Sarah Ludford

Sarah Ludford, MEP

Baroness Sarah Ludford (born 14 March 1951, Halesworth) is a British MEP for London from Liberal Democrats, and a member of the House of Lords.

Affiliations

• Vice-Chairwoman, Delegation for relations with the United States
• Member, Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
• Substitute, Committee on Foreign Affairs
• Substitute, Subcommittee on Human Rights
• Substitute, Delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo

Former Affiliations

• Vice-Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Human Rights
• Member, Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
• Member, Delegation for relations with the United States
• Substitute, Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
• Substitute, Committee on Foreign Affairs

Record and Controversies

Declaration of Financial Interests

• Old frozen and insignificant shareholding in Eurotunnel.
• Member 1999 - 2009 of European Parliament additional voluntary pension fund, but no further contributions.
• My husband Steve Hitchins provided consultancy and support services to my MEP office in London from 2006.
• NGO positions, unpaid: Council member of Liberty and Justice, patron of Fair Trials International.

Former Declaration of Financial Interests

• Political Activity as a member of the UK House of Lords (second Chamber of Parliament). No salary but allowances of up to about £150 per day personal and office expenses claimable for days of attendance.
• Shareholding in Eurotunnel, not significant.
• Member of the European Parliament voluntary pension scheme.

Record of Parliamentary Votes

• Voted in favour of the directive on "establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy" (A5-0027/2000). The directive covers all water management aspects in order to achieve a 'good status' of all waters by 2015.
• Voted against 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.
• Abstained from voting 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.

Personal Information

Curriculum Vitae

• At London School of Economics: B.Sc.(Econ.) (International History) (1972) and M.Sc.(Econ.) (European Studies) (1977).
• Inns of Court School of Law (barrister).
• Worked in the Department of the Environment and the Independent Broadcasting Authority (1972-1975).
• Study, travel and research (1975-1979).
• Official, European Commission (1979-1985).
• Worked at Lloyds of London and American Express Europe (1985-1990).
• Independent adviser on European affairs (1990-1999).
• Vice-Chair, Liberal Democrats' Federal Policy Committee (1991-1998).
• Councillor, London Borough of Islington (1991-1999).
• Life peer, House of Lords (1997- ).
• Member of the European Parliament (since 1999).
• ELDR coordinator, Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights (1999-2004).
• Vice-Chairwoman, Delegation for relations with the countries of south-east Europe (2002-2004).

Contact

Address:

Parlement européen

Bât. Altiero Spinelli

10G165

60, rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60

B-1047 Bruxelles/Brussel

Phone:

+32 (0)2 28 45104

Fax:

+32 (0)2 28 49104

Email:

sarah.ludford AT europarl.europa.eu

Website:

http://www.sarahludfordmep.org.uk

Resources

• European Parliament, Declaration of Members' Financial Interests: Sarah Ludford, 20 January 2009, accessed 05 February 2009.
• European Parliament, Declaration of Members' Financial Interests: Sarah Ludford, 13 August 2009, accessed 03 November 2009.
• European Parlaiment, MEP Directory: Sarah Ludford, accessed 05 February 2009.
• Friends of the Earth, EU Vote Watch, accessed 02 February 2009.