HC Deb 13 June 1996 vol 279 c231W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the gains and losses to the standard of living in the United Kingdom of(a) abolishing the common agricultural policy, (b) ending contributions to the EU budget, (c) ending free trade with the EU and its associations and (d) taking control over (i) fishery and (ii) other resources. [32085]

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

There are no plans to do so. Any such calculation would be very imprecise as it would require hypothetical assumptions to be made about the level of UK spending in the absence of contributions to, and receipts from, the Community budget; the policies which replaced those in the EU; the performance of the UK economy outside the Community; and the impact on trade outside the EU.