Should the UK withhold its contributions to the EU budget until the European Court of auditors gives unqualified approval to the accounts?
Richard Ashworth MEP (SE): Bringing an end to this intolerable situation has been my number one priority since I was elected in 2004, and it will continue to be my priority in the next Parliament. Conservative MEPs have always voted against the discharge (sign-off) of EU accounts and I am happy to see the Dutch government is finally following our lead.
Dan Hannan MEP (SE): Yes
Richard Robinson (SE): Yes. If the accounts have not received a Positive Statement of Assurance by the end of this Parliament, we must get tough with the European Commission on their failure to account for expenditure.
Therese Coffey (SE): No need for this nuclear option. Instead, the UK government should vote against the accounts at the Council of Ministers along with the Netherlands – it could find more allies if they had the courage. In addition, the UK government should stop or limit funds being issued to those programmes and countries where there are audit problems. As a finance director, I know that you don’t pour cash down an open drain and hope to get a different result or keep your job.
Marc Brunel-Walker (SE): No. Whilst the popular option would be to threaten to withhold or indeed actually withhold – If we did and other countries followed suit the implications on budgeting would be enormous. The best way forward would be for the UK Govt to follow the Dutch example and vote against signing off the EU Accounts in Council – and continuing to campaign for better financial controls within the EU to prevent this situation happening again!
Tony Devenish (SE): The best way forward would be for the British Government to follow the Dutch example and vote against signing off the EU accounts in Council.
Sarah Richardson (SE): This is our money, as tax payers, and it is our right to know how it is being spent. Conservative MEPs have led the charge on this issue and opposed the approval of these un-signed off accounts. I would do the same.
Julie Girling (SW): Everyone is appalled by the lack of transparency in the EU, this week's revelations about a secret dossier on MEPs expenses are another example of contempt for the electorate. I think the time has come to take a stand on these issues and this may be an effective way forward. I think it would be more likely to succeed if we could find allies in other member states to act at the same time.
Ashley Fox (SW): My gut reaction is to answer Yes to this question. We must root out fraud in the EU and need an effective audit process. However, without wholesale reform the accounts will never gain unqualified approval. Saying Britain should withhold our contributions until it occurs is tantamount to saying we wish to leave the EU altogether.
Mike Dolley (SW): This matter needs resolving and our approach to it will provide an excellent opportunity for an incoming Conservative Government to demonstrate to the EU that after ten years plus of Labour inaction UK PLC is under new management.
Don Collier (SW): The state of the accounts in the EU is appalling. If elected it will be a priority of mine to increase the pressure to get it sorted by uncovering inaccuracies and bring as much pressure as I can until it is sorted. We have to lead by example so not paying would I think be wrong, but it might come to that.
Zehra Zaidi (SW): The present situation is a disgrace. However, withholding contributions would be an extreme measure and I would first support: (a) getting all national governments to honour their 2005 commitment to supply an annual self-certification for the EU monies they spend; (b) voting against signing off the EU Accounts in the Council of Ministers; and (c) putting intense pressure on the Commission to take action on this matter. If that doesn’t work, then we may be forced to take an even stronger stance.
Charles Tannock MEP (L): No, because the issue of the approval of accounts is based predominantly on the lack of accountability at member state level not the money the European Commission spends. This needs to be reformed and there are current plans to do so.
Syed Kamall MEP (L): I would like to see the UK government firstly getting its own house in order (for example with regional funds), then we should give notice to the EU that we will withhold payments if significant improvements are not made within the next financial year. In reality, the Auditors' report for that year would not be published for another three years so we'd not be able to cease payment until then.
Nirj Deva MEP (L): Yes
Warwick Lightfoot (L): No, it would be a distraction, because such action would be unlawful and would result in the UK being taken to the European Court of Justice. We need fundamental reform not gestures. Like many supranational organisations the EU budget is distinguished by disastrously poor audit practice. I do not believe EU institutions will be able to resolve these audit issues and we need to turn to the national parliaments to ensure a proper audit of the EU Budget. The national parliaments have the experience and expertise to audit the EU budget on behalf of their taxpayers.
Alison Sproule (L): Yes. As Margaret Thatcher proved with our rebate it is only through hard negotiation that battles are won in Europe.
Jean-Paul Floru (L): Yes
Marina Yannakoudakis (L) (added 1/3): Best way forward is not sign off the accounts in the council, as the Dutch have done. We need transparency and we need to greater accountability in many areas.
Graham Postles (L): No. This would be little more than a symbolic gesture. The UK Government should join with the Dutch in voting against the accounts being signed off and Conservative MEPs should continue with the excellent work they have done over many years, in scrutinising the EUs expenditure and calling those responsible to account not least by voting against the EUs accounts being signed-off
Geoffrey Van Orden MEP (E): Yes, but mainly for other reasons. The UK pays disproportionately into the EU budget, in spite of the rebate - and the Labour Government is giving away a further £7 billion of that rebate. There is significant waste, mismanagement and fraud. The UK should hold back a proportion of EU funding until there is a fundamental review of the EU budget and its management. For the past 30 years we have subsidised French farmers, Spanish fishermen and others to the detriment of our own producers and businesses. Under Labour, a raft of EU social and business legislation has been introduced into the UK which has eroded our competitive advantage. By the way, the principal reason that is given for not signing off the accounts is that insufficient records have been kept by the Member States, including the UK, to prove that the money was spent properly.
Jonathan Morgan (E): The best way forward would be for the UK Govt to follow the Dutch example and vote against signing off the EU Accounts in Council.
John Flack (E): It is essential that British Conservatives are seen to be taking a principled stand against the waste and perceived corruption in the EU. This can be done in many ways, one key one would be to ensure the UK Government follows the Dutch example and votes against signing off the EU Accounts in Council. I personally would look carefully at all other rational proposals to bring the E.U to account, including ending the shameful waste of a two centre parliament that costs Britain £140M a year.
Clare Whelan (E): The best way forward would be for the UK Govt to follow the Dutch example and vote against signing off the EU Accounts in Council.
Claire Strong (E): No – vote against signing off the EU Accounts in Council and actively encourage other members to do the same.
Vicky Ford (E): It is unacceptable that the EU accounts still carry a qualified audit report. Politicians must demand that those who spend the money are accountable and decisions are transparent. Withholding contributions is the ultimate threat but I would need to be very convinced that it would not backfire on the East of England before I could support it.
Roger Helmer MEP (EM): Yes
George Lee (EM): The best way forward would be for the UK Govt. to follow the Dutch example and vote against signing off the EU Accounts in Council; in the longer term I would not rule out the above course of action as a possible response should the situation fail to be addressed.
Fiona Bulmer (EM): Yes
Rupert Matthews (EM): That would be a very drastic step, probably to be used as a last resort.
Emma McClarkin (EM): What the EU cannot account for is roughly the same as our contribution to the EU. We need a Conservative Government that is prepared to vote against signing off the EU accounts in Council. Brussels will never oust itself.
Eveleigh Moore-Dutton (WM): I would definitely favour a move along those lines!
Anthea McIntyre (WM): Ultimately yes.
Dan Dalton (WM): I don't think this is the best way to deal with the issue. One of my top priorities if elected will be to fight for both the Commission and national governments to finally take this risible situation seriously and take action to account for every penny of taxpayers money that the EU spends.
Evan Price (W): Withholding funds will simply result in confrontation; the results of which would be uncertain and not necessarily in Wales’s best interests. I believe that the best result can be achieved if British Government were to adopt the approach followed by some others and refused, in the Council, to sign the accounts. In the Parliament, I believe that all our MEPs should raise the unacceptable accounting practice at every sensible opportunity.
Emma Greenow (W): I feel that the UK Government should follow the example given by the Dutch Government, which is to vote against signing off the EU Accounts in Council.
Karen Robson (W): I think that we simply need to vote against signing off the EU accounts in Council, as the Dutch did. Accountability and transparency must be at the core of Conservative demands.
Kay Swinburne (W): It is unlikely that the EU institutions would ever achieve “unqualified approval” of their accounts given the complexities of their finances and therefore to withhold UK payments on this basis would not be reasonable. The UK should vote against signing off the EU accounts in Council whilst lobbying for urgent financial reform on financial accountability and transparency in the Commission’s spending.
Sir Robert Atkins MEP (NW): Since the UK is one of the worst offenders in this regard, both internally and externally, we should review the position carefully and demand reform of the present system. It is not quite as simple as the question implies.
Alexander Williams (NW): Yes
Fiona Bruce (NW): The best way forward would be for the UK Govt to follow the Dutch example and vote against signing off the EU Accounts in Council.
Peter Wilding (NW): The best way forward would be for the UK Govt to follow the Dutch example and vote against signing off the EU Accounts in Council.
Martin Callanan MEP (NE): Yes. The Netherlands voted against budget discharge in the European Council recently. It is to our shame that the British Government didn't join them.
Emma Moore (NE): It is a disgrace that no urgency has been placed on rectifying the situation at the EU - indeed one person who did speak out lost their job. I would love to say yes, but on a realistic level the answer has to be no - no matter how frustrating the situation may be. Also, you could guarantee we would receive massive fines and I do not want to see one penny more of our money going over there unless we know what they are doing with it.
Barbara Musgrave (NE): This like all Tory MEPs is at the crux of my candidacy, the trustworthiness of the EU. This Govt must follow the Dutch example and vote against signing off the EU Accounts in Council and work strategically to gather more like minded member states to end this farce. As a Development Director I know that the likelihood of success is increased by being part of a strong partnership rather than standing alone.
