Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, how many times the Government has been ordered to pay damages in accordance with the European Court of Justice ruling in Francovich of 1991; and if he will make a statement.

The Government does not maintain a central record of cases that include a claim for Francovich damages.

There have been at least 5 reported cases in which the Government has been ordered to pay such damages.

The Government has been able to identify at least 16 ongoing cases against it which involve a claim for Francovich damages. The fact that such a claim has been made does not mean that it is well-founded, or that damages will be payable.