IFS Online News

In this issue

Recent IFS analysis has highlighted the importance of the Government's forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review in shaping the political debate over "tax and spend" in the run-up to the next election.

The Budget pre-announced tough settlements for the Home Office and four other departments. It was also striking that the Chancellor laid much greater emphasis on education than the NHS - we calculate that if he wishes to increase education spending at the rate seen to date under Labour, he might have to reduce growth in health spending to rates much closer to those seen under the Conservatives than those of recent years.

Our analysis of the latest official Households Below Average Income statistics also showed that he would have to reduce child poverty half as quickly again over the next six years as over the past six years to meet his target. After the Budget, existing policies are likely to hold child poverty constant at best. We will be keeping a close eye on the evolution of the tax and spend debate over the coming months.

Robert Chote
Director

Budget 2006

The Chancellor made his Budget statement on Wednesday 22nd March 2006. On Thursday 23rd March, the day following the budget, the Institute for Fiscal Studies held a lunchtime briefing at the IFS offices in London. For further information, including presentation slides, please visit our 2006 Budget page.

Other recent publications

Working papers The economic consequences of being left-handed: some sinister results Kevin Denny and Vincent O'Sullivan, 28 March 2006 Product market reforms, labour market institutions and unemployment Rachel Griffith, Rupert Harrison and Gareth Macartney, 28 March 2006 Understanding pensions: cognitive function, numerical ability and retirement saving James Banks and Zoë Oldfield, 27 March 2006

Briefing notes and reports Poverty and inequality in Britain: 2006 Mike Brewer, Alissa Goodman, Jonathan Shaw and Luke Sibieta, 13 March 2006 How many lone parents are receiving tax credits? Mike Brewer and Jonathan Shaw, 12 March 2006 The effect of the working families’ tax credit on labour market participation Mike Brewer and James Browne, 24 February 2006

Research news

Newborns and new schools:critical times in women’s employment

This report presents the findings of research into how and when differences in work behaviour between men and women develop, focusing on the evolution of the gender gaps immediately after childbirth and during the initial years of family development.
Download report

Economists' walks