§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the refund which the United Kingdom has secured in discussion within the Council of Ministers of £600 million in respect of the year 1985 is subject, before actual payment, to the approval of the Common Market Assembly; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThe Fontainebleau European Council of Heads of State and Government agreed that the United Kingdom should receive in 1985 a refund of 1,000 million ecu in respect of its excessive budgetary burden in 1984. The Council agreed that this should be paid by deduction from the United Kingdom's VAT share in 1985. The payment will not be dependent on the approval of the European Parliament.