Comment on the forecasts for the UK Public Finances as set out in the Red Book - the UK Government's Budget Statement

INTRODUCTION The Red Book Once annually, on Budget Day, the Chancellor of the Exchequer delivers The Budget statement in the House of Commons. Due to the nature of The Budget Statement, and both its direct and indirect effects upon business, trading and finance, the content of the Chancellor's statement is kept in strict confidence until public release. However, in an unorthodox move by the present Chancellor in November of 1999, a "Pre-Budget Report" (known as the "…showed first 75 words of 3203 total…

…showed last 75 words of 3203 total…Report HC Paper 346 The 1999 Financial Statement Budget Report HC Paper 298 The 1998 Financial Statement Budget Report HC Paper 620 House of Commons Information Bulletin Bulletin No. 49 HM Treasury's - Budget Informationvarious fact-sheets, press notices and support materials National Audit Office - Online Databasevarious fact-sheets, press notices and support materials Financial Times Newspapervarious articles and reviews of the FSBR Financial Times Internet Online F.A.Q. (FTIO FAQ)various fact-sheets Principles of EconomicsChrystal & Lipsey Oxford University Press