§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the net EU Budget contributions for each member state(a) in 1996 and (b) estimated for 1997, indicating the sources of the figures. [54202]
§ Ms HewittIndicative net contributions for all Member States for the budgetary year 1996 are set out in the table. The Community does not publish forward estimates of the net contributions for Member States. Information on the 1997 outturn for Member States, after account is taken of the United Kingdom's abatement, will be available later this year when the European Court of Auditors publishes its report on the 1997 European Community Budget.
679W
Net contributions to the EC Budget in 1996 Member State million ecu Belgium 746.2 Denmark -193.4 Germany 10,894.9 Greece -3,932.7 Spain -5,972.2 France 459.8 Ireland -2,260.3 Italy 1,402.3 Luxembourg 79.3 Netherlands 2,446.8 Austria 272.2 Portugal -2,774.3
Net contributions to the EC Budget in 1996 Member State million ecu Finland -27.1 Sweden 752.5 UK 2,276.0 Notes:
1. The Court of Auditors uses European Currency Unit figures, the unit of account for the EC Budget
2. The Court of Auditors does not allocate all Community spending to the Member States. Consequently the figures in the table are likely only to be indicative of the amount of Member States' net positions. For example, if all administrative expenditure were allocated to the country in which it is paid, the net position of Belgium and Luxembourg would be substantially improved
Source:
Figures derived from information on Member States' contributions and receipts published in the European Court of Auditors report on the 1996 Budget