§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the amount paid to each European commissioner who resigned earlier this year(a) arising from their resignation and (b) over the period to the appointment of the new Commission. [94807]
§ Mr. VazCommissioners' terms and conditions of service are set down in the 1967 Council Regulation 422/67, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the current state of investigations into former EU commissioners in respect of possible fraud or misconduct. [94808]
§ Mr. VazThe Council has commenced proceedings in the European Court of Justice against Mr. Bangemann, a former Commissioner, under Article 213 (2) of the Treaty. This matter is sub judice.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of each of the proposed reforms to the EU Commission put forward by the Commissioner for Administrative Reform. [94809]
§ Mr. VazWe fully support the process of reform in the new Commission. We welcome the progress already made; and in particular, the adoption of a new Code of Conduct covering Commissioners' behaviour, a re-organisation of Directorates General and a reorganisation of senior jobs (which are now filled according to merit rather than on the basis of a quota system). We welcome the Commission's intention to publish a White Paper on reform early next year.