Ms Scallon, MEP:

Exactly. I read a great deal. In fact, to prove how detrimental that has been, I am now obliged to wear glasses. It is a fascinating experience and one for which I am most grateful.

Ms Scallon, MEP:

That is a quick overview of the work. During a debate, a Member is given one minute of speaking time. At a maximum, the Member will be given two minutes if he or she is a main contributor to a report and three minutes if a rapporteur. As one can imagine, the debates can be extremely sterile. It is also frustrating because one cannot insult anybody or make a joke. By the time it is translated, two further people have spoken and one could end up insulting the wrong person. Nothing is as frustrating as making a joke and seeing people starting to laugh about five minutes later. It is a somewhat sterile atmosphere.

Ms Scallon, MEP:

There should be more time for debate, it should be conducted at a slower speed and there should be less regulation. The regulations are over burdening although they originate with the best of intentions. Where there is a gap we try to find some way of filling it or to answer a need. However, there is, and this probably applies at national level too, a burden of regulation and detail, which is having a detrimental effect on growth and enterprise. We are raising this at European level.