Sixteen Questions from Robert Kilroy-Silk MEP to the EU
The following indicates the difference a properly led UKIP could make :-
Questions to the European Commission
by
Robert Kilroy-Silk M.E.P.
13 October 2004
1: Amounts lost through Corruption and Fraud
Please state the estimated amounts lost to the European Commission by corruption and fraud in each financial year since 1990, as estimated by the Court of Auditors.
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2: Action taken against officials involved in losses through Corruption and Fraud
Please state how many European Commission officials have been dismissed or otherwise disciplined in relation to corruption, fraud, or failure to adequately monitor and take action to deal with losses through corruption and fraud for each financial year since 1990.
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3: Action taken against ‘Whistleblowers’
In the United Kingdom, we have for many years had an employment law in place which protects ‘whistleblowers’ who draw attention to the illegal activity or other wrong-doing of their employers. They are entitled to claim substantial compensation at an Employment Tribunal.
However, I am informed that the European Commission has punished the following whistleblowers, each of whom drew attention to fraud and corruption in the European Union:
Bernard Connolly
Paul van Buitenen
Marta Andreason.
In each of the above cases, what was the reason that disciplinary action was taken against each of these whistleblowers?
What are the names of other ‘whistleblowers’ who have been dismissed or had other disciplinary action taken against them by the European Commission since 1990?
What protection is offered by the European Commission in its employment contracts to staff who consider becoming ‘whistleblowers’?
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4: Fish catches in British maritime waters
What is the European Commission’s best estimate of the proportion - by value or by weight or by both - of the total fish catch within Britain’s 200-mile international fishing limit caught – for each year since 1973 - by:
a) the United Kingdom?
b) each of the other Member States of the European Union?
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5: Payments by the U.K. to the European Commission
Please inform me, for every year since 1973, what were the gross payments paid by the United Kingdom to the European Commission - and to any other institutions of the European Union, and the net payments for each year, after taking into account receipts by the U.K. in the form of C.A.P. subsidies, European Social Fund, Regional Fund Payments etc.
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6: Payments by the other Member States to the European Commission Please inform me, for every year since 1973, what were the gross payments paid by each of the Member States other than the United Kingdom to the European Commission - and to any other institutions of the European Union, and the net payments or receipts for each year since 1973, after taking into account receipts by the U.K. in the form of C.A.P. subsidies, European Social Fund, Regional Fund Payments etc.
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7: Amount of British Rebate
Please state, for every year since 1982, what was the value of the ‘British rebate’ negotiated by Margaret Thatcher at Fontainebleau
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8: Future of the ‘British rebate’
Please state what proposals the Commission has made, or is in the process of making, about ending, or reducing, the ‘British rebate’ negotiated by Margaret Thatcher at Fontainebleau.
Please refer me to any documents in which the Commission has set out its proposals for reducing the value of the ‘British rebate’.
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9 Actions by the European Commission in the European Court of Justice
Please inform me on how many occasions each Member State, including the United Kingdom, has been subject to an action brought against it by the European Commission in the European Court at Luxembourg.
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10: Actions by the European Commission in the European Court of Justice
Please inform me on how many occasions each Member State, including the United Kingdom, has been subject to a finding against it by the European Commission in the European Court at Luxembourg.
Please give this information for each year since 1973.
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11: EUROPOL
Please inform me:
a) how many officers - Police Officers and civilians are currently employed by EUROPOL
b) whether they have immunity from prosecution, and, if so, which actions they may take are?
(i) immune from prosecution and (ii) not immune from prosecution
c) where the EUROPOL officers are based
d) what is the precise role of EUROPOL officers - please refer me to any documents
in which their precise role is set out
e) about the role of the proposed European Police College at Bramshill, Hampshire, again referring me to any document where the proposed role of this College is described
f) what are the achievements to date of EUROPOL?
g) how many EUROPOL officers have to date been subject to disciplinary action and
why
h) what proposals there are for increasing the number of staff employed by EUROPOL?
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12: Value Added Tax
Please list those goods and services on which all Member States of the European Union are required to levy Value Added Tax, stating for each good or service what the minimum permitted percentage rate of V.A.T. is.
Please state whether the Commission has any current proposals for adding to that list of goods and services or varying the minimum rate of V.A.T. on any good or service.
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13: Inward Investment
Please state the amount of inward (foreign) investment in each Member State of the European Union (including the United Kingdom) for each year since 1997.
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14: Unemployment
Please state the rate of unemployment in each Member State of the European Union (including the United Kingdom) for each month since January 1997.
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15 Growth
Please state the annual rate of growth in each Member State of the European Union (including the United Kingdom) for each year since 1997.
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16: Gross Domestic Product per Head in the E.U.
Please state for each year since 1997 the Gross Domestic Product per Head of each Member State of the European Union (including the United Kingdom).