10 April 2012
George Osborne may cut down the November mini-Budgets favoured by Gordon Brown.
The Tory Chancellor is considering cancelling the Pre-Budget Report in favour of a shorter statement focusing mainly on fresh economic and borrowing forecasts.
No decisions have been taken but Mr Osborne thinks that PBRs were largely unnecessary and existed principally to satisfy the former Labour chancellor's desire to dominate domestic policy with an extra Budget.
Next month's spending review will also map out key spending decisions for the next five years, cutting down the need for announcements.
Some form of statement is necessary because the Treasury is legally obliged to give updated figures on growth and borrowing to parliament twice a year.
