Letter: Sleaze in Brussels

Sir: You report that EU Commission "officials are stunned by the speed" with which concern has mounted over fraud in the EU revealed by Paul van Buitenen ("Sleaze row could ruin Santer's team", 8 January).

This shows their utter complacency. For year after year, the EU accounts have been qualified by the auditors, on budgets amounting to billions of pounds a year. Is it surprising that Green and other members of the European Parliament are trying to take this opportunity to address the issue of EU fraud?

We are taxpayers in one of the countries which is a net payer to the EU, despite our rebate. Should we not be cheering on auditors and MEPs trying to find out how our money has been wasted on fraud?

At the next European Parliament election in June, I hope we will all remember which MEPs were supporting such parliamentary action, and which were trying to smother it. Pauline Green and her Labour group show little sign of the concern for sound finance claimed so often by new Labour.

JOHN NORRIS

London TW9