---

9 Feb 2005 : Column 1590W—continued

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Customs Cooperation Subcommittee-EEC-Czech Republic met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement; [214742]

(2) how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Customs Co-operation Subcommittee—EEC—Latvia met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement; [215439]
 
9 Feb 2005 : Column 1591W
 

(3) many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Customs Co-operation Subcommittee—EEC—Lithuania met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement; [215440]

(4) how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Customs Co-operation Subcommittee—EEC—Poland met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement; [215441]

(5) how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Customs Co-operation Subcommittee—EEC—Bulgaria met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement; [215906]

(6) how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Customs Co-operation Subcommittee—EEC—Estonia met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement; [215907]

(7) how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch Presidency of the EU the Customs Co-operation Subcommittee—EEC—Hungary met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement. [215908]

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not readily available. The Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria, Estonia and Hungary are now members of the European Union, the EC Agreements are no longer in place and the Customs Cooperation working groups have been disbanded.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee on the European Communities statistics programme met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement; [214747]

(2) how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the Committee on monetary, financial and balance-of-payments statistics met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement; [215425]

(3) how many times during the (a) Italian, (b) Irish and (c) Dutch presidency of the EU the European Advisory Committee on statistical information in the economic and social spheres met; when and where these meetings took place; what UK Government expert was present; and if he will make a statement. [215426]

Mr. Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Angus Robertson, dated 9 February 2005:
 
9 Feb 2005 : Column 1592W
 

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to three of your recent Parliamentary Questions relating to past meetings of various EU Committees. I am replying in his absence. (214747, 215425 & 215426)

The Eurostat Statistical Programme Committee (SPC) met on 17 September 2003 in Paris and 20 November 2003 in Luxembourg during the Italian presidency, 12 February 2004 and 27 May 2004 during the Irish presidency (on both occasions in Luxembourg) and 18 November 2004 in Luxembourg during the Dutch presidency. The UK was represented at all the meetings by appropriate Office for National Statistics (ONS) officials, in most cases the National Statistician. The SPC discusses issues relating to the development of the European Statistical System.

During the Italian presidency, the European Advisory Committee on Statistical Information in the Economic and Social Spheres (CEIES) met on 21 November 2003, and on 19 November 2004 during the Dutch presidency (on both occasions it met in Luxembourg). It did not meet during the Irish presidency. In addition, CEIES organises a series of open thematic seminars on issues of current interest to the European Statistical System. The National Statistician is a member, and was represented by appropriate ONS officials. CEIES maintains a dialogue between producers and users of European statistics.

The EU Committee on Monetary, Finance and Balance of Payment Statistics (CMFB) did not meet during the Italian and Dutch presidencies. During the Irish presidency, CMFB met on 29/30 January 2004 and 15/16 June 2004 (on both occasions in Luxembourg). The UK was represented at both meetings by appropriate ONS and Bank of England officials. The CMFB discusses issues of common interest to central banks and national statistics offices.

EU Fraud

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 31 January 2005, Official Report, column 594W, on EU fraud, if he will make a statement on his Department's assessment of the total level of fraud within the European Communities' budget. [215300]

Mr. Timms: The Treasury's estimate that about €185 million, or 0.2 per cent. of the EC budget in 2003, was spent fraudulently, is derived from previous assessments by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) of the likely percentage of fraud within irregularities reported by member states. In response to pressure from the UK and other member states, OLAF's Intelligence Directorate is now beginning to work on a more accurate analysis of how much of the irregularities reported is actual fraud. We welcome and encourage this work, as we believe it is unacceptable that OLAF cannot publish an accurate figure for the amount of fraud against the Community budget. We also need this figure to assess the impact and effectiveness of anti-fraud measures taken to date, and to consider what additional measures should be considered.

Freedom of Information

Mr. Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer from whom the application under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for release of papers relating to the exit of the UK from the Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992 was received; what the reasons are for the delay in responding to the request for the release of the papers; if he will place the papers in the Library; and if he will place in the Library the papers relating to the Government's policy on ERM and economic and monetary union as at 2 May 1997. [215485]

 
9 Feb 2005 : Column 1593W
 

Mr. Timms: No Treasury Minister has had any involvement in the request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which is the subject of the hon. Member's question. This is consistent with the long-standing practice of successive Governments concerning access to documents of a previous Administration. The Permanent Secretary to the Treasury is therefore writing to the hon. Member about this matter.

The Treasury routinely publishes information disclosed under the 2000 Act on its website.

The Government's policy on membership of the single currency was set out by the Chancellor in his statement to Parliament in October 1997. The Treasury assessment of the five economic tests was published in October 1997 and June 2003.

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is in respect of the publication (a) on the departmental website and (b) by placing copies in the Library of (i) all and (ii) a selection of the information disclosed in response to Freedom of Information requests since January. [215225]

Mr. Timms: The answers to all Freedom of Information requests where the material is new or of wider interest are published in the disclosure log on HM Treasury's departmental website. Material that is published on the disclosure log on the website will not normally be placed in the Library.

HIV/AIDS (Africa)

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the availability of burial space for those dying of HIV/AIDS in Africa; what discussions he has had on this with heads of state of African countries; and what practical measures he has proposed. [214948R]

Mr. Timms: No such assessment has been made by the Treasury. During his trip to Africa earlier this year the Chancellor set out how additional development aid could help to tackle HIV and AIDS by increasing treatment and care, while at the same time investing in research on an HIV vaccine.

---