§ Dr. Twinnasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the early payment of non value added tax own resources to the European Community in June.
§ Mr. BrookeIn accordance with article 10(2) of Council Regulation 2891/77, the Commission has again invited member states to advance the payment of own resources other than VAT in respect of agricultural, sugar and isoglucose levies and customs duties collected by the Government on its behalf.
In accordance with this request, the Government propose to make an advance payment of some £118 million on 20 June. This will be financed initially by a repayable advance from the contingencies fund, pending parliamentary approval of the estimate presented to the House on 17 June. The payment of levies and duties on the due date of 20 June will be reduced by the amount of the advance. There will therefore be no net addition to public expenditure.