§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out for each member state of the European Community(a) its estimated population, (b) the number of votes allocated to its respective ministers in the Council of Ministers when voting on the basis of a qualified and weighted majority, (c) the approximate population represented by each vote, (d) that population expressed as a percentage of that member state's population and (e) the population per vote expressed as a percentage of the total approximate population of all member states of the European Community, together with the respective totals and the requisite number of votes and assenting member states required for assent.
§ Mr. GoodladThe information is as follows:
Member state Estimated population (millions) Number of votes in council Approximate population per vote (thousands) Belgium 10.1 5 2,020 Denmark 5.2 3 1,733 Germany 80.6 10 8,060 Greece 10.3 5 2,060 Spain 39.1 8 4,888 France 57.5 10 5,750 Ireland 3.6 3 1,200 Italy 56.9 10 5,690 Luxembourg 0.4 2 200 Netherlands 15.2 5 3,040 Portugal 9.9 5 1,980 United Kingdom 58.0 10 5,800 336.7 76 — 41W
Member state Approximate per cent. of member state population Approximate per cent. of total EC population Per vote Per vote Belgium 20 0.60 Denmark 33 0.51 Germany 10 2.39 Greece 20 0.61 Spain 12.5 1.45 France 10 1.71 Ireland 33 0.36 Italy 10 1.69 Luxembourg 50 0.06 Netherlands 20 0.90
Member state Approximate per cent. of member state population Approximate per cent. of total EC population Per vote Per vote Portugal 20 0.59 United Kingdom 10 1.72 The number of votes which constitutes a qualified majority is 54. There are numerous combinations of member states whose total number of votes in Council reaches or exceeds this figure.