HC Deb 16 April 1986 vol 95 cc407-8W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he considers that the Single European Act will not have any consequences for public expenditure in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Chalker

The European Communities (Amendment) Bill brings those parts of the Single European Act which relate to the European Communities into the corpus of Community law which applies in the United Kingdom as part of our domestic law. As stated in the explanatory memorandum, the Bill has no direct financial effect in the United Kingdom. Any implications for the EC budget and for United Kingdom public expenditure will arise from future Council decisions under the EC treaty, including those parts of it amended by the Single European Act, not from the Single Act or the Bill itself.

Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he considers that the Single European Act will have implications for the budget of the Communities; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Chalker

The provisions of the Single European Act do not in themselves affect the Community budget. Future Council decisions based on the new provisions may have implications for the Community budget: in particular, the establishment of a court of first instance by unanimous decision of the Council would involve direct costs to the Community budget.