I assume the Deputy is referring to the recent Government decision relating to forfeitures amounting to £7,302,241.73 in respect of one beef company because of a failure to fulfil the regulatory conditions. These forfeitures have now been paid and the relevant guarantees were released back to the company in November. Further guarantees amounting to £17 million approximately against which there were no forfeitures were released at the same time.
These files were the subject of a thorough investigation by UCLAF, the European Commission's anti-fraud unit, which agreed with the Department's proposed forfeitures and releases. DG 20, the Commission's financial control unit, which is concerned with the clearance of accounts procedure, was not involved in this work.
The only outstanding beef export refund guarantees of this company relate to an amount of approximately £6 million of pre-1990 guarantees which are being held separately at the Commission's request until its assessment has been completed.