§ Mr. GillTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the name, position and nationality of all EC officials who have been indicted on charges of fraud, dishonesty or maladministration, since 1990 together with details of the disciplinary action taken. [66406]
§ Ms QuinWe have approached the European Commission for this information. I will write to the hon. Member shortly, placing copies in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list Commission officials suspended since 1990 on (i) full, (ii) half and (iii) no pay, stating in each case(a) the accusation, (b) the end result of the investigations concerned and (c) the severance pay where supplied; [66321]
(2) what types of firearms are issued to employees of the European Commission; what performance enhancers are made available for these weapons; and what numbers are involved; [66325]
(3) which employees of the European Commission are entrusted with firearms; and under what authority those arms have been issued; [66320]
(4) if he will make a statement on the purpose of firearms being issued to employees of the European Commission; [66326]
(5) what the rules of engagement are for employees of the European Commission entrusted with firearms; [66323]
(6) if he will make a statement on the secured storage facilities available for firearms possessed by the European Commission; [66324]
(7) what training is available in firearms skills for employees of the European Commission. [66322]
§ Ms QuinWe have approached the Commission for this information. I will write to the right hon. Member shortly, placing copies in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the report submitted by the Commission at the General Affairs Council of 26 to 27 October 1998 concerning fraud allegations relating to the EC Humanitarian Office; and if he will list the corrected documents submitted. [66379]
506W
§ Ms QuinThe Commission President, Mr. Santer, gave an oral report to Foreign Ministers over lunch on 25 October 1998. There is no official record. Mr. Santer explained the background to the EC Humanitarian Aid Office fraud and the Commission's proposal to establish an external anti-fraud office (Document 14031—deposited in the House Library on 23 December). It is not clear to which "corrected documents" the right hon. Member refers. If the right hon. Member would care to write to me giving any additional information he may have, I shall be happy to investigate.
§ Mr. MacleanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deposit in the Library a copy of all guidelines for Commission staff operating in(a) other Member States and (b) the United Kingdom relating to (i) handling the media and (ii) maintaining political neutrality.[66380]
§ Ms QuinWe understand from the Commission that there are currently no such written guidelines for staff at Commission Representations in the Member States, including those in the United Kingdom. However, on 11 January 1999, President Santer announced that three codes of conduct would be drawn up governing the work of Members of the Commission and Commission staff. These are expected to cover issues of this kind.