§ Mr. Denzil Daviesasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of total budget of the European Economic Community was spent in 1970 and 1969 in aid to further the economic development of regions where the standard of living is abnormally low or where there is serious underdevelopment, in accordance with Article 92 of the Treaty of Rome ; and which areas of Great Britain would qualify for such aid.
§ Mr. Rippon: Article 92 of the Treaty of Rome relates to aids of national origin granted by Member States within their own territories and their compatibility with the Community's rules of competi- 224W tion. These aids do not form part of the budget of the European Community, and given their national origin it is not possible to provide figures for them.
With regard to aid from the Community budget, funds are made available in a number of ways through the European Investment Bank, European Social Fund and the European Agricultural Guarantee and Guidance Fund. It is not possible to give total disbursements from these sources as a percentage of the budget of the Community. No general regional criteria apply to aid from these sources.
With regard to aid of national origin falling under Article 92, the regions to which these provisions apply are not precisely defined either geographically or by other criteria but we see no reason why, like other countries in the Community, we should not continue and further develop regional measures of assistance. Other countries of the Community operate very similar measures to our own.
§ Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Common Market countries to restrain their production of beet sugar in order to avoid the creation of a surplus which would be available for dumping.
§ Mr. Rippon: None, but as a member of an enlarged Community Her Majesty's Government would participate in decisions affecting the level of production under the present régime as well as in the formulation of a definitive Community policy for sugar from 1975 onwards.
§ Mr. Healeyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated net contribution of all member countries to the European Economic Community budget in 1973 and 1977, assuming all the current applicants become members, in sterling, and as a percentage of the gross national product.
§ Mr. Rippon: Her Majesty's Government are unable to provide estimates of other countries' individual receipts from the Community budget, and cannot therefore make an estimate of net contributions for the years in question.
The table below shows estimated gross contributions to budgets of the size 225W assumed in Command 4715. In the table the contributions of the applicants are based on the recent agreement with the Community. The estimated contributions of the present members to the balance of the budget assumed are based on their percentage shares of the 1970 budget. In practice these percentage shares are liable
Country Gross contribution in £m. Sterling to E.E.C. budget estimated at £1, 400m. in 1973 Gross contribution in £m. Sterling to E.E.C. budget estimated at £1, 600m. in 1977 G.N.P.* at current market prices in 1970 in £'000m. Sterling Germany … … 396 390 77 Belgium … … 103 102 10.5 France … … 350 345 61 Italy … … 269 265 39 Luxembourg … … 2.5 2.5 0.4 Netherlands … … 129 127 13 United Kingdom … … 120 300 50 Denmark … … 15 36 6 Irish Republic … … 4 9 2 Norway … … 10.5 24 4 * Source : European Communities Statistical Office
§ Sir R. Russellasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that detailed arrangements between the United Kingdom and the Six for individual tariffs will be settled before the House of Commons is asked to take a decision on whether or not Great Britain should join.
§ Mr. Rippon: The remaining issues will be settled as soon as possible on the basis of the arrangements set out in paragraphs 79 and 85 of the White Paper.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how, on Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community and the implementation of the free flow of labour for those qualified, the system will operate with regard to those natives of the existing countries of the Six who wish to obtain positions in the British Civil Service, local government, the police, and defence departments ; and in particular, whether the continentals will be able to take jobs where secrecy and oath of allegiance to the Crown applies.
§ Mr. Rippon: Paragraph 4 of Article 48 of the Treaty of Rome, which covers freedom of movement of labour, prescribes that the provisions of this Article shall not apply to employment in the public service.