§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek clarification from the European Economic Community Commission on whether the 19 million lire paid by the Italian authorities to 121W organisations linked to the Mafia organisation, for the alleged delivery of non-existent fruit juice to bodies including North Atlantic Treaty Organisation headquarters in Sicily, qualified for reimbursement by the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorI shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Teddy Tayloror asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the additional sums which will be spent by his Department in the current year in making payment for, or advancing money subject to payment in the future by the European Economic Community, for policies previously funded directly by the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe Commission has estimated that the 1987 budget for the EAGGF guarantee section falls short of requirements by some 4.1 billion ecu (£2.9 billion). No decision has yet been taken on how the budget shortfall should be dealt with. If it were decided that guarantee payments should be funded nationally once the budget was exhausted, additional provision would be needed for the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce to make up the shortfall in EC receipts. The amount concerned cannot be estimated with any accuracy at this stage.