HC Deb 16 June 1999 vol 333 cc160-1W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the restrictions proposed to be placed on Court of Auditors auditing powers over the Schengen Information System. [86448]

Mr. Straw

It is for the Council of Ministers, as composed of the 13 Schengen States, to decide unanimously on any provision which would ensure that Court of Auditors auditing powers would apply to those budgetary arrangements which do not form part of the European Community budget, and are not therefore subject to European Community budget rules. They have done so in relation to expenditure on, inter alia, the installation and functioning of the "Help Desk Server" of the Schengen Information System Management Unit, where such a provision was required.