§ Mr. HigginsTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on how the European Commission arrived at the precise figure of 1.4 per cent. of gross national product when proposing an increase in the European Economic Community own resources.
§ Mr. Lawson[holding answer 30 November 1987]: The Commission's reasons for proposing an increase in the own resources ceiling to 1.4 per cent. of Community GNP are set out in its "Report to the Council and Parliament on the Financing of the Community Budget" (COM(87)101), which was deposited in Parliament on 27 March 1987.