Chairman, Leader, fellow Unionists,

It is an honour to address conference as MLA for South Antrim.  I want to pay tribute to my predecessor Danny Kinahan MP, and to tell you all that it is the South Antrim’s firm intention that by the time of next year’s conference we will have two Ulster Unionist MLAs for South Antrim.

Delegates, as this motion says what currently passes for an Executive at Stormont cannot be as good as it gets.

I have joined the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee at Stormont, and recently it conducted an inquiry into the Northern Ireland economy and published report entitled “Opportunity for Excellence”.

It contains 15 very sensible recommendations for putting the economy of Northern Ireland on a firmer footing.

But one of the most startling findings in the report for me was the fact that all the major business bodies in Northern Ireland- CBI, IoD, FSB and Manufacturing NI all agree that there is currently no joined up plan to grow the Northern Ireland economy.

That has to change.  There has to a be a simple and deliverable action plan to grow the Northern Ireland economy.  And it has to be the centre piece of the next Programme for Government.

The Economy Minister Mr Bell says we are doing well.  I think he needs a reality check:

In May 2007 Northern Ireland had an unemployment rate of 3.7%, lower than both the then UK average of 5.4% and the Republic’s 4.1%. In that month the Executive were re-established under DUP/Sinn Fein leadership.  Today our unemployment rate is 6% whilst the UK average has returned to 5.4%- the rate it was before the financial crash.

Even more worryingly, 27.6% of the population is economically inactive; it was 27% in 2007.  At the same time we know that overall, about one in 9 of Northern Ireland’s population is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance– compared with around 1 in 20 in England. In West Belfast, 1 in every 5 of or so is in receipt of DLA. 

This is not a record that the Executive should be proud of. 

This party was fully justified in coming out of the Executive; we are now determined to form a constructive opposition to the current cabal at Stormont.  This is all about moving this society to normal politics, better government and political stability.  Political stability is was the business community need and what this country deserves.

Delegates, in the few months I have been in post I have been meeting with and listening to the voices of industry and commerce, and we will be developing over the next few months, our alternative programme for government.  I can assure you of that. 

But whilst a short 4 minute speech limits what I can say today, I feel cannot let this opportunity go without welcoming back to his position, the roving Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment. 

Mr Bell has, I understand, made it back from China...on a slow boat.  I look forward to greeting him at the next Question Time as we have already struck up quite a rapport. 

Some of you may remember he used to be a member of this party where he adopted the persona of an anti-Agreement opponent of Sinn Fein in Government.  How times have changed. Welcome back Mr Bell and this Party is looking forward to putting you through your paces in the months to come.

Conference I support the motion, and look forward to holding the DUP/Sinn Fein coalition to account for their economic incompetency, as we develop our own Programme for Government over the coming months.