In Parliament this week

It's a full week here in Brussels, with both my committees sitting (Environment and Civil Liberties) as well as a mini-Plenary session.

On the agenda for the Plenary is a debate on calls for the establishment of an EU-wide fund to protect the passengers of failed airlines. This is of particular relevance to the UK, given the collapse last year of XL. I am backing a reserve compensation fund which all airlines should pay into in order to adequately compensate those passengers who lose out. I called for this exactly one year ago so it is pleasing to now see this on the European agenda.

We are also debating the outcome of the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, which is something which David Cameron is so far refusing to do at his own party conference.

And finally, Labour MEPs will be lending our support to a proposal which will ensure that people charged in cross-border criminal cases must not be charged twice for the same crime in two different Member States.