§ Q42. Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Prime Minister whether she intends to insist that the question of the United Kingdom budgetary contribution should be discussed at the forthcoming European Council in Venice, unless previously resolved.
§ The Prime MinisterAs the question has been resolved, I do not intend to raise it.
§ Q51. Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Prime Minister whether the agreement for limiting the United Kingdom budget contribution to the European Economic Community lapses in the event of New Zealand not agreeing to limit exports of sheepmeat to the United Kingdom.
§ The Prime MinisterNo. The negotiation of satisfactory arrangements with New Zealand as a condition of the entry into force of the sheepmeat regime is an integral part of the settlement on sheepmeat and one which all member States have accepted. There is thus no link between the budget settlement and the outcome of negotiations with New Zealand.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied that her undertaking that there would be no package deal to resolve the problem of United Kingdom EEC budget contributions has been fulfilled by the agreement announced in statements to the House on 2 June by the Lord Privy Seal and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
§ The Prime MinisterI am satisfied that the proposals which were announced in the House on 2 June represent an advantageous outcome for the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Marlowasked the Prime Minister whether the 25 per cent, excess payment can be triggered by the portion of 1 per cent, value added tax paid to the Community and not just the level of United Kingdom imports.
778W
§ The Prime MinisterThe risk-sharing arrangement agreed at the Foreign Affairs Council on 30 May applies to the size of our net, not our gross, contribution.
§ Mr. Marlowasked the Prime Minister whether she will tabulate for each EEC country for each of the years 1980, 1981 and 1982 the predicted financial outturns subsequent to the Brussels proposals with regard to (a) net budget contributions and receipts, (b) the cost of common agricultural policy food and feed prices over world prices to the consumers of each country, (c) the value of common agricultural policy benefits to the producers of each country, (d) the extra cost of food in (b) above less the benefits to producers in (c) above, (e) the sum of (a) above budget contribution plus (d) above—the net benefit or disadvantage of the common agricultural policy—and (f) the value, positive or negative, of (e) above per head of the population.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Commission has not prepared detailed estimates of this kind. It would not in any case be possible to predict the level of future world food prices on which answers to sections (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of the question would depend.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Prime Minister what is covered by the term " structural changes " used in paragraph 7 of the text of the agreement reached in Brussels on the United Kingdom contribution to the European Economic Community budget; and what is the Commission mandate referred to in that paragraph.
§ The Prime MinisterThe term " structural changes " refers to the expected outcome of a radical review of Community policies, the pattern of Community expenditure and the operation of the budget. The Council of Ministers has given the Commission a mandate to bring forward proposals by the middle of 1981.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Prime Minister what are the basic principles of the common agricultural policy referred to in paragraph 7 of the text of the agreed solution to the United Kingdom's budgetary contribution.
§ The Prime MinisterThe basic principles of the common agricultural policy 779W are those set out in article 39 of the Treaty, namely, increases in agricultural productivity leading to a fair standard of living for the agricultural community; stable markets; assured supplies and reasonable prices for consumers.
§ Mr. Winnickasked the Prime Minister when the proposed refund of the United Kingdom's contribution to the EEC budget will be paid; in what form the payment will occur; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterWe expect the bulk of what is due for 1980 to be paid before the end of the 1980–81 financial year. Similar arrangements should apply to subsequent years. The payment will be made under an improved version of the existing Community financial mechanism, and a new Community regulation providing for increased Community expenditure in the United Kingdom.