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Ec (Finance)

Volume 81: debated on Tuesday 25 June 1985

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asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing, in respect of the calendar years 1985 to 1988, his estimates of the net payments by the UK to the EEC, pursuant to the estimates given in the public expenditure White Paper for each of the financial years from 1985 to 1988; and if he will also publish a table showing the net contributions by the UK in each of the calendar years from 1973 to 1984, respectively.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 June 1985, c. 222]: The calendar year is not an accounting period for purposes of UK expenditure and annual figures for UK net contributions by calendar year are available only in arrears. The figures for the UK's net contributions for the calendar years 1973 to 1983 and the latest estimate of outturn for 1984, at constant 1984 prices, are as follows:

£ million Net Total*
1973391
197497
1975-147
1976380
1977738
19781,481
19791,489
1980927
1981466
1982664
1983674
1984689
*Negative sign denotes a net receipt.
The figures given in the reply have been calculated in constant prices by use of the GDP deflator based on GDP in pounds sterling at 1984 average market prices. These figures are published in

Economic Trends.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the net contribution which the United Kingdom will make to the European Economic Community in 1986 in the event of the own resources of the Community being increased in accordance with the Fontainebleau agreement.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 June 1985, c. 222]: The public expenditure White Paper figures for 1985–86 and 1986–87 for our net contributions to European Community institutions were £750 million and £640 million respectively. These took account of the proposed increase in the VAT ceiling and the Fontainebleau abatement mechanism. As is usual, these estimates will be updated, taking account of all relevant factors, for publication in the Autumn Statement. Estimates of the United Kingdom's contributions are not produced on a forward calendar year basis as these are not an accounting period for the purposes of United Kingdom public exenditure. They are available, however, for past years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out an index for (a) the Community overall budget and (b) the Community agricultural budget for 1985 and each of the preceding four calendar years indexed against a 1985 index in each case of 100.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 June 1985, c. 222]: The information required comparing successive budgets since 1981 at 1985 prices is as follows:

Total Community Budget

Community Agricultural Budget

1985100·0100·0
1984100·794·9
198398·088·4
198292·169·6
198185·076·7

Note: The agricultural expenditure figures in the above table differ in two respects from those given by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in his reply of 20 June 1985, at column 214. That information concerned actual outturn expenditure and the index was based on current prices.