§ 42. Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Attorney-General what was the outcome of the decision of the European Court on 3 July about the legality of the budget of the European Assembly; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralOn 3 July this year the European Court declared void the adoption by the President of the European Parliament, on 18 December 1985, of the budget for 1986. The court further declared that this annulment of the President's act did not call in question the validity of payments made and commitments entered into, before the date of the judgment, in implementation of the purported budget. The remainder of the Council's application was dismissed.
§ Mr. TaylorFollowing this welcome judgment about the illegality of an excess of about £400 million in the budget, will my right hon. and learned Friend say whether he was conculted by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer before my right hon. Friend went along with the other Ministers four days later and approved a budget four times as great as that originally approved by the European Assembly?
§ The Attorney-GeneralThat is a matter entirely for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The most important point in this case was to establish that the budgetary procedure laid down by the treaty must be respected. This, in the court's judgment, has been done.