§ Mr. MarlowTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the United Kingdom net contribution to the EEC for each of the last eight years; and what is the most likely estimate for the current year and 1989 expressed both in terms of payments made during the year and payments attributed to the year in question.
§ Mr. Brooke[holding answer 26 May 1988]: The information requested for the period 1980 to 1987 is set out in the table. Estimates of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the Community budget for 1988–89 and 1989–90 (on a payments basis) and 1988 and 1989 (on a budget basis) are contained in the last public expenditure White Paper (Cm. 288-II, pages 33 to 36). These estimates did not take account of the agreement at the Brussels European Council on 11 to 13 February on the future financing of the Community. This agreement is likely to increase our net contribution to the Community budget by some £200 to £300 million a year.
Net contribution to Community budget Payments basis1 Budget basis2 £ million £ million 1980 706 269 1981 397 115 1982 606 682 1983 647 766 1984 656 709 1985 1,808 759 1986 572 943 1987 1,713 31,135 1 These figures show the net payments actually made during calendar years, irrespective of the Community budget to which they relate or from which they are financed. Receipts flowing directly to the United Kingdom private sector are excluded. 2 These figures show the United Kingdom's net contribution in respect of particular budgets, regardless of when the payments and receipts actually took place. They include an estimate of receipts flowing directly to the United Kingdom private sector and certain payments to other member states which nevertheless benefit the United Kingdom by allowing us to import CAP produce at prices below CAP levels. They take account of our net contribution to the "unallocated budget", which consists mainly of the Community's aid expenditure. 3 Estimate.