At-a-glance guide to spending review
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Your support makes all the difference.Comprehensive Spending Review announcements at a glance:
Comprehensive Spending Review announcements at a glance:
- Public spending by Government departments to rise by £61 billion, from £240 billion this year to £301 billion by 2005–6, an annual increase in investment of 2.5% above inflation.
- Increased funding to be "tied" to reform and performance, with the publication of new public service agreements for all departments.
- National debt at 30.4% last year. Debt repayments next year to be the lowest since the First World War.
- Education budget to rise by 6% per year for the next three years, from £45 billion to £58 billion.
- Each "typical" secondary school to receive £165,000 direct payment next April and £180,000 the following two years. Primary schools to get £50,000 each year until 2005–6. Additional payments of £125,000 a year to 1,400 selected secondary schools.
- Educational maintenance allowances worth up to £1,500 a year for pupils staying on after 16 from September 2004.
- Transport budget to rise from £7.7 billion to £11.6 billion by 2005–6. Alistair Darling to consult on increased airport capacity.
- Home Office spending to increase to £13.5 billion to pay for 130,000 police officers, reform of asylum system, strengthening internal security.
- Defence budget to rise from £29.3 billion to £32.8 billion by 2005–6.
- UK aid for international development to rise from £3.3 billion to £4.9 billion.
- Real–terms increase of 105% in the housing budget, compared with 1997, with investment in low–cost housing in London and the South East.
- New integrated budget for child care and early–years learning, with a value of £1.5 billion by 2005–6.
- Councils to receive a real–terms annual increase of 4.2%.
- New inspection bodies to be created for health and social care, along with a reformed inspection regime for criminal justice and single housing inspectorate.
- Failing schools, colleges, local authorities and prisons to be dealt with "quickly and decisively" and could be taken over.
- Core recommendations of the Curry Report into sustainable farming to be implemented.
- A three–year fund of £125 million for voluntary groups.
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