§ Mr. Buchanasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what would be the additional contribution to the budget of the European Community, expressed in pounds sterling, in the current year should the full 1 per cent. value added tax contribution be made instead of the 0.77 per cent. provided for in the original European Community budget;
(2) what, expressed in pounds sterling, is the gross United Kingdom contribution to the budget of the European Community as agreed for the current year;
(3) what would be the additional contribution by the United Kingdom, expressed in pounds sterling, to the European Community budget in the current year should the supplementary budget introduced by the Commission be agreed.
Mr. RidleyThe United Kingdom's gross contribution to the 1983 Community budget on the alternative bases would be approximately:
£ million* As agreed for 1983 2,681 Total contribution with full 1 per cent. VAT 2,918 Additional contribution if Commission's preliminary draft supplementary and amending budget No. 2/83 were adopted †+173 * converted from European currency unit figures at £1 = 1.7905 ecu, the exchange rate used in drawing up 1983 Budget estimates. † includes a decrease in estimated United Kingdom agricultural levy payments.