECURITY
As part of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland plays a vital role in our national security. We must remain vigilant against all threats, both domestic and international.

We will:

Support the work of the security services in protecting our citizens;

Ensure that the UK maintains a strong and credible nuclear deterrent;

Work with our international partners to tackle the global threat of terrorism.

OUR POSITION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE WIDER WORLD
REFORMING THE EUROPEAN UNION
The Ulster Unionist Party believes that the United Kingdom's place is within a reformed European Union. However, we also believe that the EU in its current form is in need of radical change.

We will:

Support an in/out referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union by the end of 2017;

Campaign for a reformed EU that focuses on trade and cooperation, rather than political union;

Seek to return powers from Brussels to the UK Parliament.

PROMOTING NORTHERN IRELAND ABROAD
Northern Ireland has much to offer the world. We must be more proactive in promoting our businesses, our culture, and our people on the global stage.

We will:

Work with the UK Government to increase Northern Ireland’s export capacity;

Support the work of the British Council in promoting our culture and heritage;

Seek to attract more foreign direct investment to Northern Ireland.

OUR COMMITMENT TO INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
As one of the world’s wealthiest nations, the United Kingdom has a moral responsibility to help those in the developing world.

We will:

Maintain our commitment to spending 0.7% of GNI on international development;

Ensure that UK aid is used effectively to tackle poverty, disease, and conflict;

Support efforts to promote democracy and human rights around the world.

Ulster Unionist Party WESTMINSTER CANDIDATES
East Antrim — Roy Beggs

South Antrim — Danny Kinahan

North Antrim — Robin Swann

Upper Bann — Jo-Anne Dobson

East Belfast — Naomi Long (N.B. This represents a cross-party arrangement, but the UUP supports a pro-Union candidate)

North Belfast — Nigel Dodds (N.B. This represents a cross-party arrangement, but the UUP supports a pro-Union candidate)

South Belfast — Rodney McCune

West Belfast — Bill Manwaring

North Down — (No UUP candidate)

South Down — Harold McKee

Fermanagh & South Tyrone — Tom Elliott

Foyle — Julia Kee

Lagan Valley — Alex Redpath

East Londonderry — William McCandless

Mid Ulster — Sandra Overend

Newry & Armagh — Danny Kennedy

Strangford — Robert Burgess

West Tyrone — Ross Hussey

Ulster Unionist Party
Doing what's right for Northern Ireland