§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Government have sought advice as to whether the Common Market Commission has power to accept and spend returnable advances of own resources provided by member states in excess of the limit on own resources set out in the treaty of Rome; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThere is no current proposal for returnable advances of own resources. Representatives of the member states meeting within the Council on 2–3 October 1984 agreed to make certain financial contributions to the Community but payment under this inter-Government agreement would be independent of the own resource system. The question whether such contributions should be reimbursed to member states is still under discussion in Brussels. The Government are satisfied that the Commission has power to accept and spend these contributions under the inter-Government agreement. It is not normal practice to disclose the existence of legal advice on particular questions.