HC Deb 18 June 1997 vol 296 cc238-9W
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the United Kingdom contribution to, and public sector receipts from, the EC budget for(a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999 in pound sterling. [3337]

Mrs. Liddell

The latest estimates of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the European Community Budget are those set out in the Departmental Report published by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer in March this year (Cm. 3617). These cover the financial years 1997–98 to 1999–2000 and are as follows:

  • 1997–98: £2,750 million
  • 1998–99: £3,000 million
  • 1999–2000: £3,400 million

These estimates were produced under the revised methodology announced in the 1996 Financial Statement and Budget Report and explained further in the Departmental Report. They estimate the trend in the UK's net contribution over the period in question, incorporating the UK's gross contribution, abatement and public sector receipts, and do not identify the individual elements which the right hon. Member has requested. An estimate of the UK's gross contribution to, and receipts from, the 1997 EC Budget will be included in the annual White paper on the EC Budget which the Government will publish before the recess.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the(a) contributions to, and (b) total public sector receipts from, the EC budget for each member state for each year from 1993 to 1996 in pound sterling. [3338]

Mrs. Liddell

The tables set out the information requested for the years 1993 to 1995. These figures are derived from ecu figures contained in annual reports of the European Court of Auditors and have been converted to sterling using the annual average exchange rates shown. Information on 1996 will not be available until the Court of Auditors publish their report on the 1996 Community Budget later this year.

Gross contributions by member states 1993 to 1995
£ million
1993 1994 1995
Belgium 1,864 2,184 2,195
Denmark 939 1,003 1,061
Germany 14,851 16,532 17,463
Greece 787 768 807
Spain 4,027 3,651 2,985
France 8,988 9,711 9,726
Ireland 442 494 544
Italy 7,991 6,004 5,252
Luxembourg 130 128 137
Netherlands 3,138 3,285 3,562
Austria n/a n/a 1,444
Portugal 708 941 708
Finland n/a n/a 727
Sweden n/a n/a 1,358

Receipts paid to Member States 1993–95
£ million
Belgium Denmark Germany Greece Spain France Ireland Italy Luxembg. Nethrland. Austria Portugal Finland Sweden UK
1993 1,911 1,233 5,641 4,008 6.433 8,195 2,288 6,804 278 2,105 n/a 2,661 n/a n/a 3,504
1994 1,944 1,157 5,981 3,748 6,062 7,679 1,850 4,038 324 1,869 n/a 2,354 n/a n/a 4,069
1995 1,940 1,311 6,464 3,664 8,896 8,312 2,090 4,749 101 1,920 702 2,658 592 590 3,711

Source:

Court of Auditors Reports, converted to sterling using £=1.2845 (1993), £=1.2924 (1994) and £=1.2211 (1995).

It should be noted that the European Community Budget is denominated in ECU but that the figures in this table have been converted to sterling using the annual average exchange rate for each of the years. These figures should, therefore treated with caution.

Notes:

Due to a change in the basis of the Court of Auditors report figures, administration payments to Member States, including other institutions. are not included in the amounts shown for 1995. This mainly effects Belgium and Luxembourg.

Forward to