EU PARLIAMENT'S CEILING COLLAPSE IS CLEAR 'SIGN FROM ABOVE' SAYS HALL (Fiona Hall MEP)

Fiona Hall MEP <info@fionahall.org.uk>

EU PARLIAMENT'S CEILING COLLAPSE IS CLEAR 'SIGN FROM ABOVE' SAYS HALL

August 27, 2008 12:00 AM

MEPs had a lucky escape recently when 10 percent of the European Parliament's ceiling in Strasbourg collapsed into the chamber. As the Parliament is in its summer recess, no MEPs were present at the time.

Said North East Lib Dem MEP Fiona Hall: "The plenary session starting next Monday, 1st September, will now take place in Brussels instead - which goes to show just how unnecessary the monthly trip to Strasbourg really is."

Fiona has written to the Government urging them to lobby for an end to the wasteful sittings of the EU Parliament in Strasbourg. Following a petition of over a million signatures, The European Parliament's President is writing to all 27 national governments to canvass their views on the future of the Strasbourg chamber. But the reply she has received from Minister of Europe Jim Murphy MP is deeply disappointing, says Fiona.

Although the Strasbourg building remains largely unused - the EP holds only 12 sessions a year in it - and it costs 200 million Euros to move the Parliament between the two locations, Mr Murphy says that at the moment the British Government 'does not believe that the necessary political unanimity' for such a move exists.

Fiona said: "This is a pathetic response from the Government.

"If the UK were to take the lead on this issue, other Member States would follow. "As there is no known cause for the roof's collapse, a thorough examination of the whole of the Strasbourg building is now needed.

"This is the perfect moment to raise the wider issue of travel to Strasbourg and it is very annoying that the Government refuses to take any lead on this."

Hall said she would continue to lobby for a permanent home of the EU Parliament in Brussels and urged people to support the ONESEAT Campaign by signing the online citizen petition at www.oneseat.eu.