Dear Editor,
Jack Kinsman (letter 20 May) asks me to give the figure for carbon emissions caused by the European Parliament travelling between Brussels and Strasbourg each month . I understand that it is estimated to be around 20,000 tonnes a year - almost as much as for the European Cup final in Moscow.
The journey MEPs, assistants, administrators and journalists have to make from Brussels to Strasbourg once a month is obviously a needless cost to the environment and the taxpayer.
Unfortunately it is out of MEPs hands, the majority of whom would jump at the chance to end the 12 trips a year to France. But before this can happen all 27 countries' governments must agree to end parliament sessions in Strasbourg and it doesn't take a genius to work out that one in particular will not agree to this.
It is a good example of the problems a veto can cause. If one country disagrees with something the vast majority want to change it cannot happen. Had the issue of the European Parliament seat been under majority voting then it is highly likely that the issue of Strasbourg would be resolved very quickly and democratically. It would also have been helpful if Britain had not agreed in the first place to this arrangement at the Edinburgh summit under John Major.
Yours,
Richard Corbett
Labour MEP for Yorkshire & Humber
Blenheim Terrace, Leeds
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