HC Deb 18 November 1986 vol 105 cc176-8W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, why the provision for net payments to the European Economic Community in the current financial year has been increased by £440,000,000 in the revised public expenditure plans, if he will publish a table showing the net contributions in each of the previous seven years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Brooke

[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1986]: The provision for net payments to European Community institutions in the current financial year has been increased by £440 million in the revised public expenditure plans because it reflects:

  • a lower estimate of the UK's share of receipts from the budget;
  • a larger VAT adjustment in August than previously expected;
  • an assumed advance of £130 million of traditional own resources from April 1987 to March 1987 (and thus from 1987–8 to 1986–7) because of the Community's expected shortage of funds;
  • larger than expected contributions to the EIB.

The figures requested for the previous seven years are:

£ million cash
1979–80 841
1980–81 168
1981–82 103
1982–83 576
1983–84 853
1984–85 936
1985–86 800