BUDGET 2002: Keep track of the chancellor
Chancellor Gordon Brown will deliver his sixth, and arguably, most crucial Budget speech at 3:30pm this afternoon - with taxpayers likely to foot the bill for an increase in spending on the beleaguered NHS.
With Brown looking to raise in excess of £5bn to fund improvements at the NHS, an increase in the rate of VAT to as high as 20% might also be on the cards
AccountancyAge.com will provide a comprehensive news service as soon as Brown steps up to speak, followed by analysis and comment later in the day, and a Budget round up.
Other major announcement expected include:
- significant measures to help Britain’s entrepreneurial sector with the Big Four banks in the firing line with regard to how they service their SME clients.
- a levy placed on European air travel – a move that could spell the end of cheap short-distance flying.
- a 10p charge made to supermarkets on carrier bags