HC Deb 23 March 1999 vol 328 c144W
Dr. Marek

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will(a) list the funding from the EU affected by the UK's abatement and (b) state the amount of required matched funding and the adjustments which had been made as a result of the abatement, for the last year for which figures are available. [78335]

Ms Quin

The UK abatement is one year in arrears and is, broadly, two thirds of the difference between what the UK contributes to the EU budget and what is received. It is deducted from the resources side of the budget, so reduces contributions rather than receipts. There is no requirement for matched funding linked to the abatement.