§ Mr. Higginsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the extent of the delay in the submission to the Council by the European Community Commission of the figures necessary for the establishment of the reference framework for the 1986 European Community budget.
§ Mr. LawsonArticle 1 of the budget discipline conclusions requires the reference framework to be fixed at the beginning of the budgetary procedure. The 1986 budgetary procedure has been delayed because of the late adoption of the 1985 budget and the preliminary draft budget has not yet been published. However, the Commission has provided the figures necessary to calculate the reference framework.
§ Mr. Spearingasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken by the Council of the European Economic Community in respect of the reference framework for the 1986 budget as required in articles 1–5 in its Conclusion R. 4972/84 Corn (84) 83; and what maximum level of expenditure has been set.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThe 11 June ECOFIN Council discussed the procedure for applying the budget discipline conclusions to the 1986 budget. The Italian and 323W Luxembourg presidencies are now arranging a meeting with the European Parliament after which ECOFIN will be in a position to fix the reference framework in accordance with the budget discipline conclusions.