Richard Howitt

Richard Howitt, MEP

Richard Howitt (born 05 April 1961, Reading) is a British MEP from the Labour Party since 1994.

Affiliations

• Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Member, Subcommittee on Human Rights
• Member, Subcommittee on Security and Defence
• Member, Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee
• Substitute, Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with Afghanistan
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly

Former Affiliations

• Vice-Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Rights
• Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Member, Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee
• Substitute, Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
• Substitute, Subcommittee on Security and Defence
• Substitute, Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee

Record and Controversies

Declaration of Financial Interests

Financial Support Received in Connection with Political Activities:

• In my role as President of the European Parliament Disability Intergroup, the Intergroup's work is provided with secretarial support from the European Disability Forum; however no financial assistance is given to me or my office.

Additional Information:

• Complementary car parking at London City Airport.
• I employ three full-time members of staff: a Parliamentary and Communications Manager, a Press and Constituency Assistant and a Personal Assistant, who assist me in my offices in Cambridge, Brussels and Strasbourg. I also periodically give work experience to students or interns, contract for free-lance or professional services and employ a Service Provider responsible for payroll, personnel and accounts. I do not employ family members in any capacity.
• Together with all European Parliamentary Labour Party (EPLP) MEPs, I contribute to the salary of an additional staff member who is line managed by the EPLP Secretary General. This member of staff works in London with the EPLP secretariat and acts as a liaison for the Labour MEPs with the Government, Special Advisers, the Prime Minister's Office, the Parliamentary Labour Party and the Labour Party.

Former Declaration of Financial Interests

Financial Support Received in Connection with Political Activities:

• In my role as President of the European Parliament Disability Intergroup, the Intergroup's work is provided with secretarial support from the European Disability Forum; however no financial assistance is given to me or my office.
• Travel and one night accommodation as a speaker at the Global Reporting Initiative conference on held 8-9th May in Amsterdam. 50% of costs provided by the Global Reporting Initiative.
• One night accommodation to participate as a member on the Global Reporting Initiative's Governmental Advisory Group meeting in 16 and 17 September 2008 near Leiden in the Netherlands provided by the Global Reporting Initiative.
• Travel and one night accommodation as a speaker at the conference on Corporate Social Responsibility held 29-30th April in Berlin provided by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
• Travel and one night accommodation to participate as a keynote speaker at the Discerno Corporate Social Responsibility project final conference held in Rome on the 19-20th June, provided by the European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public services (CEEP).
• Sponsorship for the printing and postage of printed materials for use within my East of England constituency. This material has been sponsored by the Communication Workers Union (CWU).

Record of Parliamentary Votes

• Voted in favour of the directive on "national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants" (A5-0063/2000). The amendment allows setting less ambitious national emission ceilings for sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), which would result in more damage to human health and the environment.
• Voted against the Commission White Paper on "Strategy for a future Chemicals Policy" (A5-0356/2001). The amendment helps avoid the necessary precautionary approach towards some chemical substances that are not proven to be completely safe.
• Voted in favour of the directive on "waste electrical and electronic equipment" (A5-0100/2002). The amendment sets higher reuse and recycling rates for IT and telecommunication equipment. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted in favour of the report on "Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network" (A5-0135/2002). The Trans-European Network of Transport (TEN-T) is a network of so-called 'transport corridors' through Europe. This amendment calls for a full Strategic Environmental Assessment of these transport corridors and calls on the Commission to improve methods for analysing the environmental and economic impact of the TEN-T.
• Voted in favour of the regulation concerning "traceability and labelling of genetically modified organisms and traceability of food and feed products produced from genetically modified organisms" (A5-0229/2002). The amendment allows customers the right to choose GM free food.
• Voted in favour of the report towards a "thematic strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides" (A5-0061/2003). The amendment proposes to ban or severely restrict use of pesticides in areas around sources of drinking water and nature protected zones.
• Voted in favour of the directive on "environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage" (A5-0145/2003). According to the amendment, polluters have to pay for environmental clean-up, and it supports an EU-wide regime which makes polluters liable for the damage they cause to wildlife, water and land.
• Voted against the directive on restructuring the "Community framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity" (A5-0302/2003). The amendment aims at giving tax benefits to environmentally friendly sources of energy, which would make them cheaper and more competitive to conventional (more polluting) sources of energy. It also gives tax benefits to environmentally friendly uses of energy for transport, for instance trains. Rejected due to lack of absolute majority.
• Voted in favour of the amendment on Bulgaria’s progress towards accession (A5-0105/2004). The report objects to extending the life of the nuclear power stations in Bulgaria.

Personal Information

Curriculum Vitae

• BA (Hons.) Politics, Philosophy and Economics, Oxford University (1982).
• Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies, University of Hertfordshire (1992).
• Volunteer organiser, Harlow (1982-1986).
• Disability rights worker, London (1986-1994).
• UK parliamentary candidate, Billericay constituency (1987).
• Member, Labour Party National Policy Forum (since 1994).
• Member of Labour Party Britain in the World Policy Commission (since 1997).
• Councillor, Harlow District Council (1983-1995).
• Leader of the Council (1991-1994).
• Honorary Vice-President, UK Local Government Association (since 1994).
• Chair, South and East Economic Development Strategy Association.
• Member of the European Parliament (since 1994). Vice-Chairman, Committee on Regional Policy (1997-1999).
• Co-Chairman, Committee on Trade and Economic Issues, ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (2002-2004).
• Chairman, Disability Intergroup (1994-2004).
• European Parliament representative in the European Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility (2002-2004).
• Responsible for annual public hearings on corporate responsibility (since 1997).

Contact

Address:

Parlement européen

Bât. Altiero Spinelli

13G246

60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60

B-1047 Bruxelles/Brussel

Phone:

+32 (0)2 28 45477

Fax:

+32 (0)2 28 49477

Email:

richard.howitt AT europarl.europa.eu

Website:

http://www.richardhowittmep.com

This article is part of the MEPedia project of Spinwatch.

Resources

• European Parliament, Declaration of Members' Financial Interests: Richard Howitt, 21 January 2009, accessed 04 February 2009.
• European Parliament, Declaration of Members' Financial Interests: Richard Howitt, 14 July 2009, accessed 03 November 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: Richard Howitt, accessed 04 February 2009.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: Richard Howitt, accessed 19 November 2010.
• Friends of the Earth, EU Vote Watch, accessed 02 February 2009.