Common Agricultural Policy Fraud (Hansard, 5 July 1995)

§ Dr. Gavin Strang
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many cases of CAP fraud in the United Kingdom have been confirmed in each of the last six years(a) for each agricultural commodity and (b) in total; [32386]
(2) how many cases of intervention fraud in the United Kingdom have been confirmed in each of the last six years (a) for each agricultural commodity and (b) in total. [32385]

§ Mr. Waldegrave
Fraud is difficult to define, being a matter of criminal intention. However the UK, along with all other member states, is required to report cases of irregularity in CAP schemes, exceeding 4,000 ECUs, to the Commission. An irregularity is an overclaim on the part of the claimant, either deliberately or through error. The information for the six years in question is as follows:

Number of cases

Sector/Commodity/Scheme 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994

Farm based schemes 135 167 72 80 78 84

Beef special premium — — — — 2 6

Suckler cow premium 114 154 52 28 33 20

Sheep annual premium 18 12 11 26 27 30

Arable crops and setaside — — 1 21 9 22

Oilseeds — — — 5 7 1

Linseeds — — — — 0 4

Milk outgoers schemes 3 1 8 0 — —

Environmentally sensitive area — — — 0 0 1

Intervention (Beef) 0 0 0 3 1 1

Other market support measures 21 21 35 24 46 65

Beefmeat 3 7 13 9 3 4

Sheepmeat 16 3 7 1 0 0

Cereals 1 9 13 10 16 6

Oils and fats 0 0 0 1 2 0

Protein crops 0 1 1 0 5 2

Fruit and vegetables 0 0 0 0 0 1

Milk and milk products 0 1 1 3 20 51

Pigmeat 1 0 0 0 0 0

Sugar 0 0 0 0 0 0

Potato starch — — — — — 1

304W

Number of cases

Sector/Commodity/Scheme 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994

Export refunds 4 1 13 20 45 74

MCA on Intra community trade 3 0 11 4 9 4

Totals 163 189 131 131 179 228

Source:
UK CAP scheme irregularities reported under Commission Regulations 283/72 and 595/91.

1989: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 283/72

Sector/Commodity/Scheme Numbers of cases Value reported £000 Value reported recovered £000

Farm based schemes 135 292 284

Beef special premium — — —

Suckler cow premium 114 246 241

Sheep annual premium 18 38 35

Arable crops and set-aside — — —

Oilseeds — — —

Linseeds — — —

Milk outgoers schemes 3 8 8

Environmentally sensitive areas — — —

Intervention 0 0 0

Other market support measures 21 861 670

Beefmeat 3 434 425

Sheepmeat 16 372 217

Cereals 1 52 25

Oils and fats 0 0 0

Protein crops 0 0 0

Fruit and vegetables 0 0 0

Milk and milk products 0 0 0

Pigmeat 1 3 3

Sugar 0 0 0

Export refunds 4 11 11

MCA on intra community trade 3 4,306 6

Totals 163 5,470 971

1990: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 283/72

Sector/Commodity/Scheme Numbers of cases Value reported £000 Value recovered £000

Farm based schemes 167 340 311

Beef special premium — — —

Suckler cow premium 154 305 284

Sheep annual premium 12 22 14

Arable crops and set-aside — — —

Oilseeds — — —

Linseeds — — —

Milk outgoers schemes 1 13 13

Environmentally sensitive areas — — —

Intervention 0 0 0

Other market support measures 21 1,934 1,893

Beefmeat 7 19 17

Sheepmeat 3 989 987

Cereals 9 890 853

Oils and fats 0 0 0

Protein crops 1 0 0

Fruit and vegetables 0 0 0

305W

1990: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 283/72

Sector/Commodity/Scheme Numbers of cases Value reported £000 Value recovered £000

Milk and milk products 1 36 36

Pigmeat 0 0 0

Sugar 0 0 0

Export refunds 1 1 1

MCA on intra community trade 0 0 0

Totals 189 2,275 2,205

1991: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 595/91

Sector/Commodity/Scheme Numbers of cases Value reported £000 Value recovered £000

Farm based schemes 72 246 208

Beef special premium — — —

Suckler cow premium 52 135 125

Sheep annual premium 11 33 30

Arable crops and set-aside 1 10 10

Oilseeds — — —

Linseeds — — —

Milk outgoers schemes 8 68 43

Environmentally sensitive areas — — —

Intervention 0 0 0

Other market support measures 35 1,898 1,497

Beefmeat 13 70 65

Sheepmeat 7 65 55

Cereals 13 1,594 1,365

Oils and fats 0 0 0

Protein crops 1 12 12

Fruit and vegetables 0 0 0

Milk and milk products 1 157 0

Pigmeat 0 0 0

Sugar 0 0 0

Export refunds 13 1,121 740

MCA on intra community trade 11 975 770

Totals 131 4,240 3,215

1992: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 595/91

Sector/Commodity/Scheme Numbers of cases Value reported £000 Value recovered £000

Farm based schemes 80 444 339

Beef special premium — — —

Suckler cow premium 28 148 97

Sheep annual premium 26 157 142

Arable crops and set-aside 21 115 80

Oilseeds 5 24 20

Linseeds — — —

Milk outgoers schemes 0 0 0

Environmentally sensitive areas 0 0 0

Intervention 3 1,079 529

Other market support measures 24 1,845 1,297

Beefmeat 9 25 20

306W

1992: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 595/91

Sector/Commodity/Scheme Numbers of cases Value reported £000 Value recovered £000

Sheepmeat 1 4 4

Cereals 10 1,406 1,273

Oils and fats 1 106 0

Protein crops 0 0 0

Fruit and vegetables 0 0 0

Milk and milk products 3 304 0

Pigmeat 0 0 0

Sugar 0 0 0

Export refunds 20 2,355 1,621

MCA on intra community trade 4 71 50

Totals 131 5,794 3,836

1993: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 595/91

Sector/Commodity/Scheme Numbers of cases Value reported £000 Value recovered £000

Farm based schemes 78 508 366

Beef special premium 2 0 0

Suckler cow premium 33 191 162

Sheep annual premium 27 241 157

Arable crops and set-aside 9 39 18

Oilseeds 7 37 29

Linseeds 0 0 0

Milk outgoers schemes — — —

Environmentally sensitive areas 0 0 0

Intervention 1 Value being assessed —

Other market support measures 46 1,350 887

Beefmeat 3 28 17

Sheepmeat 0 0 0

Cereals 16 241 239

Oils and fats 2 19 12

Protein crops 5 35 35

Fruit and vegetables 0 0 0

Milk and milk products 20 1,027 584

Pigmeat 0 0 0

Sugar 0 0 0

Export refunds 45 944 753

MCA on intra community trade 9 111 105

Totals 179 2,913 2,111

1994: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 595/91

Sector/Commodity/Scheme Numbers of cases Value reported £000 Value recovered £000

Farm based schemes 84 624 414

Beef special premium 6 18 14

Suckler cow premium 20 111 75

Sheep annual premium 30 217 142

Arable crops and set-aside 22 242 150

Oilseeds 1 3 3

Linseeds 4 26 23

Milk outgoers schemes — — —

Environmentally sensitive areas 1 7 7

307W

1994: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 595/91

Sector/Commodity/Scheme Numbers of cases Value reported £000 Value recovered £000

Intervention 1 20 0

Other market support measures 65 1,500 986

Beefmeat 4 40 15

Sheepmeat 0 0 0

Cereals 6 359 51

Oils and fats 0 0 0

Protein crops 2 49 45

Fruit and vegetables 1 0 0

Milk and milk products 51 1,025 875

Pigmeat 0 0 0

Sugar 0 0 0

Potato starch 1 36 0

Export refunds 74 6,570 498

MCA on intra community trade 4 419 9

Totals 228 9,133 1,907

§ Dr. Strang
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many serious irregularities in the intervention regimes are currently under investigation in the United Kingdom for each agricultural commodity. [32387]

§ Mr. Waldegrave
The serious irregularities in the intervention regimes currently under investigation in Great Britain are shown in the table and cover all internal support schemes. The details for Northern Ireland will be sent separately to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Scheme Number of cases

Beef intervention processing 1

Beef intervention purchases 2

Fruit and vegetable withdrawal 1

Surplus food 6

Seed production aid 1

Milk quotas 47

School milk 1

Total 59

§ Dr. Strang
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many investigations into intervention fraud in the United Kingdom have taken place in each of the last six years(a) for each agricultural commodity and (b) in total. [32384]

§ Mr. Waldegrave
The number of completed investigations into intervention fraud in GB for each support scheme is provided in the table. The details for Northern Ireland will be sent to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Scheme 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995

1. Beef intervention purchases — — 2 1 2 1 —

2. Cereals intervention purchases — 1 — 1 — 1 —

308W

Scheme 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995

3. Fruit and vegetables withdrawals — — — 1 1 1 —

4. Surplus food 1 — 1 — 6 16 4

5. NPO butter — 1 — — — 1 1

6. Butter for manufacture — — — — — 1 —

Sheep variable premium 19 4 22 — — — —

Cereals corep levy 4 3 14 15 3 2 —

Beef special premium 53 15 15 12 11 — —

Linseed 1 — 1 2 2 2 —

Peas, beans and lupins 1 2 1 — 1 — —

Milk supplementary levy — 1 1 2 1 9 2

School milk — — — 1 — 2 —

Whisky refunds — — 1 — — — —

Conc. butter for direct consumption — — — 1 1 — —

Aid for dehydrated fodder — — — — 1 — —

Liquid skimmed for animal feed — — — — 1 — —

Starch — — — — — 1 —

Total 79 27 38 36 30 37 7

Number of cases
Sector/Commodity/Scheme	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Farm based schemes	135	167	72	80	78	84
Beef special premium	—	—	—	—	2	6
Suckler cow premium	114	154	52	28	33	20
Sheep annual premium	18	12	11	26	27	30
Arable crops and setaside	—	—	1	21	9	22
Oilseeds	—	—	—	5	7	1
Linseeds	—	—	—	—	0	4
Milk outgoers schemes	3	1	8	0	—	—
Environmentally sensitive area	—	—	—	0	0	1
Intervention (Beef)	0	0	0	3	1	1
Other market support measures	21	21	35	24	46	65
Beefmeat	3	7	13	9	3	4
Sheepmeat	16	3	7	1	0	0
Cereals	1	9	13	10	16	6
Oils and fats	0	0	0	1	2	0
Protein crops	0	1	1	0	5	2
Fruit and vegetables	0	0	0	0	0	1
Milk and milk products	0	1	1	3	20	51
Pigmeat	1	0	0	0	0	0
Sugar	0	0	0	0	0	0
Potato starch	—	—	—	—	—	1

1989: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 283/72
Sector/Commodity/Scheme	Numbers of cases	Value reported £000	Value reported recovered £000
Farm based schemes	135	292	284
Beef special premium	—	—	—
Suckler cow premium	114	246	241
Sheep annual premium	18	38	35
Arable crops and set-aside	—	—	—
Oilseeds	—	—	—
Linseeds	—	—	—
Milk outgoers schemes	3	8	8
Environmentally sensitive areas	—	—	—
Intervention	0	0	0
Other market support measures	21	861	670
Beefmeat	3	434	425
Sheepmeat	16	372	217
Cereals	1	52	25
Oils and fats	0	0	0
Protein crops	0	0	0
Fruit and vegetables	0	0	0
Milk and milk products	0	0	0
Pigmeat	1	3	3
Sugar	0	0	0
Export refunds	4	11	11
MCA on intra community trade	3	4,306	6
Totals	163	5,470	971

1990: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 283/72
Sector/Commodity/Scheme	Numbers of cases	Value reported £000	Value recovered £000
Farm based schemes	167	340	311
Beef special premium	—	—	—
Suckler cow premium	154	305	284
Sheep annual premium	12	22	14
Arable crops and set-aside	—	—	—
Oilseeds	—	—	—
Linseeds	—	—	—
Milk outgoers schemes	1	13	13
Environmentally sensitive areas	—	—	—
Intervention	0	0	0
Other market support measures	21	1,934	1,893
Beefmeat	7	19	17
Sheepmeat	3	989	987
Cereals	9	890	853
Oils and fats	0	0	0
Protein crops	1	0	0
Fruit and vegetables	0	0	0

1991: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 595/91
Sector/Commodity/Scheme	Numbers of cases	Value reported £000	Value recovered £000
Farm based schemes	72	246	208
Beef special premium	—	—	—
Suckler cow premium	52	135	125
Sheep annual premium	11	33	30
Arable crops and set-aside	1	10	10
Oilseeds	—	—	—
Linseeds	—	—	—
Milk outgoers schemes	8	68	43
Environmentally sensitive areas	—	—	—
Intervention	0	0	0
Other market support measures	35	1,898	1,497
Beefmeat	13	70	65
Sheepmeat	7	65	55
Cereals	13	1,594	1,365
Oils and fats	0	0	0
Protein crops	1	12	12
Fruit and vegetables	0	0	0
Milk and milk products	1	157	0
Pigmeat	0	0	0
Sugar	0	0	0
Export refunds	13	1,121	740
MCA on intra community trade	11	975	770
Totals	131	4,240	3,215

1992: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 595/91
Sector/Commodity/Scheme	Numbers of cases	Value reported £000	Value recovered £000
Farm based schemes	80	444	339
Beef special premium	—	—	—
Suckler cow premium	28	148	97
Sheep annual premium	26	157	142
Arable crops and set-aside	21	115	80
Oilseeds	5	24	20
Linseeds	—	—	—
Milk outgoers schemes	0	0	0
Environmentally sensitive areas	0	0	0
Intervention	3	1,079	529
Other market support measures	24	1,845	1,297
Beefmeat	9	25	20

1993: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 595/91
Sector/Commodity/Scheme	Numbers of cases	Value reported £000	Value recovered £000
Farm based schemes	78	508	366
Beef special premium	2	0	0
Suckler cow premium	33	191	162
Sheep annual premium	27	241	157
Arable crops and set-aside	9	39	18
Oilseeds	7	37	29
Linseeds	0	0	0
Milk outgoers schemes	—	—	—
Environmentally sensitive areas	0	0	0
Intervention	1	Value being assessed	—
Other market support measures	46	1,350	887
Beefmeat	3	28	17
Sheepmeat	0	0	0
Cereals	16	241	239
Oils and fats	2	19	12
Protein crops	5	35	35
Fruit and vegetables	0	0	0
Milk and milk products	20	1,027	584
Pigmeat	0	0	0
Sugar	0	0	0
Export refunds	45	944	753
MCA on intra community trade	9	111	105
Totals	179	2,913	2,111

1994: Irregularity cases reported under Regulation 595/91
Sector/Commodity/Scheme	Numbers of cases	Value reported £000	Value recovered £000
Farm based schemes	84	624	414
Beef special premium	6	18	14
Suckler cow premium	20	111	75
Sheep annual premium	30	217	142
Arable crops and set-aside	22	242	150
Oilseeds	1	3	3
Linseeds	4	26	23
Milk outgoers schemes	—	—	—
Environmentally sensitive areas	1	7	7

Scheme	Number of cases
Beef intervention processing	1
Beef intervention purchases	2
Fruit and vegetable withdrawal	1
Surplus food	6
Seed production aid	1
Milk quotas	47
School milk	1
Total	59