§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Prime Minister if she will set out in a statement the conclusions on the imposing of strict budgetary discipline on the European Economic Community which was agreed at the meeting of the European Council at Fontainebleau; and if she is satisfied that these limits and disciplines are being adhered to.
§ The Prime MinisterA copy of the budgetary discipline text, as adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council on 4 December 1984 is available in the Library.
As my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Treasury told the House on 3 February at column 43, the most important element in budget discipline, the agricultural guideline, has been fully respected in the 1986 budget as adopted by the Parliament. The non-obligatory spending totals in the Budget are, however, incompatible with the Council's budget discipline conclusions. The Council and individual member states, including the United Kingdom, are challenging the budget as adopted by the Parliament before the European Court.