§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage of the total taxes gathered by the Inland Revenue in Scotland through capital gains, estate duty and capital transfer tax in 1979–80 and at the latest date.
§ Mr. MooreEstimates can be given of the yields of each of these taxes in Scotland as a percentage of the total yield of the tax in the United Kingdom, as follows:
bind the Council to observe them in its role as part of the budgetary authority. The text does not affect Parliament's rights under the treaty in relation to non-obligatory expenditure. In addition, the Council has said it wishes to explore with both Commission and Parliament ways of co-operating over budgetary discipline and has specifically sought a meeting with the Parliament before it establishes the reference framework at the beginning of the budgetary procedure.
§ Mr. Cabornasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, taking into account the number of caveats concerning agricultural expenditure, will be the effect of the Council of Ministers' views on budget discipline on non-obligatory expenditure and in particular the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund and Development Co-operation.
§ Mr. Ian StewartUnder the budgetary discipline rules, agricultural expenditure must grow less than the own resources base. The rules also contain provisions to avoid base drift in the calculation of the agricultural guideline and to enable any excess agricultural expenditure that does have to be conceded to be clawed back over the following two years. As regards non-obligatory expenditure the Council has undertaken to observe the maximum rate laid down in article 203 of the treaty throughout the budgetary procedure. The provision of finance for the European social fund and the European regional development fund will depend upon how the total amount available for non-obligatory expenditure within the maximum rate is distributed. But the Brussels European Council agreed on the need for increasing the provision for both research and development and structural funds.
§ Mr. Cabornasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Council of Ministers' document on budget discipline concentrates on mechanisms of budget discipline.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThe principles of budgetary discipline were drawn up by heads of State and Government at the Brussels European Council in March 497W and formally endorsed by them at Fontainebleau in June. The remit to Ministers, which has been fulfilled by the text agreed on 4 December, was to reach agreement on the measures necessary to guarantee the effective application of these principles.
§ Mr. Cabornasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the Council of Minister's document on budget discipline does not define the objectives of such discipline; and if he will take steps to secure the inclusion of specific objectives on budget discipline.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThe objectives of budgetary discipline were defined by Heads of State and Government at the Brussels and Fontainebleau European Councils. They were that there should be an overall limit on budgetary expenditure, that the rate of growth of agricultural spending should be less than that of the own resources base and that the maximum rate provisions of the treaty should be strictly observed. All three objectives are clearly covered by the provisions of the Council of Ministers' conclusions.