HC Deb 20 June 1979 vol 968 cc587-8W
Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set a deadline for reform of the European Economic Community budget system.

Mr. Lawson

As I told the hon. Member on 11 June, Her Majesty's Government will urge that the next European Council should take the decisions needed to achieve a lasting and effective correction of the United Kingdom's inequitable and unsustainable net budget contribution. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will be suggesting at the European Council later this week that the Commission should be asked to bring forward proposals to deal with the problem in time for the Council to decide on the necessary remedial measures at its next meeting in November.