SOMETIME soon, our MEPs will be informing us of how well they have kept us informed of events taking place in 'Europe.' Do you recall any information on the following items during the past four years?

Corpus Juris: A plan drawn up by EU lawyers for a new EU-wide legal system, based on the Napoleonic systems of most other EU countries, not on British Common Law.

The primary object is not, as in Britain, the "freedom of the individual" but "protection of the financial interests of the union."

MEPs vote on accountability of their expenses: The European parliament vetoes any control over claimed expenses. Above a basic salary of £45,000, MEPs' perks include a £77,000 annual secretarial allowance and £158 a day extra each time they attend parliament. How did your MEP vote on this issue?

Amsterdam Treaty: Mentioned only as a treaty for human rights. It is a vehicle to allow Corpus Juris to be adopted and for the creation of a Euro police force. The Regional Development Agencies: The master plan is to carve the UK into 12 administrative regions to bring Britain into line with the EU's vision of a 'Europe of Regions.'

Co-ordinating this process from Brussels is the 'Committee of Regions,' whose president, Professor Manfred Dammeyer, said last year: "At the close of the 20th century, the concepts of the nation and the state are fading away, as people's traditional national identities and loyalties are losing their meaning." Does your MEP agree with this doctrine? Tony Blair does.

Fraud and Corruption in the EU: Subsequent events saw all the unelected commissioners resign. The last time I looked they were still there.

The people deserve better information and we will see they have it - with our people in the European Parliament.

VAL COWELL, North West Press Officer, UK Independence Party. (valeriecowell@ukindparty.freeserve.co.uk)

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.