§ 24. Mr. Spriggsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the outcome of the proposal to
(a) (b) (c) (e) (f) (g) Inflation 1 Unemployment rate 2 Increase in unemployment rate in last six months 3 General government borrowing as a proportion of GDP 4 Employment rate 1981 Visible Trade Balance 1981 Invisible Balance (inc. Transfers) Units: Percentage per annum Percentage Percentage points Percentage Percentage $ billions Belgium 8.3 13.0 +1.2 13.3 87.0 5-6.4 5 9n.a. Denmark 12.4 9.3 + 1.2 10.7 90.7 -1.5 -0.3 France 14.0 8.6 +0.8 2.1 91.4 -8.9 +1.4 Germany 5.9 6.1 +0.9 4.5 93.9 +12.1 -19.9 Greece 20.9 3.2 +0.9 6.3 96.8 6-6.7 6+4.3 Ireland 23.3 11.3 +0.8 14.4 88.7 -2.8 7+0.6 Italy 16.7 9.3 +0.5 10.6 90.7 -15.5 +7.5 Luxembourg 8.7 1.2 +0.3 3.3 98.8 8— 8— Netherlands 7.3 8.9 +1.4 4.1 91.1 +3.2 -0.9 United Kingdom 11.0 11.8 +1.1 2.3 88.2 9n.a. +6.8 Notes:
1 Latest month's year-on-year increase in consumer prices.
444Wincrease from BF3,000 to BF3,500 the daily subsistence allowance paid to members of the consultative committee of the European Coal and steel community when attending meetings; and what was his policy towards the proposal.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneThe proposal made in 1979 to increase the allowance to 3,500 Belgian francs was not accepted by the Council of the Communities since member States considered that the increase was too great. In May last year an increase to 3,300 Belgian francs was proposed. The United Kingdom and other member States are prepared to agree to the current proposal, but only if the system by which certain members of the committee receive more than the basic allowance is abolished.