HC Deb 21 March 1984 vol 56 cc1047-8
57. Mr. Gould

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contingency plans arc in hand if the European Economic Community runs out of money.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

If the Community is not to run out of money, the Commission must now propose, and the Council of Ministers must agree, the necessary measures to control expenditure.

Mr. Gould

As there is now a real possibility that the EEC will run out of money this year, is it not irresponsible of the Government to have no contingency plans of their own?

Sir Geoffrey Howe

The greater the possibility, the greater the need for the Community to take the measures that are necessary to prevent that happening.

Mr. Budgen

If a fundamentally reformed common agricultural policy is to be cheaper, why was it necessary for the Government to agree provisionally to increase own resources by 40 per cent?

Sir Geoffrey Howe

I emphasise again that own resources were considered in the context of the entire Stuttgart agenda. There was no question of the Government accepting an increase in own resources for recommendation to the House had there not been agreement on all o [the other matters of that agenda, including our own important conditions.