HL Deb 25 October 2000 vol 618 c49WA
Lord Pearson of Rannoch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made with the European Union's attempt to eliminate fraud and maladministration by the European Commission. [HL4254]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

In June 1999 the EU established a new anti-fraud office, OLAF. The new office has powers to investigate internal fraud within all the institutions, has strong guarantees of its independence within the Commission, can also recommend action to be taken as a result of its reports, and will report to the Council and European Parliament on progress.

At the same time, work on administrative reform of the European Commission is progressing broadly in line with the Commission's White Paper on reforming the Commission which was published in March this year.