Lord Bruce of Doningtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have received from the European Commission the financial report on the operation of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund for 1986 in accordance with 1377WA Article 10 of European Communities Regulation No. 729/70 and whether they are satisfied with the results of the verifications carried out under Article 9(2) of that Regulation.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)Draft reports for 1986 have been received in respect of both sections of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF). The draft reports list the verifications carried out by Commission staff during the year and describe the stage which their investigations have reached. If, as a result of the investigations, the Commission find that Community funds have not been correctly disbursed, they have the power to recover the sums involved. The verification visits and any resulting action are matters for the Commission and the member state concerned. We are still discussing with the Commission some of their findings relating to visits to the UK in 1986.