HC Deb 23 October 2002 vol 391 cc352-4W
Mr. Spring

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the contribution of an average UK family to the EU budget in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002; and what estimate he has made of the contribution of an average UK family to the EU budget in (i) 2003 and (ii) 2004. [75730]

Ruth Kelly

No such estimates have been made. The Government's latest estimate of the UK net contribution in 2001ߝ02 is £1,488 million. The Government's latest forecast of the trended UK net contribution to the EC Budget for the financial years 2002ߝ03 to 2004ߝ05 are £3 billion, £3.2 billion, and £3.6 billion respectively.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the(a) contributions and (b) receipts between each European Union member state and the European Community for (i) 2001 and (ii) 2002; and if

Gross Contributions by Member State 2001 (€million)
Belgium Denmark Germany Greece Spain France Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Austria Portugal Finland Sweden UK
3,531.6 1,777.7 19,727.2 1,350.1 6,591.5 14,471.3 1,211.3 11,612.5 256.5 5,517.0 2,091.0 1,266.0 1,233.2 2,337.7 7,743.4
Receipts Paid to Member States 2001 (€million)
Belgium Denmark Germany Greece Spain France Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Austria Portugal Finland Sweden UK
4,049.2 1,348.3 10,346.8 5,741.0 13,648.2 11,751.6 2,319.1 8,693.0 900.1 1,687.5 1,403.3 2,947.2 1,020.1 1,092.9 5,938.0

Source

European Commission: Allocation of EU Operating Expenditure.

Estimated Gross Contributions by Member State 2002 (€ million)
Belgium Denmark Germany Greece Spain France Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Austria Portugal Finland Sweden UK
3,227.7 1.735.0 18,860.1 1,371.5 6,649.8 14,228.0 1,049.0 11,653.5 193.3 4,914.0 1,852.7 1,227.2 1,230.9 2325.8 10,606.9

Notes:

After account is taken of the UK abatement and the bringing to account of surpluses and deficits in respect of Member States contributions in earlier years.

Difference in the UK's gross contribution between 2001 and 2002 is primarily the result of the very large abatement (€7,342.5 million) received in 2001 compared with the estimate for 2002 (€5,092.2 million). This reflects a large core abatement for 2001 and also signficant adjustments, in the UK's favour. to the abatement in respect of earlier years.

Source:

Supplementary & Amending Budget 3/2002

Mr. Spring

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the proportion and the sums of this year's EU budget that will be spent on(a) the CAP, (b) the CFP and (c) structural operations; and if he will provide an estimate of these for the next two years. [75731]

Ruth Kelly

The 2002 EC budget includes:

  • —€44,255 million, or 45% of the total budget, for CAP expenditure;
  • —€1,093 million, or 1.1%, for fisheries; and
  • —€33,838 million, or 34%, for structural operations.

The 2003 Preliminary Draft Budget, established by the Commission, includes:

  • —€45,118 million for CAP, 1.9% more than in the 2002 adopted budget and €2,260 million below the Financial Perspective ceiling for Agriculture;
  • —€942 million for fisheries, 14% less than in the 2002 adopted budget;
  • —€33,995 million for Structural operations, 0.5% more than in the 2002 adopted budget.

The Commission will present its Preliminary Draft Budget for 2004 in early 2003. We expect structural operations to be budgeted at the level of the Financial Perspective ceiling of €33,652m. Both the Common he will give his estimates for the figures for the contributions and receipts for (A) 2003 and (B) 2004. [75845]

Ruth Kelly

Details of Member States' gross contributions to, after taking account of the UK abatement, and receipts from, the EC Budget in 2001, recently published in the European Commission's report on the allocation of 2001 operating expenditure, are set out in the following table. Estimates of Member States' gross contributions, after taking account of the UK abatement, to the 2002 EC Budget, detailed in Table 7 of Supplementary and Amending Budget 3/2002, are also included in the table. Details of Member States' receipts in 2002 are not available. The Government does not forecast the contributions and receipts of other Member States. The Government's latest forecasts of the trended UK net contribution to the EC Budget for the financial years 2002ߝ03 to 2004ߝ05 are £3 billion, £3.2 billion, and £3.6 billion respectively.

Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy are currently under review, and future spending levels depend on the results of the review.