Haltemprice and Howden

Stewart Arnold's full statement on declining MEP post: "After a full consideration, I have made the decision not to take up the post of MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber. One of the contributory factors of Diana's resignation was her illness (as outlined in her letter of resignation) and I decided in the short term to give her the support she needs and not to take up the seat which would inevitably involve long periods away from home. I notified the Party on Thursday morning. "Stewart Arnold" Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

The full version of Diana's resignation letter: Dear friend This is not an easy letter to write to inform you of my decision to resign as your Member of the European Parliament. You may have seen various reports in the press. I had hoped that this letter would have come to you first but unfortunately others decided to release the news in advance of what I was informed would officially be the case. I have been in the European Parliament twelve and a half years and I think that is time enough. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time and it was truly a huge privilege especially to serve as a Vice President of Parliament for the last five years. However, I think for all of us, whatever our professions, there is a need to turn a new page from time to time. At the mid-term of parliament many members come and go, so accordingly at this moment following upon my unsuccessful bid for the Presidency of Parliament it is a good time to take stock. I want to take a break from politics and to take time and assess what next. You will know that I am a campaigner for Endometriosis Awareness a condition I suffered from myself. Unfortunately the effects of this have never quite gone away and I feel now is also an opportunity to make sure my health does not deteriorate further. I would say this is not the main reason for my resignation but is undoubtedly a contributory factor. I have been at the service of the people of Yorkshire and the Humber for twelve and a half years. I will always be grateful for the trust that was placed in me to carry out this role. I have also hugely appreciated the support and kindness of members across the region and I trust that I will still remain in touch with you. Stewart Arnold (my husband) was elected by members as number 2 on the Liberal Democrat list. I know he needs time to think about what to do next and is taking soundings over these days. If he does do it, as a very active Liberal Democrat in the region, he will make a great contribution; if he decides not to do it those further down the list also have much to contribute. It has been a huge honour to represent this region in the European Parliament. I remain a committed pro-European Liberal Democrat and will continue to do whatever I can to promote these causes. With best wishes, Diana Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Diana has announced her resignation from the European Parliament. In a statement issued within the past few minutes she says: "I have been in the European Parliament twelve years and I think that is time enough. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time and it was truly a huge privilege; especially to serve as a Vice President of Parliament for the last five years. However, I think all of us, whatever our professions, need to turn a new page from time to time. "At the mid-term of parliament many members come and go, so accordingly this moment following upon my unsuccessful bid for the Presidency is a good time to take stock. I undertook that bid for reasons that I deeply believe in but such a course of action is bound to lead to reflection. I want to take a break from politics and to take time and assess what next. "I have been at the service of the people of Yorkshire and the Humber for twelve and a half years. I will always be grateful for the trust that was placed in me to carry out this role, but now is the time for someone with fresh eyes to take over. "I remain a committed pro-European Liberal Democrat." Notes Diana will remain a Member of the European Parliament until 31 January 2012 Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Diana has posted her 'thank you' as her bid to become the next President of the European Parliament ended in disappointment today. The favoured candidate, the German Socialist, Martin Schulz polled 387 votes, with Nerj Deva, a British Tory, winning 142 votes and Diana, who stood as an independent, getting 141. This was the best ever showing by an Independent candidate in an election for the President of the European Parliament. The successful candidate needed at least 336, or an absolute majority of votes, for victory. A total of 670 valid votes were cast with 29 being 'spoilt'. Diana said in Strasbourg: "These last weeks of campaigning took place at a fast pace and with enormous intensity but without the support received from all of you the challenge would have been much more difficult and lonely. "My candidacy was about enabling a stronger European Parliament so as to bring it closer to all Europeans through my Presidency. It was also about challenging the existing... status quo among the leadership of the main political groups in the EP. I did not achieve these particular goals, but I did achieve a more open debate about them. On top of this I believe through my candidacy we achieved something extraordinary through the campaign media platforms: a real engagement with European citizens. The future relies on the EU citizens and their full engagement in the upcoming years. I continue to have a vision of Europe and particularly of a European Parliament that is much closer to the citizens of Europe. I will continue to do my utmost to promote that goal." Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Buoyed by an online poll which puts her on an astonishing 88% of the votes cast so far, local Euro MP Diana Wallis takes her campaign to be become the European Parliament's next President or Speaker into the new year. With the election proper just two weeks away, an online poll for the Debating Europe website (Who should be the next President of the European Parliament? | Debating Europe) has Diana well ahead of the other two candidates with 144 votes out of the 164 cast thus far. Diana said: "I have made connection with Europe's citizens a key theme of my campaign and this seems to be resonating with people. "I want to create a European Parliament that is ready to engage strongly and positively with the citizens of Europe through all its members and using all the methods and possibilities open to it. Then we will be better equipped to help Europeans face whatever the next year brings." Notes: Debating Europe: www.debatingeurope.eu/2011/12/20/who-should-be-the-next-president-of-the-european-parliament# There are three candidates for the post of European Parliament President or Speaker declared so far. Apart from Diana, who is standing as an Independent, also in the contest are Martin Schulz, a German Social Democrat, and Nirj Deva, a UK Conservative. Voting takes place on 17 January 2012. (Photo shows Diana with supporters about to hand in the 40 signatures required in order to stand as an Indepedent candidate for the Presidency of the European Parliament) Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

EU Commissioner John Dalli has revealed that action has already begun at European level to punish Member States who have made little or no effort to conform to new egg welfare laws. The Commissioner said that letters have already been sent to Member States informing them they will be taken to court for failing to comply with laws to outlaw battery cages. He also revealed that his inspection teams are ready to go all out from 1st January 2012 to collect the evidence of non compliance to back up the prosecution when it goes to court. He reinforced the message to those who are breaking the law that there will be no derogations and no escape route for those who have failed to comply Commenting, Diana said: "European Health Commissioner Dalli has given a cast iron guarantee that there will be no extension of the 1st January deadline for compliance and there will be no derogations offered to those who have failed to comply "I was pleased to hear that infringement procedures have already been started against Member States that have chosen to flout the law and that EU inspectors are poised ready to gather evidence against them from the start of 2012. "I hope the tough action the Commissioner is taking will send a message to those countries who think that they can turn a blind eye . They had better think again and get their hen houses in order. "I hope the Commission is also going to back the coalition government and the many farmers in Yorkshire & the Humber who are fully compl ying with this new legislation which has come at a cost of £400 million. "If that type of action is taken by all countries that are compliant it should hit hard at the pockets of illegal producers and force them to get out or upgrade." Notes: The thirteen Member States that have been found to be in breach of new rules are as follows: Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Spain, Greece, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the Netherlands. Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

On Friday Diana visited the HQ of Karma Nirvana, a registered charity which operates nationally, supporting victims and survivors of forced marriages and honour based violence. The visit coincides with the launch of the public consultation on whether forced marriages should be considered a specific criminal offence. Welcoming Home Secretary Theresa May's announcement Jasvinder Sanghera, CEO of Karma Nirvana, said 'Karma Nirvana welcomes the consultation to criminalise forced marriages and encourage all to partake in this consultation which has the ability to make a real change for those that require it most. As a member of the Network for a New European generation, we have been working with colleagues on similar issues in Sweden, France, Italy and Spain. We hope that the UK will continue to champion these issues.' Echoing Sanghera's comments, Diana said: "I applaud the Home Secretary's announcement this week. Forced marriages should be made a criminal offence. It is unconscionable that at the end of 2011 thousands and thousands of Europe's citizens are not permitted to choose their partners. I hope that the UK will show leadership in Europe by criminalising forced marriages. "In Europe I have already begun the debate within the European Parliament and I am working to advance this process to include the other EU institutions on the need for EU legislation. Together with Jasvinder and the other members of the Network for a New European Generation in Sweden, Germany, Italy and France who face the same issues on forced marriages, I intend to put this issue high up on the EU agenda." The consultation on Forced Marriage runs until 30th March 2012 More details can be found here: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/about-us/consultations/forced-marriage/ (Photo shows Diana with Jasvinder Sanghera, CEO of Karma Nirvana, and 'Naz' a survivor of a forced marriage along with posters promoting the Honour Network hotline Diana with Jasvinder Sanghera, CEO of Karma Nirvana, and 'Naz' a survivor of a forced marriage along with posters promoting the Honour Network hotline ) Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Diana has set out her manifesto for her candidacy in the race to become the next President of the European Parliament. Diana was joined by MEPs supporting her campaign at a press conference in the Strasbourg parliament. The election will take place on 17th January 2012. Diana said at the press conference: "I want an open Presidency for the whole Parliament and with this in mind I am presenting a 5 point plan. I want to introduce far-reaching procedures to open up decision making and for the President to serve all members." Diana's five point plan for an open Presidency: 1. Setting the agenda and open decision making Communication from Parliament needs to be politically relevant and focused, ensuring our clear intervention to hold the Commission and Council to account. The President must champion the need for MEPs to have opportunities to put matters of concern on the agenda. Internally, the work of the Bureau must be more accessible with agendas available in advance to all members and prompt simple reporting back on the main items discussed. 2. Serving all Members The President must serve all members, giving regular opportunities for MEPs to propose new initiatives or raise issues of concern. A cabinet staff member should be dedicated to members' issues. To support their legislative and political work, we must ensure also that members can count on first class research and drafting support. 3. Setting the standards It is time to practice what we preach by raising our environmental game, investing in energy efficiency, and cutting our resource use. Our goal should be for Parliament to become a European model for good environmental performance. 4. Parliamentarians together We must ensure effective working with parliamentarians at all levels to hold governmental and executive power to account. We can - and should - improve collaborative working with national parliamentarians helping and facilitating the linking or twinning of legislative committees and even members in relation to individual policy interests. 5. Citizens centre stage Implementing the Citizens Initiative and making a reality of participatory democracy should be at the heart of the next period of our mandate, reaching out together with policy committees, who should be challenged to hold at least a public hearing or exchange of views on relevant local or topical issues at local member state level away from our main places of work. Presidential visits should be used to highlight citizens groups, their work and their concerns; the peoples of Europe need to see that they are our first priority. (Pic shows Diana using a seasonal device to distribute her manifesto to fellow MEPs - tying them with a red ribbon to office door handles) Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Diana has warmly welcomed the additional money to be given by the government to schools in the Yorkshire & the Humber region to help them support children from deprived backgrounds. The Department for Education has announced that England's most disadvantaged pupils will benefit from £600 each in 'Pupil Premium' next year, an increase of £112 for each pupil and making total of £1.25 billion nationally in 2012-13. Not only that, but the 'Pupil Premium' scheme is being extended to cover any child who has been registered for free school meals in the past 6 years. In Yorkshire & the Humber almost 200,000 pupils are expected to be eligible, meaning that schools in the region will benefit from £117 million extra to support disadvantaged pupils. The money will be ploughed into additional tuition, better IT resources and closer work with parents. Diana commented: "For too long, social background has been a deciding factor in a child's chances for the future. But no child born in our region in the 21st century should have their fate decided by their family's wage packet. "As a Liberal Democrat, I believe that in a fair society, a government should work to overcome this disadvantage and help children reach their full potential. This money will go towards making our education system more equitable." Notes: The exact figures for Yorkshire & the Humber are: 197,200 disadvantaged pupils expected to be eligible, meaning our schools would get an extra £116,957,000 to support them. 1. The latest figures available show that: a. only 56% of 11-year-olds known to be eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) achieved the expected level in both English and mathematics compared with 77% for non-FSM pupils b. just 31% of pupils eligible for FSM (free school meals) achieved five A*-C GCSEs or equivalent, including English and mathematics, compared with 59% for pupils not eligible for FSM 2. The final figures for eligible pupils, those children registered for FSM, will be based on the annual school census, held on 19 January 2012 and the Pupil Premium will be allocated accordingly. 3. Up to £50m of the £1.25bn will be used to support a Summer School programme to help the most disadvantaged pupils make the transition from primary to secondary school. 4. It is for schools to decide how the Pupil Premium is spent since they are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for the individual pupils within their responsibility. Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Along with fellow European Parliament Vice-President Isabelle Durant, Diana has initiated a campaign in the European Parliament to show MEPs that they can make a difference when it comes to reducing the effect of what has been termed the European Parliament's 'travelling circus'. Once a month the entire Parliament ups sticks and heads from its normal home inBrusselsto meet inStrasbourg, a distance of 436kms. All MEPs offices have a trunk (used to transport papers and other materials) which is collected on Friday, driven toStrasbourgand then returned toBrusselsonce the session is over. Currently eight vans travel toStrasbourgeach month and each van carries 375 trunks. If MEPs however leave their trunks standing up it will not be taken by the movers on the trip toStrasbourg; a fact that is not widely known. So now Diana Wallis and Isabelle Durant have launched a campaign under the heading 'Stand up your trunk, don't take it toStrasbourg'. As MEPs prepare to meet in Strasbourg this week, Diana said: "We cannot change the treaty in 2011 in terms of where the European Parliament sits but we can change our habits; that is why we have launched this 'Leave your trunk inBrusselscampaign'. We have already had a very good response as MEPs see this is a practical step to reduce the environmental cost of our travelling circus. "Frankly in this digital age, there is not the need to move paper about in the same way in any case." (Diana with some of the traditional trunks used to transport papers and other materials Diana with some of the traditional trunks used to transport papers and other materials ) Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Diana has expressed her regret and deep concern at the outcome of last night's Europe's leaders crucial summit inBrussels. Diana expressed her 'regret and deep concern' after the results of the meeting became known, adding: "As a country we have left ourselves on the outside looking in and it is far from clear whose interest this serves if our Government is not to be at the decision-making table. "More importantly some governments felt it right to express their agreement to the plan from last night subject to consent by their home parliament; why could Mr Cameron not have done this, especially in the context of a coalition government? "Likewise the method adopted by the heads of government is excessively intergovernmental, by-passing Europe's elected parliament; the final text gives one nodding recognition to the Parliament in respect of 'secondary' legislation. If we are not careful we are watching democratic accountability at a European level fly out the window at a time when it was never more needed. "In short, this is a sad day for Britain, a sad day for Europe and a sad day for democracy." Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

A new code of conduct for MEPs was endorsed by the European Parliament on Thursday by a staggering 619 votes in favour to just two against. The code sets out rules and principles which MEPs will need to follow in their contacts with outside interests so as to avoid conflicts of interest. Diana, who as the Vice President of the Parliament responsible for transparency issues served on the initial Working Group set up by the President of the Parliament, said: "I am delighted this new, first-ever code of conduct for MEPs has been so overwhelmingly endorsed. It will act as a strong shield against unethical behaviour and a major improvement on the present status quo. Earlier in 2011 the Sunday Times published an expose on the conduct of four MEPs apparently caught on tape accepting 'cash for amendments' from journalists posing as lobbyists. Diana continued: "While undoubtedly the Sunday Times story acted as a spur to our work it was also clear there was a real appetite for Members to set high standards." The code's guiding principle is transparency. MEPs will have to provide clear declarations of their paid activities outside Parliament and their remuneration, as well as of any other functions which might constitute a conflict of interest. The code also contains an explicit ban on receiving payments or other rewards in exchange for influencing parliamentary decisions. There are clear rules on the acceptance of gifts and on the position of former MEPs working as lobbyists. Pic shows Diana with the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Battery hens should be a thing of the past Diana is backing the UK Government's tough action to improve welfare standards and living conditions for hens and prevent eggs produced in 'battery cages' being sold in the UK, An EU ban on battery cages comes in to effect on 1 January 2012, from when egg producers are required to provide hens with larger and more comfortable cages, which include nesting and scratching areas that allow more natural behaviour. Diana has long been calling for a tough EU enforcement regime to ensure welfare standards are driven up and prevent producers who have not dispensed with battery cages from profiting. Farming and Agriculture Minister Jim Paice announced earlier today that the UKgovernment would get tough on eggs produced in other countries which have so far not. Diana is supporting this call for tougher action saying: "We have all had plenty of time to make these changes, but 13 EU nations have not done so. The UKegg industry alone has spent £400million ensuring hens live in better conditions. It would be unthinkable if countries continuing to house hens in poor conditions were to profit from flouting the law. "Suppliers who have not complied with the EU directive must not find an outlet in theUK." Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Diana today launched a publication looking at solutions for British expats facing difficulties with properties bought abroad. Her publication 'European Property Rights and Wrongs' sets out some practical steps to ensure the legal security of cross-border property sales. It features the input of European land law experts, practitioners as well as some of the groups who have been taking their battle to the Parliament's Petitions Committee for the past few years. Diana said; "Over the past decade I have heard countless stories of expats from our region moving abroad and encountering problems with lost deposits, unfinished developments or properties facing demolition due to reclassification of land. "Just recently I have been dealing with a man fromPickeringwhere the land on which he has his house has been re-classified arbitrarily by the Spanish Government so now the property is technically illegal. There is even a chance it could be demolished. "We have fought on behalf of the victims here in the European Parliament; however, I decided to launch this publication as a response to the stalemate we have recently found ourselves in. "Property rights issues in countries such asSpainandCyprusare by far the most pressing in the Parliament's Petitions Committee on which I sit. Tens of thousands of properties face demolition, eviction or bankruptcy, the EU has been unable, or refused, to act. "The EU offers consumer protection for someone purchasing books, a piece of furniture or a hairdryer from a different country, and yet it has been reluctant to act to protect consumers when they make the most important purchase of their life." The publication looks at the long-term debate on European property rights, and some practical steps for the near future. These steps include the developing Cross-Border Electronic Conveyancing project, improving e-justice services, and the development of pan-European legal services. Ms. Wallis will be presenting the publication to the European Commission, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and it will be available online to anyone interested or caught up in such problems themselves. Full text of 'European Property Rights and Wrongs' can be downloaded at http://dianawallismep.org.uk/en/document/european-property-rights-and-wrongs.pdf Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Diana Wallis MEP for the UK region of Yorkshire & the Humber Diana at the press conference to launch her Presidency bid flanked by supporrters has announced her decision to stand as an independent candidate for the Presidency of Parliament at the end of President Buzek's term of office in January 2012. "I am intending to stand as independent candidate for the Presidency of Parliament on the basis of nomination by forty colleagues. "I have spoken to colleagues from across the spectrum of political views and I am persuaded that I have the necessary skills." "After the privilege of serving as a Vice President for five years, and a total of twelve and a half years as a member, I am persuaded that I have the necessary skills to bring to the task." She announced her decision at a press conference at the European Parliament inBrusselswhere several parliamentary colleagues from across the political spectrum gave her their endorsement. Sir Graham Watson MEP: "I support Diana's bid for the presidency of the European Parliament. Having known her as a colleague for 12 years I am convinced she has the right qualities for the job." "It is crucial that the race for the European Parliament President is a genuinely competitive one - not the time-old EPP-S&D stitch up." Dennis de Jong MEP: "A transparent and fully accountable European Parliament is of primary importance, now more than ever. "Diana Wallis IS transparency, as she devoted a great part of her time and energy to, inter alia, the establishment of the transparency register as well as the drafting of the Code of Conduct for MEPs. I am therefore convinced that a vote for Diana is a vote for transparency and therefore I fully support her candidature." Indrek Tarand MEP: "I can only bring my full support to Diana Wallis, who I share the same values with and with whom I work on Arctic issues. "I am grateful for her determination and fight on issues linked to the Northern Dimension and the Nordic region. "As a woman, her election as the President of this Parliament will not only be a truly additional value, but her success will also show that our Parliament really stands for transparency and democratic election, which I am myself fighting for. Angelika Werthmann MEP: "Europestands for a democratic development and should therefore have a democratic procedure in its own parliament in first place. I strongly believe in democracy. "I would very much like to point out the sensitivity of Diana Wallis; a personality which is required for this post and of utmost importance in representing the European peoples in a very crucial time for the future development." Diana finished by saying: "I feel that there is a growing sense that whilst we talk much about democracy we seem to have a blind spot when it comes to the most important of our own internal elections. At a time when Europe's public is more than ever concerned about democratic legitimacy we literally need to put our own house in order! "Likewise we need to place more value on the individual contribution of each member. All members arrive with the same mandate from our voters. I believe that Parliament and its administration should be geared much more to support the needs of all members in serving their electorate. "The coming months will be challenging ones for our institution requiring calm but determined leadership; in the inter-institutional and external roles I have exercised on behalf of Parliament and likewise in chairing our sessions that has always been my style. "I would like to work with fellow MEPs to confirm, in the minds of European citizens, a progressive image of our Parliament, achieved by the diligent work of all members and the responsible exercise of our institutional powers, so putting ourselves in tune and in step with the mood of these most complex times." Notes: 40 signatures are required for an Independent to stand as a candidate for the Presidency of the European Parliament. Voting for the next President of the European Parliament will take place during the Strasbourg Plenary on 17th January 2012. In addition to Diana Wallis there are currently two declared candidates for the post of president: Martin Schulz and Nirj Deva The last woman President of the European Parliament was Nicole Fontaine 1999-2001. Of the 13 Presidents of the elected Parliament only two have been female. The last and only British President of the European Parliament was Charles Plumb 1987-1989. Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Recently, Diana who of course has been instrumental in establishing the European Parliament's Transparency Register, gave a keynote speech to an audience of over 100 people at University College, London. Details of her speech and a video of the entire event can be found here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/public-policy/events/EU-transparency_lobbying Diana was a member of the European Parliament's Bureau Working Group that helped to frame the European Parliament's Code of Conduct due to go to the full Plenary of the Parliament for voting on 1st December. Read an extract from a recent article by Diana: Code of conduct for MEPs - setting an example for Europe On 1st December, this Parliament's plenary will vote on a new Code of Conduct for MEPs - a resounding majority of MEPs need to support this proposal, if the European Parliament is to take the lead in Europe in terms of rules on good conduct for its parliamentarians. The proposed text for this Code of Conduct is the fruit of concentrated political discussions with all the political groups involved over the last months. Each point was established using a comparison of the rules that exist in various national parliaments in Europe - each time trying to put the Parliament one step ahead. The focus throughout our deliberations was public disclosure rather than banning any particular activities. "Why?" you may ask. Simply because the resounding arguments that we could all agree upon, whatever our political family, were: transparency is the best tool to fight corruption and the public, who we represent and who elect us, are the best placed judge of an MEP's work and activities. They can only do this if they have proper information and disclosure from their parliamentarians. Therefore our focus was on improving the clarity and visibility of Members' financial declarations, and enforcing the rules and policing of these declarations. An Advisory Committee* has been created in order to advise Members - in confidence - on their queries about any ethical issues, and in the last analysis will report to the President of Parliament where there seems to have been a breach of the new code. The AFCO committee resoundingly approved our work today, making some clarifying technical changes that have improved the text. We will need to put these rules into practice as early as possible, for this message of transparency to be taken seriously. We should start the second term of our Parliament as we mean to go on, giving out a message of intent, and making a good New Year's resolution for 2012. The year 2011 may always be coloured by the cash-for-amendments scandals, involving journalists from the Sunday Times. Looking back however, it seems that we could so easily have avoided this situation. If the MEPs firstly had thought to check whether or not the 'lobbyists' were on the joint Transparency Register, and secondly alarm bells would have been raised if one of the 60 MEPs approached would have been able to seek advice from an Advisory Committee about what was being proposed. Blatant misconduct can never be condoned, but at least in cases of doubt, if MEPs need assistance and advice, it will now be available to them. Whilst this code may not satisfy everyone's aspirations, it lays down what we set out to achieve: guidance for our MEPs. Indeed in my own work, I have increasingly relied on the Transparency Register for guidance when it comes to who to meet. Before agreeing to discuss legislative dossiers with interest representatives, I check their name and/or organisation against the register, and if they are listed, I know that they have signed up to operate in a transparent manner. I also choose to write up legislative footprints in annexes to my reports, listing much like in a bibliography, who I have discussed the report with. I also list my daily meetings on my website, but I am aware that this is a personal choice; it is my personal attempt to respond to the political climate and public expectations in my own country. Like Europe as a whole, our Parliament is richly culturally diverse. Expectations of parliamentarians vary in different Member States and indeed the view of different political parties will vary, but now we all have a substantial agreed basis to work from. This basis is a conglomerate of what exists in varied forms across Europe, but is the most complete code of conduct compared to our national parliaments. Whilst our European Parliament is unique in that it must rely on laws of Member States to determine which sanctions can be imposed on MEPs, it can still determine how its own House is run. It will publish on its website breaches of the Code by any MEPs, and conflicts of interest will be taken into consideration when determining who rapporteurships are bestowed upon. Each MEP will wish to retain the right to meet who they wish, as this is the basic part of the free exercise of our mandate as elected representatives. If however, we want to encourage public confidence and indeed public interest in our work, the more we can disclose transparently, the better. Like everything related to a culture of « openness », new habits need to form to help build this culture in a lasting manner. *This committee will be made up of 5 Members, appointed by the President at the beginning of his or her term of office, from amongst members of the bureaux and coordinators of the AFCO and JURI committees. Political balance will be an important consideration, as will be the experience of these Members. Each member of the Advisory committee will serve as chair for 6 months on a rotating basis. Reserve members shall also be appointed, one for each group not represented on the committee. In this way the relevant reserve Member shall serve as a 6th Member of the committee, when it considers a breach of the code of conduct by an MEP of a political group not represented on the committee. Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Diana has, along with her fellow Euro MPs, sent a strong signal of support to the European Commission to put in place a cross border alert system to stop so-called 'dodgy doctors' from moving from country to country to continue malpractice. The NHS relies heavily on the EU's free movement of labour with almost 1 in 10 health care professionals trained outside the UK. Calling on improved coordination between Member States to stop incompetent professionals simply crossing borders to set up shop in a different country, Diana said: "There is no doubt that doctors and nurses trained outside the UK provide vital services to the NHS. However, we must ensure that vulnerable patients can have peace of mind as to the competency of all health care professionals. "There should be a pro-active alert mechanism between Member State authorities to warn each other of incompetent and rogue doctors and nurses. This sort of cooperation is what the EU was set up to do. "It is also particularly important that there are no language barriers between doctors and patients. "It is now up to the European Commission to come forward with proposals to ensure the best quality of treatment across Europe and propose new legislation if necessary." Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Diana today voted in favour of a co-ordinated EU strategy to secure a healthy honeybee population and tackle challenges in the beekeeping sector. Recent increases in bee mortality and a declining number of beekeepers across Europe could threaten food production and security, environmental sustainability and biodiversity if left unchecked. An estimated 84% of plant species and 76% of food production in Europe are dependent on pollination by bees. Highlighting the mutual dependency of beekeeping and biodiversity, Diana who has worked closely with the region's bee keepers, has called for increased funding for honeybee-health related research, in particular in veterinary medical products, and better information sharing and training for beekeepers across the EU. "The first step to tackle the problem of Europe's disappearing bees is to start collecting reliable data and improve research into current bee health problems and provide incentives for the pharmaceutical industry to develop new medicines for bees. "As such, we need co-ordinated action across Europe in the field of research, information sharing, veterinary treatment, and the recruitment and training of young beekeepers." Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Diana spent Tuesday morning through lunch at the Diana at Hornsea School and Language College Hornsea School and Language College where she met groups from Year 9 to Year 12 answering questions about her work as an MEP. After lunch she met with School Council representatives and key staff members to outline how European and Global Citizenship might be embedded in the school curriculum with particular emphasis on Citizenship. Later in the day she met a group of local Hornsea people in Eastgate to discuss current EU issues. The following day Diana spoke to a group of Economics students at the John Leggott College in Scunthorpe. Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY

Diana is urging the government to consider an application for EU grants which would allow workers to retrain and make the most of new opportunities in the region at BAE Systems Brough. Diana, a Vice President of the European Parliament, said in a debate in Strasbourg this week : "We have this cluster of wind farms and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) schemes; we have a highly skilled workforce. Surely we can put the two together if it's possible to get some financial help from Europe. We owe it to the workers and their families to investigate this further." The European Globalisation Adjustment Fund is available to be used in times of economic and financial crisis when job dismissals occur, to help towards job searching and retraining the workforce especially perhaps in new sectors such as wind energy. Earlier this month, it had emerged that Bae has held important talks with Siemens on its proposals for wind turbines. Unions at Brough have welcomed the possibility of securing EU funds reportedly saying: "We must seriously be looking at this as an opportunity." Diana is in communication with the European Commission to establish to exact possibilities that might exist to encourage an appropriate UK application to the Adjustment Fund. Published and promoted by Diana Wallis MEP, Diana Wallis MEP, Unit 10, Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Inglemire Lane, Hull, HU6 7TQ Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY