Text tabled : A6-0280/2006

  Richard James Ashworth (PPE-DE), in writing. British Conservatives note with approval the Court of Auditors' observation that progress has been made with regard to the integrity of the EU accounts. We are dismayed to note, however, that the auditors have indicated that there are continuing weaknesses in supervisory and control systems and we support the rapporteur's opinion that those weaknesses should be addressed as a matter of utmost priority.

With regard to the European Parliament's lease of the Strasbourg parliament buildings, we acknowledge and approve the fact that the report states that the parliament authority behaved correctly but that the City of Strasbourg had failed to act in good faith. However, we believe that the continued occupancy of two seats by the European Parliament represents poor value for money to the European taxpayer and, therefore, we can not support any proposal to purchase the Strasbourg parliament buildings.

For these reasons the British Conservatives have abstained on the final vote on the Ferber report.