James Nicholson

James Nicholson, MEP

James Nicholson (born 29 January 1945, Armagh, Northern Ireland) is a British MEP (1989- ) for Northern Ireland. Originally from Ulster Unionist Party, Nicholson has been elected to the EP in 2009 elections from the bipartisan electoral alliance between the Ulster Unionist Party and the Conservative Party called Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force (UCUNF).

Affiliations

Parliamentary Affiliations

Chair:

30.01.1997 / 13.10.1997 : Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand

14.10.1997 / 23.02.1999 : Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand

24.02.1999 / 19.07.1999 : Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand

22.07.1999 / 14.01.2002 : Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand

07.02.2002 / 19.07.2004 : Delegation for relations with the United States

Vice-Chair:

13.05.1997 / 19.07.1999 : Group of Independents for a Europe of Nations

17.09.2009 / ... : Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly

Quaestor:

21.07.2004 / 15.01.2007 : European Parliament

21.07.2004 / 15.01.2007 : Parliament's Bureau

16.01.2007 / 13.07.2009 : European Parliament

16.01.2007 / 13.07.2009 : Parliament's Bureau

Member:

25.07.1989 / 18.07.1994 : Group of the European People's Party (Christian-Democratic Group)

26.07.1989 / 14.01.1992 : Committee on Regional Policy and Regional Planning

15.01.1992 / 10.02.1993 : Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand

15.01.1992 / 18.07.1994 : Committee on Regional Policy, Regional Planning and Relations with Regional and Local Authorities

28.01.1992 / 18.07.1994 : Subcommittee on Fisheries

11.02.1993 / 31.01.1994 : Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand

01.02.1994 / 18.07.1994 : Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand

19.07.1994 / 27.07.1994 : Group of the European People's Party (Christian-Democratic Group)

21.07.1994 / 29.09.1994 : Committee on Budgets

28.07.1994 / 12.01.1997 : Group of the European People's Party (Christian-Democratic Group)

29.09.1994 / 15.01.1997 : Committee on Transport and Tourism

17.11.1994 / 11.07.1995 : Delegation for relations with Russia

12.07.1995 / 15.01.1997 : Delegation for relations with Russia

13.01.1997 / 12.05.1997 : Group of Independents for a Europe of Nations

16.01.1997 / 19.07.1999 : Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

16.01.1997 / 30.01.1997 : Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand

14.05.1998 / 19.07.1999 : Committee on Regional Policy

20.07.1999 / 11.10.1999 : Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats

22.07.1999 / 14.01.2002 : Conference of Delegation Chairmen

13.09.1999 / 14.01.2002 : Committee on Fisheries

12.10.1999 / 07.03.2002 : Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats

17.01.2002 / 19.07.2004 : Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism

07.02.2002 / 19.07.2004 : Conference of Delegation Chairmen

08.03.2002 / 19.07.2004 : Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats

20.07.2004 / 13.07.2009 : Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats

21.07.2004 / 15.01.2007 : Quaestors

21.07.2004 / 14.01.2007 : Committee on Regional Development

15.09.2004 / 12.10.2004 : Delegation for relations with South Africa

13.10.2004 / 13.03.2007 : Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand

24.10.2005 / 13.03.2007 : Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

15.01.2007 / 30.01.2007 : Committee on Regional Development

16.01.2007 / 13.07.2009 : Quaestors

31.01.2007 / 17.02.2008 : Committee on Fisheries

12.02.2007 / 13.07.2009 : Committee on Regional Development

14.03.2007 / 13.07.2009 : Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand

15.03.2007 / 13.07.2009 : Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia

18.02.2008 / 13.07.2009 : Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

14.07.2009 / ... : European Conservatives and Reformists

16.07.2009 / ... : Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

16.09.2009 / 16.09.2009 : Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly

Substitute:

26.07.1989 / 14.01.1992 : Committee on Agriculture, Fischeries and Rural Development

15.01.1992 / 18.07.1994 : Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development

05.02.1992 / 10.02.1993 : Delegation for relations with Israel

11.02.1993 / 31.01.1994 : Delegation for relations with Israel

01.02.1994 / 18.07.1994 : Delegation for relations with Israel

21.07.1994 / 15.01.1997 : Committee on Fisheries

21.07.1994 / 15.01.1997 : Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

16.01.1997 / 19.07.1999 : Committee on Fisheries

16.01.1997 / 13.05.1998 : Committee on Regional Policy

16.01.1997 / 20.02.1997 : Temporary committee of inquiry into BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy)

24.04.1997 / 19.11.1997 : Temporary committee instructed to monitor the action taken on the recommendations made concerning BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy)

21.07.1999 / 08.09.1999 : Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy

21.07.1999 / 14.01.2002 : Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

02.02.2000 / 14.01.2002 : Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism

17.01.2002 / 17.12.2002 : Temporary committee on foot and mouth disease

17.01.2002 / 19.07.2004 : Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

17.01.2002 / 19.07.2004 : Committee on Fisheries

20.11.2003 / 21.04.2004 : Temporary committee on improving safety at sea

22.07.2004 / 14.01.2007 : Committee on Fisheries

22.07.2004 / 14.01.2007 : Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

15.09.2004 / 13.03.2007 : Delegation for relations with the United States

16.09.2004 / 23.10.2005 : Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

21.10.2004 / 13.03.2007 : Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula

15.01.2007 / 30.01.2007 : Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

15.01.2007 / 30.01.2007 : Committee on Fisheries

31.01.2007 / 17.02.2008 : Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

31.01.2007 / 11.02.2007 : Committee on Regional Development

14.03.2007 / 13.07.2009 : Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula

14.03.2007 / 13.07.2009 : Delegation for relations with the United States

15.03.2007 / 13.07.2009 : Delegation for relations with India

21.07.2009 / ... : Committee on Regional Development

07.09.2009 / ... : Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

16.09.2009 / ... : Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula

Record and Controversies

Declaration of Financial Interests

• Part owner of farm at 147 Keddy Road, Armagh

Former Declaration of Financial Interests

• Visit to Israel as guest of Israel Government for which they paid the Hotel accommodation for five nights.

Record of Parliamentary Votes

• Abstained from voting the directive on "establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy" (A5-0027/2000). The directive covers all water management aspects in order to achieve a 'good status' of all waters by 2015.
• Voted in favour of the directive on "national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants" (A5-0063/2000). The amendment allows setting less ambitious national emission ceilings for sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), which would result in more damage to human health and the environment.
• Voted in favour of the Commission White Paper on "Strategy for a future Chemicals Policy" (A5-0356/2001). The amendment helps avoid the necessary precautionary approach towards some chemical substances that are not proven to be completely safe.
• Voted against the directive on "waste electrical and electronic equipment" (A5-0100/2002). The amendment sets higher reuse and recycling rates for IT and telecommunication equipment. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted in favour of the report on "Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network" (A5-0135/2002). The Trans-European Network of Transport (TEN-T) is a network of so-called 'transport corridors' through Europe. This amendment calls for a full Strategic Environmental Assessment of these transport corridors and calls on the Commission to improve methods for analysing the environmental and economic impact of the TEN-T.
• Voted against the report towards a "thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides" (A5-0061/2003). The amendment proposes to ban or severely restrict use of pesticides in areas around sources of drinking water and nature protected zones.
• Voted against the directive on "environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage" (A5-0145/2003). According to the amendment, polluters have to pay for environmental clean-up, and it supports an EU-wide regime which makes polluters liable for the damage they cause to wildlife, water and land.
• Voted against the directive on restructuring the "Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity" (A5-0302/2003). The amendment aims at giving tax benefits to environmentally friendly sources of energy, which would make them cheaper and more competitive to conventional (more polluting) sources of energy. It also gives tax benefits to environmentally friendly uses of energy for transport, for instance trains. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted against the amendment on Bulgaria’s progress towards accession (A5-0105/2004). The report objects to extending the life of the nuclear power stations in Bulgaria.

Personal Information

Curriculum Vitae

• Farmer and full-time politician.
• Vice-President of the Ulster Unionist Council.
• Mayor of Armagh (1996).
• Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (1982-1986).
• Member of the House of Commons (1983-1986).
• Member of the European Parliament (since 1989).
• Chairman of the Delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand (1997-2002).
• Chairman of the Delegation for relations with the United States (2002-2004).

Contact

Address:

Parlement européen

Bât. Willy Brandt

04M097

60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60

B-1047 Bruxelles/Brussel

Phone:

+32 (0)2 28 45933

Fax:

+32 (0)2 28 49933

Email:

james.nicholson AT europarl.europa.eu

Website:

This article is part of the MEPedia project of Spinwatch.

Resources

• European Parliament, Declaration of Members' Financial Interests: James Nicholson, 28 February 2008, accessed 07 February 2009.
• European Parliament, Declaration of Members' Financial Interests: James Nicholson, 12 June 2009, accessed 03 November 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: James Nicholson, accessed 07 February 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: James Nicholson, accessed 07 February 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: James Nicholson, accessed 02 December 2010.
• Friends of the Earth, EU Vote Watch, accessed 07 February 2009.
• Trimble Fury at Sleaze Tactics, The People, 7 March 2009, archived at the Free Library.
• Sam McBride, UUP MLA Jim Nicholson’s details found in hacker Mulcaire’s notebook, Belfast News Letter, 29 March 2014.