§ 52. Mr. Rentonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects progress on the budget of the European community.
§ Mr. PymI refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Leek (Mr. Knox).
§ Mr. RentonDoes my right hon. Friend agree that President Mitterrand's support at that previous European summit for a fair and speedy settlement to Britain's budgetary problem this year was a welcome development? What steps can my right hon. Friend take to ensure that that support does not dissipate under the summer sun but is still strongly in evidence at the June summit?
§ Mr. PymAs I said in reply to an earlier question, whereas until recently there was not a general desire to see that reform carried through, there is now such a general desire around the Council table, and I have no reason to suppose that it will not be maintained.
§ Mr. SkinnerIs it not a fact that Britain always comes off second best in regard to the provision of money, whether it be in the tour de table talks or anywhere else? Is it not a fact that in the 10 years of Britain's membership of the EC our net contribution has been £3,911 million and that, despite all the talk about coming back from Brussels and Strasbourg with pots of money, more than 62 per cent. of that net contribution has been incurred in the past four years of this Thatcher Government?
§ Mr. PymIn the past three years we have recovered at least two thirds of the money that we have paid out net. If it had not been for our negotiations with the Community and if matters had been left as they were under the Labour Government, which the hon. Gentleman supported, there would have been no rebates.
§ Mr. ArnoldWhat type of change to the financial system is my right hon. Friend now prepared to accept?
§ Mr. PymAny system that irons out the imbalances and makes an arrangement that is fair to all members of the Community.
§ Mr. Ioan EvansDoes the Foreign Secretary agree with the Commission's document, which says:
Any new developments of the Community's financing system should, in the Commission's view reflect and enhance the role of the directly elected European Parliament."?If that is so, will it not be at the expense of this House? Does he realise that the refunds to which he has referred are subject to the will of the European Parliament? Does he agree with that?
§ Mr. PymThe powers of the European Parliament will continue as they are for the time being. If they were to be altered, quite a few processes would have to be gone through before that could be achieved. We shall continue as we are throughout this year and until those arrangements are changed.