European Union (Membership Cost)

HC Deb 24 October 1994 vol 248 cc440-1W

Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now publish a calculation of the cost to the average family per week of the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

The calculation of the budgetary cost to the average family of United Kingdom membership of the European Union is as follows:

Weekly net contributions per family1
Year	Number
1992	2.63
1993	2.79
1994	1.75

Those calculations relate to the net direct budgetary cost of United Kingdom membership. They do not reflect the wider benefits and costs of United Kingdom membership. They do not reflect the wider benefits and costs of United Kingdom membership of the European Union. ¹ Based on an average 2-parent family size of 3.9. Source: Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys 1992 General Household Survey.