HC Deb 12 June 1996 vol 279 c199W
Mr. Harry Greenway

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people are currently employed in the European Commission; at what costs to public funds; what were(a) the numbers and (b) the cost in real terms five years ago; and if he will make a statement. [31178]

Mr. David Davis

The European Commission's employees totalled 16,627 in 1991, and 20,831 in 1996. The cost to the EC budget was 1,261,834,635 ecu in 1991, and 1,914,177,000 ecu has been allocated to staff costs in the 1996 budget—1,674,695,000 ecu at 1991 prices. There is no direct allocation of this sum, but the UK's contribution to the overall EC budget is approximately 12 per cent. after our abatement has been taken into account.