EURO-MPs VOTE TO END STRASBOURG 'TRAVELLING CIRCUS'

5.11.51pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 27th Jun 2007

West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne has welcomed the results of a survey carried out amongst MEPs which shows overwhelmingly that they wish to end the rotation of the European Parliament between Brussels and Strasbourg.

The survey was organised by the Campaign for Parliament Reform (CPR) the international, cross-party grouping, of which Liz is a member, The CPR also organised last year's www.oneseat.eu petition that over one million Europeans have signed.

Of the 39% of MEPs who participated, 89% voted in favour of a fixed parliament and 81% wanted the permanent seat to be in Brussels. In addition, 84% felt the Parliament itself should have the right to decide its location.

Speaking today from Brussels, Liz said:

"Over £130 million each year is spent purely on moving the now 785 MEPs, their staff and trunks of documents between Strasbourg and Brussels."

"It is ludicrous that we have two separate places to meet when we have a perfectly good parliament building in Brussels at the heart of the European institutions. Not only is it a total waste of taxpayers' money, but the travelling involved causes large amounts of unnecessary carbon emissions."

"The Strasbourg buck stops with national governments who should have done more in the past to amend this anomaly. They bear ultimate responsibility for this needless cost and waste. I hope that they will now take notice of their elected representatives at European level and negotiate a reform process acceptable to all member-states."

ENDS