Chancellor reveals new budget under coalition Government
‘June Budget 2010’ (HC 61) is the renewed fiscal document detailing urgent changes to axe the country’s deficit under the coalition government.
For the first time, the Government's monetary policy decisions have been based on independent forecasts for the economy and public finances. Urgent action will be taken to eliminate the bulk of the structural deficit through plans for additional consolidation of £40 billion per year.
Report examines independent Budget forecasts
Following the formation of the new coalition Government in May 2010, 'Examination of the Forecasts Prepared by the Interim Office for Budget Responsibility for the Emergency Budget 2010' (HC 142) reports on the Chancellor's launch of the interim Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to make independent assessments of the public finances and the economy.
To reflect the interim arrangements, the Comptroller and Auditor General was requested to undertake an examination to consider whether key economic and fiscal assumptions underpinning the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecasts were independently arrived at.
Payment to The Queen’s Civil List unchanged by Royal Trustees
In line with the Budget announced on 22 June 2010, the Chancellor revealed that payment to the Queen’s Civil List will remain at £7.9 million for the next calendar year.
In 'The Civil List Act 1972: Report of the Royal Trustees' (HC 140), the Royal Trustees recommend that expenditure in 2011 should be basically the same as in 2010, except that the one-off pension scheme deficit contribution in 2010 will not continue.
Bloody Sunday events outlined in Lord Saville’s report
The Saville Inquiry was the investigation set up to examine the tragic actions that occurred on 30 January 1972 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
On the day named Bloody Sunday, 13 people died after members of the British Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights marchers in the Bogside area.
Exceptional individuals awarded in the Queen’s 2010 birthday honours
In celebration of Her Majesty’s birthday, the Queen announced this year’s list of people who have made a positive impact in their professions and across communities.
'The London Gazette Birthday Honours List Supplement - June 2010' recognises individuals for many types of contributions in varying fields of work, including:
Hospitals are well-maintained by privately funded hospital contracts
The design, construction and management of privately funded National Health Service (NHS) hospitals is satisfactory or better, according to the National Audit Office.
Private Finance Initiative (PFI) hospital contracts, awarded and managed by local Trusts, ensure the upkeep of services including cleaning and catering and require buildings to be maintained in a specified condition. Currently there are 76 operational PFI contracts in England supported by the Department of Health.
HM Treasury outlines the Government’s upcoming spending review
Freedom, fairness and responsibility are the three main values leading the coalition Government’s plans to make fiscal cuts and reduce the country’s deficits to improve and encourage a stronger society.
Review of 30-year plan to double passengers on trains
'Increasing Passenger Rail Capacity: Department for Transport and the Office for Rail Regulation’ (HC 33), reports that the 30-year strategy set to increase rail passenger capacity in England and Wales will not deliver as first forecast.
By March 2014, The Department for Transport (DfT) initially intended to double the number of passengers travelling by train comfortably at peak time in London by 17% and 27% in other major cities, as well as to improve their safety and reliability.
Government funds help to increase renewable energy supply
The Government recognises that it is essential to expand renewable energy supplies in order to tackle a global environmental issue of climate change.
Between 2000 and 2009, Government-funded direct support for renewable energy technology was £265 million.
Department aims to reduce incapacity benefit claimants
By 2015, the Department for Work and Pensions aims to lower the number of people claiming incapacity benefits by one million, as ‘Support to Incapacity Benefits Claimants Through Pathways to Work’ (HC 21) reports.
The report suggests that the Department’s Pathways to Work scheme has had a limited effect on reducing the number of claimants and has turned out to provide poor value for money.