1 2004 ANNUAL
REPORTS OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF AUDITORS
(26994)
14135/05
COM(05) 544
| European Court of Auditors — Annual reports concerning the financial year 2004
|
| Legal base | —
|
| Department | HM Treasury
|
| Basis of consideration |
Minister's letter of 31 January 2006 |
| Previous Committee Report |
HC 34-xv (2005-06), para 4 (18 January 2006) |
| To be discussed in Council
| March 2006 |
| Committee's assessment | Politically important
|
| Committee's decision | For debate on the Floor of the House — together with the Commission's 2004 report on the fight against fraud and related documents (Decision reported on 18 January 2006)
|
Background
1.1 The European Court of Auditors (ECA) is responsible for the
external audit of the Community's public finances. The Annual
Report for 2004 includes, as usual, the ECA's Statement of Assurance
for the financial year in question. It also covers (technically
in a separate report) the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth European
Development Funds (EDFs) and has a Statement of Assurance in respect
of them, as these funds are separate from the General Budget.
When we considered this report in January 2006 we recommended
it for debate on the Floor of the House, together with the Commission's
annual report Protection of the financial interests of the
Communities and fight against fraud and related documents.[1]
The Minister's letter
1.2 The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Mr Ivan Lewis) now
sends us the Government's response to the specific references
to the UK in the 2004 report of the European Court of Auditors.
Conclusion
1.3 We are grateful to the Minister for drawing our attention
to this response. We think it would be useful to Members in the
debate on this and other documents which we have already recommended
and suggest it be made available to them then.
1
See headnote. Back
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