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HM
Treasury responds to 'Whistleblower' Robert
Dougal Watt
Response of HM Treasury
6 February 2003
Dear Mr Watt
Thank you for your letter of 17 December 2002 to the Financial Secretary. I am sorry for the delay in replying.
2. I was aware of most of the information you gave in
your letter, including the outcome of the OLAF investigation which may result
in the prosecution of a former Member of the European Court of Auditors.
OLAF is of course a relatively new organisation – which is only recently
reaching acceptable staffing levels – but it is encouraging to note that it
has now carried out a number of successful investigations into serious frauds
against the European Community’s financial interests, especially those
within the European Institutions themselves. The Government has always
been a strong supporter of OLAF.
3. It is right that the payments from weighted salary
transfers have now ceased for those who were not entitled according to the
rules. As I expect you know, the EU Staff Regulation is currently
undergoing a wholesale revision as part of the Commission reforms – and
Member States, including the UK, are looking closely at the continuing
appropriateness of the entitlement to weighted salary transfer for all staff.
The UK is also keen to ensure that the procedures in the new Staff Regulation
to protect whistleblowers are clear and enforceable.
4. You referred to the article in the Observer on 5
May 2002 which criticised the conditions of service of Members of the European
Parliament (MEPs). The UK believes that MEPs are entitled to fair
remuneration for their duties and their expenses – but recognises that the
conditions currently in force do not meet the Court of Auditors’
recommendations in Special Report 10/98. The UK will press for the
current revision of the MEPs’ Statute to include more acceptable and
transparent rules for the payment of expenses and allowances.
5. Finally, while supporting the work of the European
Court of Auditors, we take a keen interest in how its efficiency can be
improved – especially after enlargement in 2004. The UK is taking a
leading role in this policy area and will feed in views to the debate on the
Future of the European Union which is taking place in the European Convention.
Janet Thomas
European Union Finance Team HM Treasury Note: This letter was published for the first time as part of an exclusive report by JUST Response on May 7 2003.
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