HC Deb 22 May 1979 vol 967 cc94-5W
Mr. Richard Shepherd

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total net contribution made to the EEC by the United Kingdom since Great Britain joined the EEC; and what estimate he has made of the likely contribution in 1979.

Mr. Lawson

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21 May 1979; Vol. 967, c. 40], gave the following answer:

The total net contribution by the United Kingdom to the Community Budget since accession is £1,416.5 million, The latest estimate of the United Kingdom's net contribution in 1979, given in the "Government's Expenditure Plans 1979–80 to 1982–83" (Cmnd. 7439), was £780 million at 1978 survey prices, equivalent to about £850 million at current prices.

Mr. Moate

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the United Kingdom gross and net contributions to the EEC budget since joining the Community, together with whatever forecasts are available to him for future years.

Mr. Lawson

, pursuant to his reply [Offical Report, 21 May 1979; Vol. 967, c. 40], gave the following answer:

The United Kingdom's contributions to, and the public sector receipts from, the Community budget since accession have been as follows:

£ million
Gross Contribution Receipts Net contribution
1973 181.1 78.7 102.4
1974 180.5 149.9 30.6
1975 341.7 397.7 -56.0
1976 462.8 295.5 167.3
1977 736.8 368.4 368.4
1978 1,348.3 544.5 80.38
The latest forecasts for future years, at 1978 survey prices, were published in the White Paper "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1979–80 to 1982–83" (Cmnd. 7439) as follows:—
Gross Contribution Receipts Net contribution
1979 1,430 650 780
1980 1,655 760 895
1981 1,715 940 775
1982 1,710 925 785
1983 1,600 720 880

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