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Embargoed until 11.00 am on Friday 4 February 2011 - First on-line Budget ideas portal launched today by the Chancellor
During a visit to a high-tech manufacturing firm in Cheltenham, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, launched the Government’s new online Budget portal. The portal allows anyone to send their ideas for the Budget direct to the desks of the Treasury officials working on the Budget, which will be held on 23 March 2011.
While visiting Ultra Electronics, the Chancellor said:
“I want to hear about your brightest and best ideas. Because next month’s Budget will be all about growth. In particular I want to know what businesses, large and small, want from me. Because it’s British businesses like the one I’m visiting today here in Cheltenham – a British high-tech and export success story - that will lead our recovery. So go on-line and tell me what you think.”
The portal is another example of the Government’s commitment to transparency in policy making. It will improve the way businesses, charities and the public sector can communicate with the Government.
It follows on from the October 2010 Spending Review, when over
100,000 members of the public went on line to submit suggestions
on how the Government could save money – such as the idea to stop
producing National Insurance cards, which will save £1 million a year.
PN 13/11
Notes to Editors
1. The online form and further guidance can be found on the
Treasury’s website http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget_representation.htm
2. It is recommended that representations are sent to HM
Treasury at least 3 weeks before the Budget
3. An automated thank you message will appear once
the form has been submitted. The Budget ideas will be sent
directly to the Treasury’s Budget Team, which has overall
responsibility for helping the Chancellor draw up the Budget.
4. The Spending Review Challenge, launched in July 2010,
invited public sector workers and the public to suggest money
saving ideas ahead of the Spending Review, announced in October
2010. Amongst the 100,000 suggestions submitted were a number of
ideas taken up. In addition to ending National Insurance cards,
these included new travel policies for civil servants saving £100m
a year, and making greater use of electronic records to cut the
costs of Criminal Record Bureau checks for junior doctors, saving
£1 million a year.
5. Ultra Electronics operates at 14 locations across the UK.
Its Cheltenham site, which the Chancellor visited, is one of its
principal high-tech manufacturing sites, specialising in cockpit
systems for military aircraft and components for military
vehicles. 25% of its revenue comes from the UK. More than 50%
comes from sales in North America, 13% from the Middle East and 9%
from Europe.
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Correspondence and Enquiry Unit on
020 7270 4558 or by e-mail
to public.enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk
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Contacts:
HM Treasury Press Office
Phone: 020 7270 4558
NDS.HMT@coi.gsi.gov.uk
HM Treasury Press Office (Media)
Phone: 020 7270 5238
NDS.HMT@coi.gsi.gov.uk
