Jeffrey Donaldson

Lagan Valley

The Mount, Dromore is within the Lagan Valley constituency

Lagan Valley is centred on the City of Lisburn, to the south-west of Belfast. The area has good connections to the Ulster capital, the major provincial towns and the airports at Aldergrove and Belfast City, Northern Irelands main air terminals.

Indeed, almost three million live within an hour's drive of the region.

The area is one of the most densely populated regions in Northern Ireland, with the majority of its inhabitants residing in Lisburn, and in the towns of Hillsborough, Moira, Dunmurry and Dromore. Lagan Valley is the fastest growing constituency in Northern Ireland, both in terms of demography and economics.

In the 2001 Census the population of Lagan Valley had reached over 101,000 with a significant increase expected in the next decade. And sound economic policies have resulted in a GDP per person of around 115% of the Northern Ireland average.

Lagan Valley is famous for containing some of the most beautiful towns and villages within the United Kingdom. Tourists and expert judges alike, rate picturesque places such as Moira and Hillsborough as being amongst the best kept, most colourful communities in the British Isles.

Although Lagan Valley's history is steeped in the linen trade, its importance has since been overtaken by manufacturing, service and agricultural industries. Indeed, the service sector provides work for the majority of Lagan Valley's constituents, sixty percent of whom are economically active.

This professional workforce contains a higher than average base of senior mangers and technical personnel. Employment growth has been fastest in such activities as retail outlets, public administration, health and education. This has meant that in the current year, unemployment fell below the UK average to just 2.4%.

The high level of employment in the healthcare sector is reflected in the local Down LisburnTrust's above average performance in delivering a high standard of care to the community. Furthermore, the area is committed to investing in its future - striving to enhance an already capable and committed local workforce. There are 48 Nursery / Primary Schools and 8 Secondary Schools and further third level centres of excellence, catering for more than 8,000 pupils.

Lagan Valley is a strongly Unionist seat, held by the Ulster Unionist Party since its creation in 1983. Until 1997 this constituency was represented by the party's former leader, James (now Lord) Molyneaux, before I became its MP (majority 16,925) in the May 1997 election.