To ask Her Majesty's Government why Turkey is being paid €900 million in pre-accession funds between 2007 and 2013; and how much the United Kingdom will contribute to these funds.

The European Commission funds an assistance programme in candidate and pre-candidate countries to support them to carry out the reforms needed to progress towards EU membership. Accession negotiations with Turkey opened in 2005 and have made steady progress. Turkey needs to fully implement the new constitutional package, which includes reforms to the judiciary and military, as well as implementing sustainable reforms in areas relating to financial services, free movement of goods and the customs union. Pre-accession assistance to Turkey is funded from the EU budget to which the UK contributes approximately 15 per cent. The UK believes Turkey's membership of the EU would strongly benefit the EU and UK, contributing to our future security, stability and prosperity.