asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 8 January (WA 189), how many financial penalties have been imposed by the European Union on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or its predecessors since 1993; what the nature of these financial penalties were; and what was their value. [HL1401]

To provide the full details requested in the Question would incur a disproportionate cost to the department. However, data since 1 April 2001 are summarised below.

Since 1 April 2001, there have been 34 instances of financial corrections imposed by the European Union, all relating to common agricultural policy schemes. The corrections fall into three broad categories:

financial clearance of accounts;

corrections in respect of infractions of regulations when making payments under the various schemes; and

late payment penalties for missing scheme deadlines.

The total value of these corrections, which relate to England only, was £162 million.