Nicholas Soames MP: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) his European counterparts, (b) the European Commission and (c) others on the cost and number of European Union public bodies; and if he will make a statement. [20138]

David Lidington MP; Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister explained, at Prime Minister Questions on 27 October 2010, Official Report, column 309:

'The greatest priority for Britain should be to fight very hard to get the EU budget under control. It is completely unacceptable, at a time when we are making tough budget decisions here, that we are seeing spending rise consistently in the European Union. I think that is wrong and I shall be doing everything I can to try to sort out the budget for next year, and also to look at the future financing of the European Union, where we want to see strict controls.'

I raised these points most recently with my European counterparts during the General and Foreign Affairs Councils (GAC/FAC) on 25 October 2010 and will continue to do so at every opportunity.

The EU Commission is also already working on an Inter-Institutional review of European Agencies which will focus on ways to encourage efficiency, transparency and value for money in their day-to-day functioning. We are closely involved in the consultation process of this review.