HL Deb 09 February 2000 vol 609 c91WA
Lord Swinfen

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much the United Kingdom has contributed to the European Union each year since joining in 1972; how much the European Union has returned to the United Kingdom; and what was the net total of both sums. [HL870]

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

The United Kingdom became a member of the European Community in 1973. Details of gross contributions, abatement, public sector receipts and net contributions for the period 1973–74 to 1997–98 can be obtained from various departmental reports of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Departments or, previously, Government Expenditure Plans. The net contribution figure for 1998–99 was published in the footnote to Table B12 of the pre-Budget Report (Cm 4479).