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Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Beith MPLiberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Berwick Upon TweedWorking for you and the Berwick upon Tweed Constituency all year roundin Northumberland and in Westminster |
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Fiona Hall MEP continues campaign to scrap EU Parliament's seat in Strasbourg
March 19, 2010 12:00 AM
Lib Dem MEP Fiona Hall, Leader of the UK Liberal Democrats in Europe, has signed a petition calling for the European Parliament in Strasbourg to be scrapped in favour of one Brussels-based parliament.
Currently, MEPs, along with all their staff and necessary documents, are required by treaty to up-root to Strasbourg for the full sessions of the Parliament once every month. This 500 mile round-trip is done at huge cost - estimated at €200million (£180 million) a year - and is environmentally damaging as the travel uses huge amounts of energy and adds to CO2 emissions.
The petition, delivered to European Council President, Herman Van Rompuy, this week, highlights the monetary and environmental burden of running two parliaments and states that the cost is 'completely unacceptable' to most MEPs.
Fiona, who has been campaigning for a single seat for the European Parliament in Brussels since first becoming an MEP in 2004, said:
"As the new European Council President under the Treaty of Lisbon, Herman Van Rompuy is in a position to give a strong lead on this issue.
"It is simply ridiculous that at a time when public finances need to be tightened, the European Parliament spends about 15% of its annual budget on pointlessly travelling between two cities. And it is outrageous that at a time when the European Parliament should lead by example in reducing its carbon footprint, the carbon emissions of the monthly trips add up to the carbon costs of about 4,000 houses in London.
"Unfortunately, it is not up to MEPs to decide where the European Parliament is based. It is the European Council, made up of Member States, which has the power to take action to stop the completely unacceptable commute between Brussels and Strasbourg. I will continue to lobby the British Government to take action in the European Council to scrap the seat in Strasbourg and put an end to the monthly travelling circus."
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