Fontainebleau Agreement

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 9 Ebrill 1986.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Mr George Robertson Mr George Robertson , Hamilton 12:00, 9 Ebrill 1986

Is the Secretary of State aware that when the Fontainebleau agreement was brought back to the House its foundation was budget discipline? The Foreign Secretary now tells us that budget discipline is a battle without end. As the battle is being lost everywhere that it is being fought, and as the financial resources of the Community will run out probably when the Secretary of State takes over the chairmanship of the Council of Ministers, how long will the Fontainebleau basic agreement last? As our rebate is tied directly to the 1·4 per cent. VAT ceiling of the EEC, for how long will the rebate continue in existence while CAP surpluses continue to wreak havoc on the Community's budget?