Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Heaton-Harris Excerpts
Tuesday 14th September 2010

(14 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Chris Heaton-Harris Portrait Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry) (Con)
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Has the Minister read last week’s interesting and very long speech—a state of the Union address—of the President of the European Commission, Mr Barroso? He calls for own resources to be raised by the European Union. What is the Government’s view and will this be subject to the referendum lock?

David Lidington Portrait Mr Lidington
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The President of the Commission made his comments in the context of the forthcoming negotiations about the new financial perspectives. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, who will be leading the Government in our approach to those negotiations, has made it clear that we will seek cuts in the European Union budget for the protection of the British rebate and no new European-level taxes.