EU: Structural and Cohesion Funds Debate

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Lord Pearson of Rannoch

Main Page: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

EU: Structural and Cohesion Funds

Lord Pearson of Rannoch Excerpts
Wednesday 8th February 2012

(12 years, 9 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Wilcox Portrait Baroness Wilcox
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Interestingly, I do not have the answer to that question with me. I do so wish I did. I would be delighted to respond to the noble Baroness by letter.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch Portrait Lord Pearson of Rannoch
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My Lords, more worryingly, did we not send £10.2 billion in net cash to the European Union for it to waste last year? That should be compared to the mere £6.2 billion of our own public expenditure cuts. Why do we need any of the 75,000 fat Eurocrats in Brussels, who have little to do but strangle our economy with their endless regulations and waste our money which could be better spent at home? Surely the answer from the Minister to the noble Lord, Lord Vinson, should be that if we want to do what he so sensibly suggests, the only way is to leave the European Union.

Baroness Wilcox Portrait Baroness Wilcox
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The noble Lord has his own agenda which he is free to pursue. Fortunately, Her Majesty’s Government do not at the moment agree with him.