UUP General Election manifesto at a glance

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) prioritises five “Ps” in its General Election manifesto – people, place, prosperity, public services and peace.

Here, the PA news agency looks in more detail at the party’s policy proposals in the 35-page Making Northern Ireland Work manifesto.

– Economy

The party wants to see the 20% VAT rate levied on the tourism and hospitality sector lowered to the same rate that applies in the Republic of Ireland – 13.5%. It says the move will allow providers north of the border to compete on a “level playing field”.

The UUP also wants corporation tax dropped from 25% to 15% in Northern Ireland to help attract investment and drive economic growth in the region.

The party advocates for the creation of a UK/Ireland wide energy market, with greater integration with the energy sector in Great Britain.

The manifesto also proposes that all ports in Northern Ireland are designated “freeports” – a special government-assigned designation aimed at boosting investment in certain areas.

– Health

With the party holding the health portfolio in the Stormont Executive, it has used its manifesto to outline its plans for the under-pressure sector in Northern Ireland.

Those include driving ahead with reform and restructuring of health service delivery and a commitment to maintain the policy of pay parity between NI healthcare staff and their counterparts in GB.

– Fairer society

The party says it will promote the “widely accepted definition of a woman as an adult female” and will seek to protect women’s spaces, sport and the language used to describe women.

The UUP says it supports a ban on conversion therapy, wants to work towards zero new HIV diagnoses by 2030, and ensure fertility services are provided to all without discrimination.

The party wants to see the controversial two-child limit on Universal Credit payments abolished. It is also pressing for an increase in the carer’s allowance and a rise in the earnings cap applied to the benefit.

– Agriculture and Environment

The party wants to increase the level of direct payments made to support farmers. It also calls for a reduction in the compliance processes required on farmers.

– Justice and Legacy

The UUP wants to see 7,500 police officers in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The current headcount sits at around 6,300. The party advocates recruiting an extra 500 officers per year over the next three years, above and beyond the recruitment exercises already planned.

The party proposes splitting the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service into two sections – one of which would deal exclusively with legacy cases.

It also wants the PSNI’s Legacy Investigation Branch expanded and better funded.

– Defence

The party highlights concerns over Government defence policy, claiming the western approaches to the UK are being left unprotected.

It has called for the reinstatement of an RAF base at Aldergrove in Co Antrim and said UK and Nato naval vessels should be pre-deployed to Northern Ireland ports ahead of operations in the Atlantic.

The UUP wants 2.5% of GDP spent on defence.