§ Mr. Elystan Morganasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will specify the matters in respect of which it is proposed to seek amendments of existing Common Market law and practice after United Kingdom entry to the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RipponNo. In negotiating with the Community, Her Majesty's Government have indicated their acceptance of the Community Treaties and the decisions following from them, subject only to the arrangements agreed in the negotiations which are set out in the White Paper, Cmnd. 4715. If Parliament approved membership of the Communities, we shall as a member be able to play a full part in influencing the Community's further development.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give the facts and evidence upon which he bases his assumption in the White Paper that the Community's budget will amount to £1,400 million in 1973 rising gradually to £1,600 million in 1977 and that United Kingdom receipts from that budget will rise from £20 million to £100 million over the same period; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RipponA breakdown of the European Economic Community budget totalling £1,273 million in 1971 is given in paragraph 6 of Annex A of the White Paper, Cmnd. 4715. The estimates in the White Paper for the total size of the Community budget in 1973 and 1977 were carefully compiled after detailed scrutiny of information available from the European Economic Community Commission and study of trends in production and trade. The figures in the White Paper for possible United Kingdom receipts from the Community budget are the best estimates which can be provided taking into account all factors to the extent to which they can be assessed.