SIR - Mr Starr has claimed that MPs have no influence over legislation in the UK, and that power now solely lies with the EU, which he says passed 104 new laws in May (Letters, June 11).

Let me set the record straight and dismiss this notion of the the EU as a single, monolithic entity.

Our European Union is governed by four main institutions: The Commission proposes laws, the European Parliament and the Council (which is formed by the 27 governments) debate, amend and pass or reject them. The Court of Justice then rules on any breaches.

EU law is only passed after consensus between our MEPs in the European Parliament and the 27 member governments represented on the Council.

The European Commission's work programme for 2007 contains a total of 32 legislative acts, 10 of which are designed to simplify existing laws.

A large majority of the remainder are directives, providing a framework for each member state to legislate individually in a way suited to the UK.

Most laws are nothing to do with our EU institutions at all. The last Queen's Speech outlined 29 proposed Bills for this year, all of which will be subject to debates and votes by our MPs in the Westminster parliament.

Richard Burt, Liberal Democrat Candidate, Malvern.