§ Mr. Robert B. Jonesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the payment to the European Communities of non-value added tax own resouces collected in February.
§ Mr. Ian StewartIn accordance with article 10(2) of Council Regulation 2891/77, the Commission has invited member states to pay on 20 March instead of 19 April non-VAT own resources collected in February. These own resources consist of agricultural, sugar and isoglucose levies and customs duties. The Government are complying with this request.
An amount not exceeding £62 million will be paid on 20 March; the payment of levies and duties on 19 April 1985 which is made directly from the Consolidated Fund under section 2(3) of the European Communities Act 1972 will be reduced by an appropriate amount. There will, therefore, be a transfer of expenditure from 1985–86 to 1984–85 but no net addition overall.