Letter: Not MEPs' fault

Sir: Stephen Castle's report (19 July) about the European Parliament Building in Strasbourg fails to mention one important thing. Members of the European Parliament have never said they wanted this new building in Strasbourg. It was forced on the Parliament by the EU member states.

When those of us who opposed Strasbourg began to win the argument, the member states resolved we meet there 12 times per year by putting it in the Amsterdam Treaty.

The European Parliament could save somewhere in the region of pounds 120m per year by centralising its activities in Brussels. It is not allowed to do so because of the external pressures of the member states.

Unfortunately MEPs always take the rap for this.