§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been proposed to the intergovernmental conference by officials, academics or other bodies into the terms of the current consolidated treaty on European Union concerning the powers and duties of the European Parliament in respect of their functions of appropriation, surveillance and audit of expenditure, examination of public accounts, and discharge of the budget of the European Community. [29339]
§ Mr. David DavisSeveral bodies have proposed changes to the powers and duties of the European Parliament. The European Parliament's own proposals have been tabled for scrutiny—EP:A4–0102/95. The European Parliament needs to do more to monitor EC spending, tackle fraud and waste. We have yet to hear a convincing case that the European Parliament needs additional powers which were gained for this purpose. Some new powers which were gained at Maastricht and which could be useful in this connection have yet to be used, for example, temporary committees of inquiry.