Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

The hon. Gentleman is Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. I referred to 1 per cent. of Europe's gross national income—income is not law. If he, of all the right hon. and hon. Gentlemen in this House, does not know how small a percentage of Europe's gross national income the EU takes and how much is redistributed back to this country to disappear into agricultural, structural and regional funds, then how does he expect those in his constituency or the wider public to know that, given the constant disinformation that they are fed by our press on this matter? I revert to the lost honour of the Leader of the Opposition and his cast-iron pledge, which he tossed away gaily in a press release a few weeks ago. That is a matter for the Conservative party—what worries me is the fact that it is in the vital interests of Britain, British business and other institutions that we engage fully in the European Union. For the first time in our history, we have a party knocking on the door of power that has gone out of its way to oppose, denigrate and show contempt for our alliance and partnership and the good work that we do with the EU. We heard that in the tone of the hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois).