§ Sir William Clarkasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further progress has been made in securing the United Kingdom budget refunds for the calendar year 1981 from the European Community.
§ Mr. RidleyThe Commission has today announced decisions granting the balance of the United Kingdom's Community budget refunds for 1981. The United Kingdom is to receive a further £121 million in Community grants under the "supplementary measures" scheme, which will bring our total gross refund receipts for 1981 to £1,011 million—1,804 million ecus. The United Kingdom contributes to these gross receipts, as to other Community expenditure, and the corresponding total of net receipts is 1,410 million ecus, as provided in the Council agreement of 30 May 1980.
These refunds for 1981 are separate from those for 1982, which were included in the 1982 amending budget rejected by the European Parliament on 16 December. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer reported the position on the 1982 refunds to the House yesterday.
The supplementary measures scheme provides for contributions by the Community in respect of public sector investment programmes in the United Kingdom, principally in the regions.
The accompanying table shows total Community contributions under the supplementary measures scheme for 1981–82 programmes of public sector investment in the United Kingdom.
The Community budget refunds are enabling public expenditure programmes generally in the United Kingdom to be sustained at levels higher than the country could otherwise have afforded. Expenditure programmes throughout the country are benefiting accordingly.
§ Mr. RidleyThe information requested is set out in the tables following.
573W
Year Customs duties MEUA* Index 1975=10 † Customs duties revalued Year on Year Change per cent. 1978 4,390.9 130.3 3,369.8 -9.1 1979 5,189.1 142.4 3,644.0 +8.1 1980 5,905.7 157.8 3,742.5 +2.7 1981 6,392.3 174.5 3,663.2 -2.1 1982 (estimated) 6,939.0 193.0 3,595.3 -1.9 MEUA=million European units of account * Source: Comission † Source: "European Economy"
Year Agricultural levies MEUA* Index 1975=100† Agricultural levies revalued Year on Year change per cent. 1975 620.0 100 620.0 — 1976 1,793.3 109.8 1,633.2 ‡+163.4 1977 2,137.7 120.3 1,777.0 +8.8 1978 2,278.9 130.3 1,749.0 -1.6 1979 2,143.1 142.4 1,505.0 -14.0 1980 2,002.3 157.8 1,268.9 -15.7 1981 1,747.4 174.5 1,001.4 -21.1 1982 (estimated) 2,262.8 193.0 1,172.4 +17.1 MEUA=million European units of account * Inducing sugar and isoglucose levies. Source European Commission † Source: "European Economy". ‡ Reflects poor Community harvest
§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates to be the cost to the United Kingdom Treasury of the collection of the own resources of the European Community; and how this compares with the sums received through the Community budget for that purpose for the latest appropriate year.
§ Mr. RidleyThe cost of collecting own resources of the European Community falls on a number of Departments as part of their wider responsibilities for duties and levies. It is not possible to apportion costs to own resources. Her Majesty's Customs and Excise collect customs duties and agricultural levies on imports; the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce collects sugar levies and agricultural levies on exports: and Her Majesty's Treasury has overall responsibility for managing the flow of funds to the own resources account. In addition, a number of departments incur administrative costs as a result of their policy responsibility for these subjects.
In 1981, the United Kingdom received £113.5 million by way of own resources refund. The 1983 Community budget contains estimated provision of £138 million.