HC Deb 28 July 1988 vol 138 cc496-7W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the figures on net contributions to the EEC budget in the evidence submitted by Her Majesty's Government to the Treasury and Civil Service Committee on the financial and economic consequences of United Kingdom membership of the European Communities (page 76 of HC57-II Session 1984–85).

Mr. Peter Brooke

The updated figures are set out in the table:

Net contribution to the EC Budget
£ million
Year Net contribution before refunds or VA T abatements (cash) Negotiated refunds VAT abatements Net contribution after refunds and abatements (cash)'1 Net contribution after refunds and abatements in constant 1987 prices2
1975 -56 — — -56 -170
1976 167 — — 167 441
1977 369 — — 369 854
1978 822 — — 822 1,708
1979 947 — — 947 1,718
1980 804 98 — 706 1,070
1981 1,090 693 — 397 539
1982 1,625 1,019 — 606 765
1983 1,454 807 — 647 776
1984 1,184 528 — 656 755
1985 2,035 61 166 1,808 1,965
1986 2,273 — 1,701 572 599
1987 2,866 — 1,153 1,713 1,713
1 United Kingdom figures showing payments to the Community budget on a cash flow basis. Budget refunds and abatements are credited to the year in which they are paid.
2Constant prices have been constructed using the GDP deflator at market prices.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in theOfficial Report a revision of the tables on pages 33–36 of Cm. 288-II to take account of what was agreed at the EEC summit meeting on financing the EEC budget and of the current year's budget settlement.

Mr. Brooke

[holding answer 27 July 1988]: I regret I cannot provide the information requested. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister informed the hon. Gentleman on 22 February, at column 17, the overall effect of the EEC summit agreement will be to increase the United Kingdom's net contribution after abatement by about £200 million to £300 million a year compared to the 1.4 per cent, own resources ceiling, and by an estimated £100 million to £200 million a year compared with the effective level of spending in 1987. Revised estimates of the United Kingdom's net payments to Community institutions which take account of the new financing arrangements and this year's budget will be published in the Autumn Statement.