HC Deb 08 November 1988 vol 140 c112W
Mr. Spearing

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to the statement of the Paymaster General,Official Report, 24 October, column 122, he will list in the Official Report the names of the current or forthcoming Government publications, notices or statements that will publish information concerning the operation of the new funding mechanisms of the European Economic Communities, as set out in the Official Report, 24 October, column 75.

Mr. Brooke

Information on the Community budget is published in the annual statements on the Community budget, the public expenditure White Paper, the autumn statement and the six-monthly White Papers on developments in the Community, as well as being provided from time to time in statements to Parliament following relevant meetings of the Council of Ministers and in reply to specific questions from hon. and right hon. Members. Information on the budget is also published by the European Commission, for example in its recent publications "Financial Report: 1987" and "The Community Budget: The Facts in Figures".

Any proposals for Community legislation will continue to be deposited in Parliament with explanatory memoranda, and once adopted such proposals are published in the official journal of the European Communities which is made available to Parliament. I have already written to the hon. Member, following the debate on 24 October, to explain the position in rather more detail.

Mr. Teddy Taylor

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the gross payment made to the European Economic Community by the United Kingdom in 1987–88; what sums were received from the European Economic Community; and under what categories the European Economic Community receipts can be classified.

Mr. Brooke

The information requested is set out in the table:

1987–88 Outturn (£ million)
Gross Payments 4,906
VAT abatement -1,137
3,769
Public Sector Receipts:
Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund 1,054
Social Fund 384
Regional Development Fund 365
Own Resources Collection Costs 135
Other Receipts 19 -1,957
Net contribution to European Community budget 1,812
Receipts from ECSC -57
Contributions to the EIB 10
Payments to the EC budget attributed to the aid programme -101
Net payments to EC institutions 1,664