My constituency I represent the East of England

My constituency

I represent the East of England. This covers the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Norfolk. It also includes four unitary authorities - Luton, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock.

For ease of administration, much of my work focuses on Bedfordshire (including Luton), Cambridgeshire (including Peterborough) and Hertfordshire while my fellow Labour MEP, Richard Howitt, based in Essex, concentrates on the three
remaining counties.

The East of England
The East of England has a population of approximately
5.5 million people. Geographically, the East of England is very diverse. It includes about a dozen medium-sized towns and cities, but no major conurbations. It also includes large rural areas, more market towns and villages than any other English region, eight ports and four major airports.

In 1997 the region accounted for £57.7 billion (nearly 10%) of the UK's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The average GDP per head in the East of England is 97% of the EU average.

Manufacturing activities employ the greatest number of employees and a number of large employers are based in the region, including Vauxhall in Luton. Hi-tech manufacturing and service sectors provide 16% of the employment in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. Agriculture is twice as important in the region as in the country as a whole, although this sector only account for 2% of jobs in the region.

About 80% of Norfolk is agricultural and the whole of East Anglia is one of the most productive agricultural areas of the EU. The area produces half of the UK's sugar beet, a third of all field vegetables, and a quarter of pigs, potatoes and cereals.

Tourism, wholesaling and retailing are also significant employment sectors.

Since 1993, the region's rate of growth has outstripped the national average and long-term prospects remain about the British average. However, there is expected to be a decline in the manufacturing, clerical and secretarial sectors. Meanwhile, technological changes are expected to put pressure on the existing supply of people with these skills.

The European Union in the East of England
Much of the impact of the European Union (EU) flows from broader policies such as the EU's efforts to encourage the opening of world markets to EU products, or to ensure fair competition.

EU regional policy and funding has made a significant impact in the region. EU funds received by local authorities and other organisations in 1994/1999 include:

£12 million to help people young people, unemployed people and people deemed to be 'socially excluded'
£11 million to help employees adjust to changes in industrial and production systems
Almost £2.6 million to help stimulate rural economies
£1.3 million to help areas dependent on the fishing industry

Source of regional information: An English region in the European Union: The East of England. Published by the European Commission Representation in the United Kingdom. Catalogue reference CM-08-98-002-EN-C, code U7001. March 1999.

For more information on the Eastern Region, try the following sites
Go East
East of England Development Agency