European Union (Amendment) Bill

I hope that Members of the Committee will forgive me if I focus on the amendment before us. I oppose it on the rather simple ground that I believe that the cohesion funds of the European Union are a good thing. They have helped, and will continue to help, the development of the poorer regions and countries of the European Union. That will, in turn, make the single market more effective than it would otherwise be, which is in the interests of the British economy and British business. For that rather narrow reason, I oppose the amendment. Before I sit down, I should perhaps declare an interest as a vice-chairman of Business for New Europe. I also declare an interest as receiving—and being proud to do so—a British Government pension. However, for the avoidance of doubt, as the lawyers say, I am not in receipt of a European pension.