§ Mr. Ralph HowellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the information in his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk North of 22 April 1987,Official Report, columns 577–78, for each year since 1973, concerning (a) the overall payments by the Treasury to the European Economic Community, (b) the total payments and refunds made to the Treasury and (c) the net cost to the Treasury.
§ Mr. BrookeThe additional information required in respect of the United Kingdom's contribution to and receipts from the 1987 Community budget is as follows:
£ million Gross payments 5,202 Receipts other than negotiated refunds 2,336 Negotiated refunds — VAT abatements 1,153 Net total 1,713 The increase in the net total figure compared with the estimate of £1,347 million in the "statement on the 1987 Community budget" (Cm. 194) is mainly accounted for by higher than expected payments of levies and duties, the autumn supplementary budget for 1987 and the August 1987 VAT adjustment.