Budget date announced as 24 March

Gordon Brown has announced the Budget will be in two weeks on Wednesday 24 March.

The Budget will be six weeks ahead of the expected general election penned for 6 May the BBC reported.

Chancellor Alistair Darling said he was "absolutely committed" to reduce the UK's deficit and to reduce borrowing from its forecast peak of £178bn this year

Prime minister Gordon Brown, in a speech in London this morning, said the Budget will be used to outline public sector effiency savings.

"We will set out in more detail…how we deliver on our commitment to restore the public finances while protecting the fundamental public services that we all depend on," said Brown.

He talked of "forcing all government departments to make real and lasting efficiency savings" and of extending the pay freeze to include senior civil servants, generals, judges, NHS managers and consultants, GPs and dentists.