§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Prime Minister when it first became the practice of Her Majesty's Government to make advance payments of contributions to the EEC before seeking parliamentary approval for such advance payments; and if she will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterThe first occasion on which the Government agreed to advance payments of levies and duties to the European Community, was on 20 June 1983. In accordance with established procedures for urgent cases, that payment was financed in the first instance by a repayable advance from the contingencies fund pending parliamentary approval of the necessary Estimate. All subsequent advance payments have been financed either from an Estimate or from the contingencies fund pending parliamentary approval of an Estimate. Advance payments affect only the timing of contributions to the European Community; there is no overall effect on public expenditure.