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European Council: 15–16 December 2005

My Lords, does the Minister agree with the figures in the Times this morning? They are that, at present, we pay £25 billion net to the European Union over a seven-year period but, under this agreement, we will pay £42 billion in the seven-year period. That is £6 billion a year, and a net increase of £2.5 billion every year for the next seven years. Does she also agree that the British people, who are very generous, look askance at paying this extra money when their infrastructure is going into a state of decrepitude and our workers are being asked to work until they are 67?