To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the size of the UK’s next part-annual sum for payment to the European Union budget is. (277092)

The UK makes its contributions to the EC budget twice monthly. The Government’s latest forecast of UK net contributions to the EC budget over the period 2007-08 to 2010-11 were published in table C9 (page 238) of the 2009 Budget (HC 407).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual administrative cost to his Department of making the payment of the UK’s gross contribution to the EU budget. (277213)

The Treasury does not make estimates of the administration costs involved in making this payment.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate of the UK’s (a) (i) gross and (ii) net EU budget contributions and (b) direct contributions to other EU institutions and funds in 2009-10 (A) was estimated to be in 2007 and (B) is estimated now at the pound’s current exchange rate. (277219)

The 2008 European Community Finances White Paper, using estimates from 2007-08, estimated the gross contribution to the EC budget for 2009-10 to be £15.55 billion. A current estimate for gross contribution to the EC budget for 2009-10 will be published in the forthcoming 2009 European Community Finances White Paper. The 2007 pre-Budget report estimated the net contribution to the EC budget for 2009-10 to be £5.7 billion, and net payments to EC institutions to be £4.8 billion. The 2009 Budget estimated the net contribution to the EC budget for 2009-10 to be £4.1 billion, and net payments to EC institutions to be £3.3 billion.

Payments are not made directly to EU funds. These are covered in payments made to the EC budget. It should be noted that the pound’s exchange rate is only one of a range of factors affecting the level of UK contributions to the EC budget.