Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 28 January (HL12856), whether the €9.75 billion in pensions liabilities are part of the estimated £39 billion settlement or additional to it.

The financial settlement negotiated with the European Union includes the value of pensions liabilities incurred while a member state.

We have reached a fair financial settlement with the EU, honouring commitments we made during our period of membership, and have ensured a fair deal for UK taxpayers. The Government was able to secure a number of successes in negotiations that reduced the size of the settlement from what it might have been under the Commission’s original proposal including provisions that enable future simplifications for the period over which we pay for pensions.