Conservative MEP Julie Girling has called for Gibraltar’s specific needs to be represented on the Government’s Brexit negotiating team.

During a meeting today in Brussels with the Gibraltar Cross Frontier Group, Mrs Girling said “Gibraltar has unique issues which must be taken into account going into these difficult discussions. Appointing a specific representative within the Department for Exiting the EU would help ensure that Gibraltar’s interests are not forgotten”.

“I am acutely aware of the problems Gibraltar will face during the course of the negotiations, with the local economy so reliant on the free movement of people and the people of Gibraltar’s resolve to fight any attempts by Spain to revive sovereignty discussions.

The people of Gibraltar voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU and we must work hard to ensure their right to self-determination is protected. Appointing someone within the Government who understands the issues most important to Gibraltar would be a strong signal in protecting Gibraltar’s best interests.”

South West MEP Julie Girling welcomed news today that the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant is likely to go ahead.

The Conservative politician spoke out after it emerged that Theresa May’s Government, following a surprise review, had given the plan the go-ahead subject to some conditions.

Mrs Girling said: “I think it was only right that the new Prime Minister should want to satisfy herself over the cost and security matters involved in a huge investment from China.

“But I am delighted the result is a green light. As someone who works closely on environmental issues I am convinced that nuclear has to play a key part in a clean, green power mix.

“When the scheme goes ahead it will mean a major boost for jobs and the economy of our region for many years to come.”

An attempt to declare Belgian Liberal MEP Guy Verhofstadt as the European Parliament’s Brexit negotiator should be challenged and put to all 751 MEPs, a Conservative MEP said today.

Julie Girling, Conservative MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, spoke out after the parliament’s President Martin Schulz today tried to appoint the leader of the fourth largest group in the parliament as the institution’s sole negotiator on Britain’s EU departure.

Mr Verhofstadt, former Liberal Prime Minister of Belgium, is well known as an arch-federalist who want the EU turned into a fully-fledged federal United States of Europe.

Mrs Girling said: “I don’t believe that the majority of MEPs will want Mr Verhofstadt to be the lead negotiator on Brexit, it is a question for all of us to decide in a full vote of the parliament, not a backroom deal cooked up by Mr Schulz and some friends.”

“I expect Conservative MEPs to challenge this and demand a full, democratic and transparent selection procedure.”

Conservative MEP Julie Girling has welcomed news that EU funding for farmers, scientists and other projects will be replaced by the Treasury in the period immediately after Brexit.

But she warned that farmers still faced uncertainty over their future under a different government.

The MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, who campaigned for a Remain vote in the EU referendum, spoke out after Chancellor Philip Hammond said the Treasury would guarantee to back EU-funded projects signed before this year’s Autumn Statement. He also gave an assurance that agricultural funding now provided by the EU will also continue until 2020.

Mrs Girling said: “There will be relief that Theresa May’s Government is taking this step so promptly. It provides continuity and stability and is the right thing to do.

“However, it gives us no assurances about the future shape of funding, particularly for the rural economy. It would be helpful to clarify that the government will replace both the EU proportion of rural development money AND the UK government match funding.

“And what about the future?…Not all governments will be as friendly to farming and the countryside as this one. What might a Corbyn-led Labour government do, for example?.

“Our Government has been quick to offer reassurance – but it cannot dictate what will happen in future.”

Today’s decision to make Britain’s Sir Julian King EU Commissioner in charge of security has been welcomed by Conservative MEP Julie Girling.

Mrs Girling, MEP for the South West and Gibraltar, said the announcement by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker acknowledged the UK’s continuing lead role in security issues.

She said: “The terrorist threat is a global one. This shows that Britain’s expertise, co-operation and leadership on security matters will continue to be important post-Brexit, not just across Europe but across the world.

“Our Royal Navy officers are leading the EU’s anti-piracy patrols which have been so successful off the Horn of Africa, and Britain’s Rob Wainwright is director of Europol.

“Sir Julian’s CV is a prime example of Britain’s track record. It covers the UN Security Council, NATO and a spell as Chairman of the EU’s Political and Security Committee.

“I hope continued co-operation on security will be at the heart of the Brexit negotiation.”

Sir Julian is currently Britain’s ambassador to France. If confirmed in the EU post, he will replace Lord Hill, the former Financial Services Commissioner, who resigned after the Brexit vote.

ENDS

New limits which would see significant reductions in five key air pollutants cleared a significant hurdle in Brussels today.

The European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee approved a draft directive, led by Conservative MEP Julie Girling, that is expected to halve the number premature deaths from air pollution.

Speaking after the vote Mrs Girling, MEP for South West England and Gibraltar, was delighted that agreement had been reached after three years of negotiation.

She said: “This is an urgent public health crisis and between 2020 and 2030 we will improve the health outcomes by 50 per cent. That means 200,000 people across Europe each year not losing their lives prematurely, and that’s a huge impact.

“What has become very clear is that these individual pollutants don’t act in isolation. That is why much tighter limits than before are being placed on ammonia, for example, because it has been identified as a pre-cursor to respiratory diseases when mixed with other substances.”

The draft directive sets national limits for emissions of five pollutants by 2030. They are sulphur dioxide, typically emitted by coal fired power stations; nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter, which are found in vehicle emissions; and non-methane volatile organic compounds and ammonia, both a result of agricultural production. It will be up to each Member State to decide how to meet their targets.

Mrs Girling hoped the UK and Europe would continue to co-operate on tackling air pollution post Brexit.

“About 40 to 50 per cent of the air we breathe, particularly in the southern UK, comes from Europe so we have an interest in making sure that is as clean as possible,” she said.

“Brexit is not just about trade. This is an area where over the last 20 years we have made real progress and I hope we can continue working together. It is too soon to say under what umbrella that might happen, but I am ready to play my part in making it work.”

The draft directive is expected to secure final approval from the European Parliament later this year.

ENDS

Ambitious targets to reduce air pollution and cut premature deaths by around 50 per cent have been provisionally agreed by the EU.

The National Emissions Ceiling Directive, which Conservative MEP Julie Girling has been leading on for the European Parliament for three years, sets national limits for five key pollutants covering areas such as agriculture, power generation and vehicle emissions.

Under the provisional agreement, which will be officially approved by the European Parliament later this year, EU limits will be aligned with international commitments for 2020 and EU Member States would have to work towards hitting stricter targets by 2030. The UK’s involvement depends on the forthcoming Brexit negotiations but, whatever the outcome, Britain will benefit from a reduction in pollution drift from the continent.

Mrs Girling, MEP for South West England and Gibraltar, pointed out that air pollution imposed enormous human and economic costs.

“It is estimated that poor air quality is a factor in 400,000 premature deaths per year across the EU,” she said.

“Air pollution does not stop at national borders. It damages the environment, infrastructure and the economy in general. Individual countries cannot tackle this problem alone.

“This is an urgent public health crisis and I am very pleased to have struck an agreement during the Dutch presidency of the EU to reduce health impacts by around 50 per cent by 2030.”

Pollutants covered by the agreement are sulphur dioxide, which is typically emitted by coal fired power stations, volatile organic compounds and ammonia, both a result of agricultural production, and nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter, which are contained in vehicle emissions.

ENDS

A last-minute move by the EU Commission to ensure farmers can continue using the widely-employed weedkiller glyphosate has been welcomed.

Conservative MEPs Anthea McIntyre (West Midlands) and Julie Girling (South West and Gibraltar) said the move to prevent the herbicide being removed from shelves from one day to the next was “sensible and responsible”.

They were commenting after the Commission granted glyphosate a licence for a further 18 months – just hours before its EU approval expired. Attempts to grant glyphosate a longer approval of several years from June 30 hit deadlock after the French Government lodged objections and other nations abstained.

Despite advice from the EU’s own scientific experts that the weedkiller did not present any significant risk, some EU politicians mounted an organised opposition to renewed approval on the basis of an historic World Health Organisation report suggesting a possible link to cancer. The Commission’s proposed extension will allow for further complementary studies to be carried out by the EU’s other scientific body – the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) – to determine whether glyphosate requires reclassification from a safety perspective.

Miss McIntyre and Mrs Girling today issued a joint statement saying: “Farmers will be hugely relieved that this important tool for protecting their crops is still available to them.

“We maintain that the EU should listen to the science and not be swayed by scaremongering. We hope that these further studies confirm that glyphosate is safe for use, so we can put this discussion to rest and farmers can get on with their work.

“A ban on glyphosate could have a huge impact on farming in the UK and across Europe, so any such decision should only be taken if there is compelling scientific evidence that such drastic action is absolutely necessary.

“While everyone’s attention was on the referendum result, the clock was still ticking on glyphosate – so this stay of execution is sensible and responsible. It will allow us time to examine and further test the scientific evidence to come up with a sound decision further down the line.”

ends

Remain campaigner Julie Girling has spoken of her disappointment over the result of the EU referendum.

The Conservative MEP for the South West and Gibraltar said: “This is a shattering decision for Britain.

“I am deeply sorry that the people of the UK have chosen this leap in the dark. I believe future generations will question our wisdom.

“The EU has many faults, of course, but I remain convinced that we would be safer, stronger and better off by remaining a member.

“However, the British people have decided otherwise. The Conservative Party, like the whole nation, must put our disagreements behind us and pull together to get the best for Britain.

“As an MEP, I intend to do all I can to make sure we negotiate the best terms possible for our departure and protect our trade, exports and economy ”

end