asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the actual net payments made to the EEC by the United Kingdom in 1973 and 1974; what is the estimate for the current year; and how these figures compare with the estimates made at the beginning of each year in question.

In 1973 the United Kingdom's net contribution to the budget of the European Communities was £104 million, at outturn prices, compared with the estimate published in December 1972 in "Public Expenditure to 1976–77" (Cmnd. 5178) of £65 million at 1972 Survey prices. In 1974 the net contribution was £31 million, at outturn prices, compared with the estimate published in December 1973 in "Public Expenditure to 1977–78" (Cmnd. 5519) of £75 million at 1973 Survey prices. The United Kingdom's net contribution to the Community budget in 1975 was estimated in "Public Expenditure to 1978–79" (Cmnd. 5879) published in January 1975 to be £100 million. In the White Paper "Membership of the European Community, Report on Renegotiation" (Cmnd. 6003) published in March 1975 this estimate was revised downwards to £65 million-£75 million. Receipts from the Community budget in 1975 are now expected to be