The North's First Minister and UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, has announced a reshuffle of his ministerial team replacing the Minister of the Environment, Mr Sam Foster, with a junior minister, Mr Dermot Nesbitt.
Mr Nesbitt's old post will go to a North Antrim MLA, Mr James Leslie. Asked about his own intentions in the run-up to next month's Ulster Unionist Council meeting, which will see a leadership election, Mr Trimble insisted he had no plans to resign.
"I have absolutely no intention of standing down," he stated.
It had been widely known that Mr Foster, who turned 70 just before Christmas, was planning to stand down. Mr Foster said it was now time to hand over the reins to a younger man. He will, however, stay on as an MLA.
"I have been honoured and privileged to have served my leader and served the people of Northern Ireland. I would also like to think that I have made some positive change through the environment portfolio. When I arrived, the environment was the poor relation under direct rule . . .
"I have every confidence that my successor, Dermot Nesbitt, will make further giant strides to ensure that our environment is a better place for everyone. I offer him my heartfelt congratulations and wish him well in the future," Mr Foster concluded.
Thanking the Environment Minister for his contribution, Mr Trimble stressed the need for his party to move forward. "I hope the administration of the Ulster Unionist team will be as effective as we have been over the course of the last two years," he said.
Mr Nesbitt said his main aim at the Environment Department would be "good government for Northern Ireland. Part of that is making sure the Belfast Agreement is quickly and fully implemented."
Mr Leslie's appointment as junior minister means he will have to step down from the Policing Board of which he is one of the UUP's four representatives. No replacement has yet been named.
Another senior Ulster Unionist, the Assembly's deputy speaker, Sir John Gorman, has also announced his intention, to step down.
Describing MLAs as an "affectionate crowd", Sir John received a round of applause in the chamber yesterday with the main party leaders referring to him as the "father of the house". The UUP chief whip, Mr Jim Wilson, is expected to take his post provided the Assembly agrees.