Danny Alexander. Photograph by Bob Bob
Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary of the Treasury has warned ministers in most government departments that they will have to cut a further 10% from their budgets for the year 2015/16 as they prepare for the spending review on 26th June.
This warning comes after Chancellor George Osborne announced in the Budget last week that he intended to cut a further £11.5 billion from public spending over the next three years. These warnings to ministers are not final, but the start of a negotiation process over their budgets.
These cuts will not affect the budget-protected departments of health, education, and international aid. Defence spending is also partially protected, with the equipment budget rising by 1% above inflation, and other MOD budgets being cut by just 5%.
Labour have criticised these cuts as reflecting the failure of the government to deliver economic growth, and failing to meet their targets of balancing the books.