HC Deb 08 March 1982 vol 19 cc302-3W
Sir Anthony Meyer

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the annual growth in expenditure on (a) agricultural price guarantee spending, (b) agricultural restructuring, (c) the European social fund and (d) regional aid within the Community in each of the past five years within the European Community budget.

Mr. Ridley

Growth in expenditure on the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund, the European social fund and the European regional development fund, is given in the table following. The figures are in cash—not real—terms.

Notes

  1. (i) The figures are taken from the Court of Auditors' report of the 1980 financial year (Official Journal C344, Vol. 24, 31 December 1981).
  2. (ii) The unit of account was replaced by the European unit of account on 1 January 1978. The change in the composition of the accounting unit distorts the percentage changes between 1977 and 1978. Hence to give percentage change for 1978 over 1977 would not be valid or worthwhile.
  3. (iii) Comparable figures for 1981 are not yet available.