HC Deb 21 March 1979 vol 964 cc658-9W
Mr. Lawrence

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been Great Britain's net financial contribution to the EEC in each of the past five years; and what is the current estimate of the likely contributions in the next two years.

Mr. Joel Barnett

The United Kingdom's net contribution to the Community Budget in each of the past five years was:

£M
1974 30.6
1975 −56.0
1976 167.3
1977 368.4
1978 803.8

The European Council in December 1977 discussed the interpretation of article 131 of the Treaty of Accession, which limits the new member States' contributions in 1978 and 1979, and agreed that all member States would initially pay full own resources, but that the new member States would receive refunds, quarterly in arrears, to take account of article 131. The final refund of £121 million in respect of 1978, which is not included in the figure for 1978 given above, was received in February 1979.

Forecasts of our net contribution for 1979 and 1980, were given in the White Paper"The Government Expenditure Plans 1979–80 to 1982–83 "—Cmnd. 7439—published in January 1979.