REGARDING the comments from Derek Vaughan MEP that leaving the EU will hurt Wales I would remind him that Britain’s net contribution, after money returned to or spent in this country which includes Wales, was £45.4 billion.

We are therefore only receiving a very small return of our own money.

In the last 18 months Britain has sold more goods and services to the rest of the world than the EU and imports from the EU greatly exceed our exports to them.

Furthermore the existing rebate is not set in EU treaties and the current rebate is decided every seven years. We obtained a reduction in the original contribution to the EU budget from over 20 per cent but this has now been reduced to about 12 per cent but many EU members now want to see the rebate scrapped or reduced further, which can only lead to a substantial increase in the amount currently paid.

The Single Market changes brought on majority voting in many cases where we no longer have a veto and the last 40 attempts to amend EU legislation have failed. The EU goal is political and economic union and with five potential new members of the EU our ability to ensure that our businesses can operate within a framework tailored to their needs will be greatly reduced.

Huge numbers of Eastern and Southern Europeans are now looking for work in Britain to avoid the economic crisis at home. If EU nationals faced the same visa restrictions as those from outside the EU this could only increase job opportunities for British workers as well as easing pressure on housing, schools, hospitals and other public services.

Last year 75 per cent of EU nationals secured jobs from our growth in employment against 25 per cent of UK nationals. If we controlled our borders like an awful lot of countries work visas would then only be issued for occupations where we have a shortfall.

Last year the prime minister said that 40 per cent of all recent European migrates are supported by our benefits system and indeed government analysis states that mass migration from Europe is having a disproportionate impact on the UK and damaging society.

Graduates from Eastern Europe are taking low skilled jobs topped up by generous in-work benefits which is damaging the chance of lower skilled British citizens obtaining employment.

In the last referendum one of the loudest voices for leaving the EU was Neil Kinnock but I gather that if he wants to retain his EU pension and substantial benefits that go with it he is not to criticise the organisation and perhaps that explains his current silence.

Likewise Mr Vaughan has only quoted those points that only provide the amount spent in Wales without quoting the vast amount of money paid into the EU by Britain. Perhaps Mr Vaughan will confirm his total income ie salary, expenses, pension, etc, from the organisation that currently provides his income.

Presumably it would be comparable to turkeys voting to keep Christmas if we decide to leave and actually had an honest and balanced argument involving MEPs who pointed out the flaws in the current arrangements and admitted the major faults, especially as the EU accounts have not been signed off for the past 20-odd years or so.

I am still waiting for an honest and balanced argument.

Vincent O'Donoghue

Coleridge Avenue

Penarth