SNP branded “work-shy” with worst attendance and performance record
Independent statistics published today show that Labour MEPs are Scotland’s hardest working.
Over the last four years, David Martin and Catherine Stihler have between them asked more parliamentary questions, made more speeches, lodged more motions, and produced more reports and opinions than the combined efforts of the SNP, Scottish Conservative or Scottish Liberal Democrat members.
VoteWatch, set up to monitor the work of MEPs, has compiled data since the last Euro elections in 2004. Labour, the SNP and the Tories each have two Scottish MEPs; the Liberal Democrats have one.
David Martin and Catherine Stihler have asked 502 questions between them, compared to 318 from the SNP, and just 55 from the Tories.
David and Catherine made 1,000 parliamentary speeches between them – almost three times more than the SNP and ten times more than the Tories.
And the two SNP MEPs have the worst attendance record of any Scottish MEPs – missing almost 1 in 5 parliamentary votes.
The Labour MEPs published 13 written declarations – Europe’s equivalent of motions – compared to just 7 from the SNP and 3 from the Tories.
David and Catherine published eight reports between them – each report formulating a substantive piece of European policy – compared to just four from the Tories and half that from the SNP.
Labour MEP David Martin said:
”Politicians, elected by the people, must work hard on their behalf. Scotland expects its representatives to be present in the European Parliament, putting the case on behalf of the Scottish people.”
A Labour spokesperson added:
“These revealing statistics blast the SNP’s claim to be hardworking right out of the water. Their MEPs have the worst attendance record of all Scottish MEPs and demonstrate a remarkably low work rate on reports and opinions.
“The SNP are simply work-shy.
"Not only are they failing to pass legislation in the Scottish Parliament – it’s now clear that they are just not speaking up in Europe either. With only 2 representatives in a parliament of over 700, the SNP just don’t have the clout or influence we need to get us out of the recession."
ENDS
1. Source:
VoteWatch: www.votewatch.eu
2. Data
Speeches in plenary sessions
1. David Martin Labour 787
2. Catherine Stihler Labour 212
3. Ian Hudghton SNP 210
4. Alyn Smith SNP 159
5. John Purvis Tory 74
6. Struan Stevenson Tory 45
7. Elspeth Attwooll Lib Dem 33
Written declarations (equivalent of motions)
1. Catherine Stihler Labour 7
2. David Martin Labour 6
3. Alyn Smith SNP 6
4. Elspeth Attwooll Lib Dem 3
5. Struan Stevenson Tory 3
6. Ian Hudghton SNP 1
7. John Purvis Tory 0
Parliamentary Questions
1. Catherine Stihler Labour 320
2. Alyn Smith SNP 305
3. David Martin Labour 182
4. Elspeth Attwooll Lib Dem 33
5. Struan Stevenson Tory 30
6. John Purvis Tory 25
7. Ian Hudghton SNP 13
Reports (substantive formulations on policy)
1. David Martin Labour 6
2. Elspeth Attwooll Lib Dem 6
3. Catherine Stihler Labour 2
4. Struan Stevenson Tory 2
5. John Purvis Tory 2
6. Ian Hudghton SNP 2
7. Alyn Smith SNP 0
Attendance Record (in plenary session, where all votes on legislation take place
1. John Purvis Tory 99%
2. David Marton Labour 95%
3. Struan Stevenson Tory 95%
4. Elspeth Attwooll Lib Dem 88%
5. Catherine Stihler Labour 86%
6. Alyn Smith SNP 82%
7. Ian Hudghton SNP 81%
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