Article 4PJNB Spending review 2019: the chancellor's key points at a glance

Spending review 2019: the chancellor's key points at a glance

by
Richard Partington
from on (#4PJNB)

Sajid Javid is delivering his spring statement - here are the main points, with political analysis

" Sajid Javid announces 2bn for Brexit delivery next year. There will be more support for business readiness and to prepare Britain's ports for a no-deal Brexit.

Richard Partington, economics correspondent: Economists including those from the Resolution Foundation have warned that Javid would break the Conservatives' spending rules.

Under the current rules, national debt must fall as a percentage of GDP, while borrowing as a percentage of national output, adjusted for economic fluctuations, must remain below 2% of GDP. The government must also produce a balanced budget by the mid-2020s.

Jamie Grierson, home affairs correspondent: Boris Johnson kicked off his premiership with promises to tackle the scourge of crime on the streets of Britain by boosting the number of police officers. The recruitment drive simply restores some of the 20,000-plus officers cut since 2010.

Patrick Butler, social policy editor: The extra money for social care is the bare minimum councils have suggested was required to stop parts of the adult social care system in England from collapsing over the next few months. With this sticking plaster applied, focus will now turn to the government's overdue longer-term plans to reform social care funding.

Sally Weale, education correspondent: The government knows it has a problem with schools, which lost it a significant number of votes at the last election. Boris Johnson will be hoping he has done enough with this pledge to head off further protests. There are already concerns that schools in Tory rural and marginal constituencies will benefit most, ahead of those in deprived areas.

Gwyn Topham, transport correspondent: Details are to follow, Javid said, but the Great British bus might remain a wheel or two short. The government has averaged 250m a year investment, along with about 1bn to help subsidise free bus passes, but bus routes have shrunk as indirect funding, via cash-starved councils, has dried up.

For context, another 200m is around 60% of the bill Transport for London faced for Boris Johnson's controversial double-deckers alone. Trials of on-demand services are already under way, while the government gave a 48m grant a few months ago to help operators around the country buy low-emission buses.

Dan Sabbagh, defence and security editor: Defence had been tipped to be one of the losers in the spending round in early briefings, but the prime minister intervened, markedly raising the proposed increase from about 800m. That allows Boris Johnson to stay onside with Donald Trump, who has been repeatedly lobbying for Nato countries to increase their defence spending.

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