HL Deb 23 June 1975 vol 361 cc1207-8
Lord SHINWELL

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the administrative cost annually of British association with the EEC and what is the annual cost likely to be in future years.

The LORD PRIVY SEAL (Lord Shepherd)

My Lords, British membership of the EEC has affected a wide range of work in most Government Departments and it would not, therefore, be meaningful to attempt to identify separately their administrative costs on work associated with the EEC.

Lord SHINWELL

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether it is possible to estimate the actual cost to the British Government? There are various items; for example, the delegations' expenditure and all the rest. Are these included in the category of administrative costs?

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, a great deal of the work of Departments connected with the EEC is also connected with domestic affairs. It would require a great deal of unnecessary book-keeping if Departments were expected to keep even a rough accounting of the administrative costs of being a member of the EEC.

Lord FLETCHER

My Lords, will my noble friend say whether it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to see that there is rigorous financial control of the administrative costs of the EEC?

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, the Government seek to have a rigorous control over Government expenditure.

Lord SHINWELL

My Lords, will my noble friend agree that at some stage we ought to have detailed information of the actual cost of the administration? After all, the taxpayers of this country have a right to know. With regard to other matters they get a great deal of useful information, so why not on this?

Lord SHEPHERD

My Lords, I will certainly see whether it is possible to give an estimate. I suggest to your Lordships that there are occasions when one needs to have an account in order to find out the administrative costs of a Department. I will see whether an estimate can be given to my noble friend, but I should not have thought that that estimate could in any way represent a degree of real accuracy.