Please note this website was created for the 2015 General Election. Due to the lack of preparation time, we have not updated this website for the 2017 Election. Why?
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
We favour having available to us the power to reduce the rate of corporation tax in the Province, subject to the precise terms not placing an intolerable burden on our budget. This would assist in improving our productivity compared with the rest of the United Kingdom especially the South East of England and being competitive.
Our goal is not be as competitive as the Irish Republic, but to be more competitive, so we would work towards a 10% rate.
In order to rebalance the Northern Ireland economy and promote the private sector, DUP Ministers will:
Support the creation of over 20,000 new jobs.
Strive to make Northern Ireland the best place in the UK to do business.
Seek to increase exports by 50% over the next decade by supporting first-time exporters and assisting companies to diversify into new markets.
Seek in the short-term to maximise job creation by actions such as providing financial support for start-ups and grant assistance in the agri-food sector, targeting knowledge processing and contact centre FDI, boosting funding and procurement opportunities for social enterprises and extending the Propel programme for export starts
Target over the course of the Assembly term more jobs in ICT, agri-food, financial services, health technology, tradable services, clean technology, business services, retail, tourism and construction.
Aim to expand aerospace, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and other high value advanced manufacturing.
Extend and improve the small business rates relief scheme.
Seek to build Northern Ireland's reputation internationally as a centre for creative industries.
Pursue banks to provide working capital and funds for growth to local businesses, demanding regular figures updating the levels of business lending including both renewals of facilities and new lending.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
The DUP would seek to:
Require a comprehensive review of sentencing policy to ensure it is effective in deterring crime, protecting the public and cutting reoffending.
The DUP will bring forward legislation for tougher sentences and make prison terms the norm for those who attack the elderly and vulnerable.
Seek to increase sentences for child sex offences, rape and sexual assault.
Establish a Victims' Charter placing victims at the heart of the justice process and ensuring proper communication and consultation from the PSNI and Public Prosecution Service with explanations for delays and failure to prosecute- reasons would have to be given for decisions to prosecute on lesser charges.
Extend to Northern Ireland the Sarah's Law provisions being practiced in England, allowing concerned parents to request whether individuals in contact with their child about whom they would have concerns, are on the Sex Offenders Register.
Prisoners should not be treated more favourably than law abiding citizens.
Amend self-defence legislation so householders are given greater protection and can only be prosecuted for use of force against intruders which is found to be disproportionate.
Produce a strategy to deal more effectively with white collar crime, ensuring that those who misappropriate or embezzle funds are properly pursued.
Introduce a website based on the CrimeMapper model across the water, so the public have accurate information about the level of crime in their neighbourhood.
Support use of wire tap evidence in court.
Establish a new police and fire service training centre.
Increase the proportion of time police officers spend on operational duties to levels comparable with the rest of the United Kingdom.
Limit the use of police speed cameras to accident blackspots.
Plans to introduce ID cards should be scrapped. They are too expensive and will not tackle terrorism or illegal immigration.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
We favour having available to us the power to reduce the rate of corporation tax in the Province, subject to the precise terms not placing an intolerable burden on our budget. This would assist in improving our productivity compared with the rest of the United Kingdom especially the South East of England and being competitive.
Our goal is not be as competitive as the Irish Republic, but to be more competitive, so we would work towards a 10% rate.
Assist the social economy through increased start-up packages, training and support with business plans and hosting an international conference on social enterprise.
Amend credit union legislation and promote microfinance initiatives.
Maintain the 30% cap on manufacturing rates.
Extend and improve the small business rates relief scheme.
Maximise the amount of revenue spend which can be transferred to capital for investment.
Double tourism revenue to £1 billion over the next decade.
Maximise benefits from the significant capital investment in tourism, particularly in 2012 with the Titanic and Ulster Covenant anniversaries and the opening of a new Giant's Causeway Visitor Centre, and Londonderry's Year as the UK's City of Culture in 2013.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
The DUP will increase investment in the early years, produce a roadmap for a single education system, continue to safeguard academic selection and ensure no-one is priced out of attending university.
Produce a comprehensive long-term plan for the education sector including a roadmap to create a single education system.
Introduce an Individual Education Plan for every pupil based on a simplified Pupil Profile.
Legislate to implement a Special Educational Needs strategy after overhaul of the outgoing Minister's proposals.
Review the Revised Curriculum with a view to giving principals and teachers more freedom to adapt their offering to suit the pupils' particular circumstances.
Assist unemployed teachers to take training modules permitting them to attain experience in the preschool sector or similarly in reading recovery schemes until they obtain a teaching post.
Rationalise immediately the five Education Boards into one, followed quickly by a single body subsuming the functions, assets and liabilities of Education Boards, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, Staff Commission and Youth Council.
Continue to oppose any rise in student fees beyond the routine year-on-year inflationary uplifts.
Seek to have the cap on student numbers in Northern Ireland removed.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
Aim to secure 40% of our energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020, assisting small scale renewable energy generation, ensuring simplified processes to secure approval for renewable projects, publishing a Northern Ireland Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy and seeking to establish the Province as a renewable manufacturing hub
Make our fair share of reductions in greenhouse gases, cutting emissions by 25% below 1990 levels by 2025.
Continue progress towards making the government estate carbon neutral.
Promote renewable heat working towards 10% of heat consumed coming from renewable sources by 2020.
Commence a Province-wide retrofit programme providing a range of energy efficiency measures, reducing carbon emissions and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
Take advantage of the economic opportunities offered by a low carbon economy.
Support Research and Development in renewable and low carbon technologies.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
From the DUP Westminster Manifesto 2010:
The DUP opposes the UK entering the Euro zone. Giving up our national currency would mean surrendering a vital tool for running the British economy and an unacceptable loss of independence.
We also believe that the United Kingdom Government must do much more to oppose the continual power-grab exercised by the European Commission. We support the localisation of the Common Fisheries Policy which would see fishing policy controlled at a national or local level within the UK.
We believe that the UN target of spending 0.7% of Gross National Income on international aid by 2013 is a target which should be met. It is important however that this money is seen to be delivering the maximum possible benefits for those who are in most need. We believe there must be measurable targets put in place to ensure that aid is being put to the best and most efficient use.
It is important that UK interests are protected within the world and the DUP fully supports the rights of the Falkland Islands to self-determination.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
Work to keep household bills at a minimum, ensuring that Northern Ireland continues to have the lowest bills anywhere in the UK.
The DUP will block additional water charges, limit any regional rate increase to inflation and cap district rates.
Explore the potential to create a website called FixOurStreetNI for residents to report problems with streetlights, drainage,waste collection, road maintenance, etc.
One poorly maintained property can drag an entire estate or area down so we will explore means for agencies to carry out any necessary work and be compensated retrospectively when individuals persistently fail to maintain acceptable standards.
Require car parks accessed by the public to have family parking spaces.
Conduct an inquiry into insurance costs- including car, contents and buildings insurance- in the Province compared with Great Britain, covering local insurance industry practice and the role of the legal sector.
Drive down fuel poverty in the short term to a level comparable with the rest of the United Kingdom.
Further roll out broadband connectivity throughout Northern Ireland and increase e-business activity.
Work towards ensuring affordable childcare Province-wide from 8am to 6pm from Monday to Friday.
Make greater use of the schools estate for childcare aiming for schools to be able to use childcare tax credits, and ensuring varied use of time including breakfast clubs,homework clubs, sport and vocational and skills training.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
Cut the size of government, with Departments providing the policy and strategy framework within which services are delivered
.The DUP will work with other parties to create a settled society in Northern Ireland, realising savings through sharing and breaking down division.
We will continue to make Stormont better by delivering much needed reforms, working to reduce the number of MLAs and Government Departments.
The DUP will work to end division and bring unionists together to maximise unionism's strength and influence. We will seek to create a shared and united community in Northern Ireland where everyone has been the opportunity to succeed, ensuring the long-term Union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Consult on outlawing election posters or limiting their use in terms of numbers, distance from polling stations, commencement date, etc.
Press ahead rapidly with the reconfiguration of local government and transferring of extra powers from central Departments.
Amalgamate the Human Rights Commission, Equality Commission and the Office of the Children's Commissioner.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
The DUP will increase spending on health in real terms, ensure that resources are targeted on the front line through greater efficiency and productivity and expand cancer services.
We will prioritise preventative measures to improve public health.
Slash the excessive per capita spending on Departmental and administrative costs to the levels in the rest of the UK.
Reconfigure provision to shift the 25-30% of care currently carried out inappropriately in hospitals, into the community- patients must be treated in the right place at the right time by the right people, not over-relying on the most specialised and expensive services.
Have 80% of domiciliary care provided by charities and other nonstatutory organisations by 2015, releasing savings extending to tens of millions of pounds per year.
Allocate to public health an increasing percentage of the overall health budget with a view to increasing spend on health promotion and disease prevention beyond £100 million, to more than two and a half times the 2007 figure.
Increase investment in intermediate care and rehabilitation to treat more patients with chronic illnesses at home rather than requiring hospital admission.
Carry out at least one hundred more cardiac operations per year in Northern Ireland making savings from sending less patients to Dublin or Great Britain.
Explore means including fixed penalty notices to reduce drunkenness and violence in Accident and Emergency departments and throughout the health care system.
Oppose extension of the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland.
Explore the potential for Northern Ireland to be included in the NHS Choices website which has provided a better service and saved close to £50 million in England.
Support measures to reduce alcohol consumption including an end to promotions such as ‘happy hours', banning the sale of alcohol below cost price and ensuring any introduction of minimum pricing is targeted at an appropriate level to impact on binge drinkers.
Encourage fast food outlets, restaurants, sandwich chains, cafes, public houses and company canteens to display calorie counts on menus.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
A DUP Social Development Minister would seek to:
Produce a comprehensive Homes and Communities strategy for Northern Ireland, agreed with the housing sector.
Assist first time buyers including through a graduate home loan scheme for those with degrees in subjects crucial to improving our economy such as STEM, finance and business.
Promote shared ownership schemes and provide tenants with greater opportunity to own or part-own their home, including greater flexibility in the proportion stake required for co-ownership.
Explore how funding to assist the Co-Ownership scheme could be increased as well as the establishment of a government backed loan scheme for first time buyers.
Place an increased focus on the housing needs of the vulnerable including the elderly and disabled, ensuring processes are more sympathetic to their particular needs.
Examine appropriate schemes to assist homeowners facing problems paying their mortgages and provide practical advice and support.
Produce a comprehensive, cross-Departmental homelessness strategy.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
The DUP supports measures to limit the number of people from overseas permitted to settle in the United Kingdom each year.
We support a points-based system similar to that in Australia which gives priority to those with skills we need in the UK.
We demand the discontinuation of the practice of submitting multiple new asylum applications in order to avoid deportation, and believe that the UK should only receive a fixed number of refugees from the UNHCR.
Plans to introduce ID cards should be scrapped. They are too expensive and will not tackle terrorism or illegal immigration.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
Seek to reduce crippling Air Passenger Duty rates introduced by the UK Government which risk diverting business away from the Province to the Irish Republic and placing long-haul routes such as Belfast-New York under threat.
Continue to press the Westminster Government for a fair fuel duty stabiliser.
Invest in our roads and transport network,water and waste water, schools and youth services, health and social care as well as social and affordable housing.
Continue to minimise road casualties through road safety engineering, collision remedial schemes, traffic calming, school safety zones and improved pedestrian and cycle networks.
Promote increased usage of public transport and make best use of the new bus and train fleets.
Seek to ensure that the Belfast-Londonderry rail link has commuters arriving before 9am.
Ensure public transport and car parking issues are fully taken into account in planning determinations.
Seek to reduce crippling Air Passenger Duty rates introduced by the UK Government which risk diverting passengers away from the Province to the Irish Republic.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
Fight the case with the Department for Work and Pensions that welfare reforms should not disproportionately impact on Northern Ireland in a negative way.
Pilot automatic payment of benefits.
Continue efforts to reduce the levels of poverty particularly child poverty.
Establish a Social Protection Fund with an initial allocation of £20 million for the first year to assist those in the most severe hardship.
Work towards all benefit applications being made online, removing the need to attend a benefits office and allowing staff to be relocated in one or two large centres.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
In the next four years the DUP will ensure that the Northern Ireland Executive supports the creation of over 20,000 news jobs, strive to make Northern Ireland the best place in the UK to do business, progressively work to reduce corporation tax to 10% and work towards ensuring affordable childcare provice-wide from 8am to 6pm.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
Democratic Unionist are in favour of the following policies:
Further develop relationships in India, China, South America, Canada and Russia.
Encourage firms from the Far East and elsewhere to locate European bases in Northern Ireland.
Produce a ten-year plan for showcasing Northern Ireland on the international stage in 2021, and incorporating a homecoming of the Northern Ireland diaspora.
Source: Democratic Unionist party website, existing manifesto or officially-published policies.
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