Working for the South East (Catherine Bearder MEP)

Working for the South East

With over 8 million people living in the counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex, South East England has a higher population than 12 of the 27 EU member states.

It's cities and towns are a great mix of the old and the new: the large urban conurbations at Brighton, Southampton, and Guilford; the historical cities of Oxford, Canterbury and Hastings; and the many beautiful market towns that lie scattered between.

For farmers, residents and tourists alike, the environment is an important part of our daily lives in the South East. In total 47% of the region is protected by some form of environmental designation and farming accounts for 62% of land.

The South East has a strong and vibrant economy. Given its proximity to London the South East is a popular destination for business and industry. Many hi-tech companies base themselves in the South East, such as Microsoft, Sun Microsystems and Oracle.

The South East has excellent travel links to Europe and beyond. The Eurostar connects to the region to the continent; ships from Dover ferry people to France and Belgium; while Gatwick, Heathrow and smaller regional airports fly visitors here from all over the world. In addition, Portsmouth and Southampton contain two of the oldest and most strategically important ports in all of the UK.

I have produced a European funding guide detailing the various streams that organisations in the South East can look to gain funding from the European Union.

Download my Funding Guide here.

Please see below the latest news about my work in the constituency.

More must be done to reduce fuel poverty

Article: May 21, 2012

Families still battling to keep down the cost of energy bills despite a drop in the number of homes in fuel poverty, Catherine Bearder MEP has said.

The number of households in fuel poverty fell from 5.5m households in 2009 to 4.75m in 2010, according to the 2012 Annual Report on Fuel Poverty Statistics.
A step closer to battery hen ban across EU

Article: May 18, 2012

A pledge from all EU member states to enforce a ban on battery hens has been welcomed by South East MEP Catherine Bearder.

Cramped cages were supposed to be banned from January, but the European Commission looked set to let some member states off the hook.

And UK egg producers who had spent around £400m on larger bird cages were angered some EU countries were set to flout the ban.
All revved up over EU regulation plans

Article: May 11, 2012

Bikers are gearing up for a battle with European law makers over proposals which could impact on the extent motorbikes are modified.

The EU has said the proposed Type Approval and Market Surveillance Regulation is aimed at improving motorbike safety.

But the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG), which has 50,000 UK members, claims it is unnecessary and is worried about the effect on the industry.
Mobile phone costs set to be cut in EU vote

Article: May 9, 2012

Making a call or sending a text while on holiday or business in a European Union (EU) country is set to become cheaper this summer.

EPs are expected to vote on Thursday (May 10) for a cut in the price companies can bill customers for calls and texts, while also rubberstamping a maximum fee for data usage.
New European action to spell out your rights

Article: May 8, 2012

A decision to roll out a 'Letter of Rights' for anyone arrested in the European Union has been welcomed by Catherine Bearder MEP.

EU Justice ministers have adopted the law following a European Commission bid to ensure defendants' right to information during criminal proceedings.

It means anyone arrested in an EU country will be entitled to a letter explaining their rights in a language they understand.