Local MEP Fiona Hall sets trend with OneSeat campaign

2.30.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 3rd Jul 2008

A European organisation, The Campaign for Parliament Reform (CPR)* has applauded local North East MEP Fiona Hall for her renewed efforts to lobby the British government into making Brussels the one home of the European Parliament.

Fiona's letter to the UK'S Europe Minister, which argued that re-locating the EP to a permanent Brussels home would save time, money and help the EU reach its carbon emissions targets is to be used as a template for members of the CPR and has been placed on the reform website www.ep-reform.eu.

The 500 mile round-trip journey between Brussels and Strasbourg represents a huge cost to the European taxpayer. Twelve times a year, 732 MEPs with 2000 assistants and many hundreds more parliament staff move between the two cities at a cost of over £140 million per year.

Since Fiona wrote to Mr Murphy, several other MEPs across the EU have followed suit, writing to their own national governments on this issue, including Danish MEP Hanne Dahl and the German Liberals and Greens Groups.

Fiona, a member of the Campaign for Parliamentary Reform has said: "I am delighted my letter has sparked a trend. The European Parliament needs to work more efficiently and ending the constant tug of war between Strasbourg and Brussels would do the trick.