EU Common Foreign and Security Policy (Hansard, 28 October 1997)

HC Deb 28 October 1997 vol 299 c796W 796W

§ 20. Mr. Laurence Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he expects will be Britain's(a) gross and (b) net contribution to the European Union's budget for common foreign and security policy matters for the year 1998–99. [12133]

§ Mr. Doug Henderson
The EC Preliminary Draft Budget (PDB) for calendar year 1998 makes provision for commitments of up to 30 Mecu (i.e. about £22.1 million) for CFSP actions. Britain's gross contribution is approximately 15 per cent. of the total budget, i.e. up to £3.32 million depending on the prevailing exchange rate. Britain does not benefit directly from CFSP expenditure.