Why, when so many families in the North East are struggling to make ends meet, does the UK Government still allow the claiming of over £1million in child benefits for 50,000 children living in other EU countries? Only 5 of the 27 countries in the EU allow this to happen and roughly 60% of the money go to countries whose benefits levels are just a quarter of ours.

Surely this money would be put to better use by supporting needy British children. The UK should not be the benefit office for the EU.