The UK has paid £2.3bn to the EU after losing a long-running trade dispute, with the amount including £1bn in interest, which leave many aghast as the UK is battling a cost of living crisis.
The government announced the figure in a Written Ministerial Statement before recess next week.
The chief secretary to the Treasury, John Glen, confirmed the payment in a written statement to the Commons.
“Whilst the UK has now left the European Union and this is a legacy matter from before our departure, the government is keen to resolve this long-running case once and for all and is committed to fulfilling its international obligations,” he told MPs.
China
The payments relate to a disagreement over the importation of Chinese textiles and footwear between 2011 and 2017
At the time of the offences the UK was still part of the European Union.
Asked if the bill was a good use of taxpayer money, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “It is a legacy issue from our time as part of the EU.
“The payment brings a long-running case to an end and protects UK taxpayers from the risk of further legal proceedings and a potentially bigger bill – so it was the right thing to do.
“Now we are out of the EU and can make our own laws.”
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