Spending review set for 12th July
The Treasury has announced that the results of this year’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) will be published on 12th July.
The CSR sets “firm and fixed three-year Departmental Expenditure Limits”, with details announced by the Chancellor in the Commons. This year’s CSR will set new spending plans for 2006-07 and 2007-08, and will confirm the spending plans which were set for 2005-06 in the 2002 Spending Review.
As the last CSR before the general election, it is likely to draw the battle lines on both spending and efficiency savings.
Ministers have been working behind the scenes in an attempt to preserve their individual budgets, with David Blunkett believed to be appealing for money to fight terrorism and Alistair Darling requesting money for the railways.
Rumours in the media abound that the Chancellor is poised to cut military funding, although this has been dismissed by the Minister of Defence, and the Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon is expected to fight for more money and highlight the recent armed forces role in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Recent speeches from the Chancellor have stressed the need to create an “enterprise culture” in the UK, and this is expected to feature heavily in the review.
