 News
22nd March 2006
Brown deals budget for schools
Gordon Brown has pledged a large increase in school funding
as the basis for his tenth Budget.
In what many people believe will be Mr Brown's last budget, the Chancellor
described it as one "for Britain's future to secure fairness for each
child and invest in every child".
He told MPs his first step was to increase capital investment in state
schools to what it is in the private sector by 2011.
He added that his long-term aim was for state school pupils to get the
same quality of education as private pupils.
As expected, the Chancellor has also increased Child Tax Benefits with
low and middle income families benefitting from an increase to £88 per
week or £4,500 a year.
Child Benefit will also be raised to £17.45 a week from April.
Mr Brown has also pledged more money to the 1.5million children who already
have received Child Tax Funds. They stand to collect additional payments
of £250 when they turn 7 years old. Children from the poorest families
will receive an extra £500.
Petrol prices have been frozen until September but changes have been
made to car tax system.
Low emission vehicles have been rewarded with the announcement of zero
tax but he has targeted the most polluting vehicles with a £210 top car
tax rate.
There will be a zero rate for a "small number of cars with the very lowest
carbon emissions" and then rates of £40, £100, £125, £150, £190 up to
£210 for the "most-polluting" cars.
The usual annual inflation rise of 1p in duty will apply to a pint of
beer, but duty on cigarettes will rise 9p.
Duty on wine will also rise by 4p but will not be applied to Champagne
nor British sparkling wine.
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