Public spending figures a boost for Brown
Good news for chancellor ahead of Budget speech
Figures released by the Office of
National Statistics for February have revealed that UK public spending is in
an even healthier state – with a surplus of £2bn up from £1.6bn for the same
month in 2006.
This means
Gordon
Brown will be able to say that he will meet his economic predictions for the
year to April when he delivers his Budget speech later today.
Public sector net borrowing, which includes capital investment, showed a fall
in monthly borrowing to £1bn from £1.7bn in 2006.
Net debt rose to £483.5bn from £447.7bn, equalling 36.2% of
gross domestic
product.
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