§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library the Government's assessment of the economic and social impact on the United Kingdom of the accession to the EU of the Eastern European applicant nations. [61765]
§ Peter Hain[pursuant to his reply, 17 June 2002, c. 71]The answer that was given to my right hon. Friend on 17 June contained an error. The full correct answer is as follows:
The Government have not made an integrated study of the economic and social impact of EU enlargement on the United Kingdom. However, independent economic studies by the European Round Table of Industrialists and the Centre for Economic Policy Reform show that EU enlargement could increase UK GDP by £1.75 billion and create 300,000 jobs among the EU-15. I have placed copies of these reports in the House of Commons Library.