Common Agricultural Policy (Fraud) (Hansard, 25 February 1993)

§ 8. Mr. Booth
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken to prevent fraud within the reformed CAP.

§ Mr. Gummer
I have sought on all occasions to insist that European Community agriculture schemes are designed to combat fraud and reduce wastage with the minimum of unnecessary burdens.

§ Mr. Booth
Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind the widespread anxiety and anger felt by, in particular, taxpayers—in Finchley, for example—at the way in which EC farmers, especially on the continent, are defrauding the system of billions of pounds? I welcome my right hon. Friend's remarks, but will he tell us how the inspectors will produce enough information to deal with the problem? Will he also assure the House that the long-standing border dispute between Northern Ireland and southern Ireland in relation to fraud is being dealt with adequately?

§ Mr. Gummer
My hon. Friend is entirely right: there is a great deal to be done. We shall ensure that, in so far as this country has experienced such problems, we cover them in both Great Britain and Northern Ireland. At the same time, we are determined that the same should happen throughout the rest of Europe, which means insisting that anti-fraud measures are implemented everywhere, from Scotland to Sicily.

§ Mr. Cryer
Is not the truth that the common agricultural policy is so extensive, cumbersome and inefficient that all attempts to combat fraud have ended in failure? Is not it true that most of the £14 billion which the Tory Government paid to the common market between 1980 and 1990 went on the common agricultural policy, that many millions of that disappeared in fraud and that the only way we shall stop this fraudulent practice is by ending the common agricultural policy?

§ Mr. Gummer
I do not think that it is the policy of the hon. Gentlemen's party, as far as I understand it, to withdraw Britain from the European Community. Therefore, the concept of ending the common agricultural policy is not an issue which either party can entertain. What we have to do is reform it. We have gone a long way towards that reform. We shall get rid of that fraud and we are fighting hard against it. We are not helped by the hon. Gentleman who, instead of seeking to reform it, wants always to pull it down, but that is the attitude he has always had.

§ Sir Jerry Wiggin
Putting aside the criminal aspects of this matter, will my right hon. Friend accept that many farmers in this country believe that other member countries go in for a bit of fraud in the administration of the CAP itself? Will the Minister say what steps the Government are taking to see that the rules are applied equally across the board, in many areas, as directed by the Commission?

§ Mr. Gummer
My hon. Friend is right to point to the fact that many feel that the systems that are obtaining in other countries, while they are not encouraging fraud, are not discouraging it adequately. We are seeking to ensure that the Commission, through its inspections and the like, puts an end to this practice. I am pleased to say that recently, for example, the Italian Government both 997 detected fraud that has taken place in its own country, and reported that fraud to the Commission. That is a very welcome sign which we shall be supporting.