EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT INFORMATION OFFICE IN THE UK MEDIA GUIDE 2011 www.europarl.org.uk 2011 01 02 03 52 1 2 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 11 12 13 1 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 7 14 21 28 2 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 1 8 15 22 29 3 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 2 9 16 23 30 4 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 3 10 17 24 31 5 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 4 11 18 25 6 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 5 12 19 26 7 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 6 13 20 27 04 05 06 13 14 15 16 17 17 18 19 20 21 22 22 23 24 25 26 1 4 11 18 25 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 2 5 12 19 26 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 3 6 13 20 27 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29 4 7 14 21 28 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30 5 1 8 15 22 29 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 6 2 9 16 23 30 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 7 3 10 17 24 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 07 08 09 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 35 36 37 38 39 1 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 2 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 3 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 4 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29 5 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30 6 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 7 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 10 11 12 39 40 41 42 43 44 44 45 46 47 48 48 49 50 51 52 1 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 5 12 19 26 2 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29 6 13 20 27 3 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30 7 14 21 28 4 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 1 8 15 22 29 5 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 2 9 16 23 30 6 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 3 10 17 24 31 7 2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 4 11 18 25 Неделя / Domingo / Nedĕle / Søndag / Sonntag / pühapäev / Κυριακή / Sunday / Dimanche / Domhnach / Domenica / svētdiena / sekmadienis / 7 Vasárnap / II-Ħadd / Zondag / Niedziela / Domingo / duminică / nedeľa / nedelja / Sunnuntai / söndag Сесия / Sesión / Zasedání / Session / Plenarsitzung / Istungjärk / Σύνοδος / Session / Session / Seisiún / Sessione / Sesija / Sesija / Ülés / Sessjoni / Zitting / Posiedzenie / Sessão / Sesiune / Zasadnutie / Zasedanje / Istunto / Sammanträdesperiod Комисии / Comisiones / Výbory / Udvalg / Ausschüsse / Komiteed / Eπιτροπές / Committees / Commissions / Coistí / Commissioni / Komitejas / Komisijos / Bizottságok / Kumitati / Commissies / Komisje / Comissões / Comisii / Výbory / Odbori / Valiokunnat / Utskott Групи / Grupos / Skupiny / Grupper / Fraktionen / Fraktsioonid / Oμάδες / Groups / Groupes / Grúpaí / Gruppi / Politiskās grupas / Grupés / Képviselőcsoportok / Gruppi / Fracties / Grupy / Grupos / Grupuri / Skupiny / Skupine / Ryhmät / Grupper Външни парламентарни дейности – седмици за работа в избирателните райони / Actividades parlamentarias exteriores – semanas de circunscripción / Vnější parlamentní činnost – týdny vyhrazené pro volební obvody / Ekstern parlamentarisk virksomhed - valgkredsuger / Externe parlamentarische Aktivitäten - Wahlkreiswochen / Väljaspool parlamendi töökohta toimuv tegevus – töönädalad valijatega / Εξωτερικές κοινοβουλευτικές δραστηριότητες - εβδομάδες εκλογικής περιφέρειας / External parliamentary activities-constituency weeks / Activités parlementaires extérieures-semaines de circonscription / Gníomhaíochtaí parlaiminteacha seachtracha - seachtainí toghlaigh / Attività parlamentari esterne - settimane di collegio elettorale / Parlamenta ārējie pasākumi – nedēļas, kad deputāti tiekas ar vēlētājiem / Išorinė Parlamento veikla. Susitikimų su rinkėjais savaitės / Külső parlamenti tevékenységek – választókerületi hetek / Attivitajiet parlamentari esterni - ġimgħat tal-kostitwenza / Externe parlementaire activiteiten - achterbanweken / Zewnętrzne działania parlamentarne – tygodnie pracy w okręgach wyborczych / Actividades parlamentares externas – Semanas de circunscrição / Activităţi parlamentare exterioare – săptămâni de circumscripţie / Vonkajšie parlamentné činnosti – týždne vo volebných obvodoch / Zunanje parlamentarne dejavnosti – tedni v volilni enoti / Toiminta parlamentin ulkopuolella – vaalipiiriviikot / Externt parlamentariskt arbete – valkretsveckor Помирителен комитет / Comité de Conciliación / Smírčí výbor / Forligsudvalget / Vermittlungsausschuss / Lepituskomitee / Eπιτροπή συνδιαλλαγής / Conciliation Committee / Comité de Conciliation / Coiste Idir-réitigh / Comitato di conciliazione / Samierināšanas komiteja / Taikinimo komitetas / Egyeztető Bizottság / Kumitat ta’ Konċiljazzjoni / bemiddelingscomité / Komisja Pojednawcza / Comité de conciliação / Comitet de conciliere / Zmierovací výbor / Posredovalni odbor / Sovittelukomitea / Förlikningskommitté EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT INFORMATION OFFICE IN THE UK MEDIA GUIDE 2011 This guide is intended to provide journalists with: • Basic information on the European Parliament and its activities • European elections 2009 and 2004 • A Who’s Who in the European Parliament • Press contacts • What the UK Office does Michael Shackleton Paoloa Buonadonn Head of UK Office Press Attachée Tel: 020 7227 4325 Tel: 020 7227 4335 www.europarl.org.uk 01_2010-5128_EN-text.indd 1 20/01/11 08:57 Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 00 800 numbers or these calls may be billed. More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2011 ISBN 978-92-823-3324-2 doi: 10.2861/60847 © European Union, 2011 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Italy Printed on white chlorine-free PaPer 01_2010-5128_EN-text.indd 2 20/01/11 08:57 Contents EP PRESS CONTACTS • Who’s who? 5 • European Parliament Information Office in the UK 5 • UK political party press officers in Brussels 7 • Heads of press/spokespeople of political groups in Brussels 8 • Press accreditation in Brussels 10 • Other EU institutions’ press offices 11 • Council of Europe 14 • Other organisations 14 • Websites 15 • UK Office Press Office 19 EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS • EU Institutions – basic facts 21 • The EU institutions – what is their role? what do they do? 21 • European Parliament Key Dates 23 • Composition of the European Parliament (June 2010) 24 • Where do the UK political parties sit? 25 • List of European Parliamentary committees 26 • Seats at the European Parliament as at July 2009 27 • The European Parliament in the UK media 2009-2010 28 • People 28 • Policies 29 • Petitions 32 • Frequently Asked Questions: 33 • What is the budget of the European Parliament? 33 • Why does the EP have 3 homes and what does it cost to go to Strasbourg every month? 33 • What are MEPs’ salaries and expenses? 34 • How many languages are spoken in the EP? 35 • How many translators and how many interpreters work for the EP? at what cost? 35 • How many people does the EP employ as a whole? (not including MEP assistants)? 35 • How many parties are represented in the EP – how many from the UK? 35 • 18 new MEPs – but when? 36 3 01_2010-5128_EN-text.indd 3 20/01/11 08:57 EP ELECTIONS • European Parliament elections 39 • Summary of the electoral system in the UK for the European Parliament elections 39 • How to become an MEP 40 • What can stop you standing for the European Parliament? 41 • Can anybody from the EU vote in the UK at European/local/general elections? 42 • Results of the 2009 European Elections 43 • Overall distribution of votes and seats by party 43 • Regional constituency distribution of UK seats, electorate and turnout 2004 and 2009 44 • Turnout by country 2004-2009 45 • Turnout trends UK/EU 2004-2009 46 • 2009 Election Results for the UK 47 • Eastern 48 • East Midlands 51 • London 54 • North East 57 • North West 59 • South East 62 • South West 65 • West Midlands 68 • Yorkshire & the Humber 71 • Scotland 74 • Wales 77 • Northern Ireland 79 • Summary of results by party 81 • Overview 88 UK MEPs • Alphabetical list of the 72 UK MEPs 89 • EU Constituencies in the UK 91 • Eastern 92 • East Midlands 96 • London 99 • North East 103 • North West 105 • South East 109 • South West 114 • West Midlands 117 • Yorkshire & the Humber 120 • Scotland 123 • Wales 126 • Northern Ireland 129 • UK Membership of Standing Committees 131 4 01_2010-5128_EN-text.indd 4 20/01/11 08:57 EP PRESS CONTACTS Who’s who? EP press contacts European Parliament Information Office in the UK Europe House 32 Smith Square London SW1P 3EU Tel: 020 7227 4300 Fax: 020 7227 4302 Email: [email protected]; [email protected] Web: www.europarl.org.uk Michael Shackleton, Head of Office Email: [email protected] Paola Buonadonna, Press Attachée Tel: 020 7227 4335 Mob: 07786 060531 Email: [email protected] Office in Scotland The Tun 4 Jackson’s Entry Holyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJ Tel: 0131 557 7866 Fax: 0131 557 4977 Email: [email protected] James Temple-Smithson, European Parliament Office in Scotland Email: [email protected] 5 01_2010-5128_EN-text.indd 5 20/01/11 08:57 Media hotline Karima Ben Salah Tel: +32 (0)2 283 3000 (Brussels) +33 (3)88 17 28 00 (Strasbourg) Email: [email protected] 6 01_2010-5128_EN-text.indd 6 20/01/11 08:57 UK political party press officers in Brussels Conservative: James Holtum Tel: +32 (0)473 861762 Email: [email protected] Liberal Democrat: Neil Corlett Tel: +32 (0)2 284 2077 Email: [email protected] Labour: Stephen Pearse Tel: +32 (0)479 790053 Email: [email protected] UK Independence Party: Gawain Towler Tel: +32 (0)496 510711 Email: [email protected] Greens: Helmut Weixler Tel: +32 (0)475 671340 Email: [email protected] Plaid Cymru / SNP: Steven