LONDON, March 8 (Xinhua) -- British Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond on Wednesday unveiled his spring budget, raising taxes and revealing that Britain's public debt had fallen.
Hammond also said that the British economy is expected to grow 2 percent this year, and that public borrowing will be 16.4 billion pounds (20 billion U.S. dollars) lower than expected at the time of the last economic statement, in the autumn.
The Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR), the official independent statistics body, expects the economy to be the same size in 2021 as before, but the growth will be better in the near-term, and worse later on.
In addition, the expected budget deficit of 16.8 billion pounds in 2021/22 is little changed from the previously anticipated 17.2 billion pounds.
The stronger nature of growth in the wake of the Brexit vote and its continuance into 2017 is also reflected in the public sector borrowing figures, with borrowing for this financial year (2016/17) forecast to be 51.7 billion pounds (down from 68.2 billion pounds previously forecast).
Hammond said the British economy "continues to confound the commentators".
He added: "As we start our negotiations to exit the European Union, this budget takes forward our plan to prepare Britain for a brighter future. It provides a strong and stable platform for those negotiations."
Hammond hit self-employed workers with a tax blow, increasing their health insurance tax by 2 percent for low middle income earners and above. This will affect 2.5 million workers.
Improvements in tax collection would yield an extra 820 million pounds, said Hammond, including a tax on roaming telecom charges outside the European Union (EU) and, from July, a new financial penalty from professionals who use tax avoidance arrangements which are later unravelled by the government tax inspectors.
Hammond also announced that he would provide financial support to small businesses, setting aside 300 million pounds to help with business rates, and supporting 90 percent of pubs with a 1000 pound payment to help with rates.
Hammond's predecessor as chancellor George Osborne had launched the Northern Powerhouse, an initiative to rebuild the cities of northern England, and Hammond in his budget announced that he would launch a Midlands Engine Strategy, to support growth and development in the English midland cities, but further details were not announced.
Hammond said the government put increasing productivity "at the very heart of its economic plan" and put investment funding aside for research in science and technology.
This is Hammond's first and last spring budget. From now on, there will be one budget each year instead of the budget and autumn financial statement which has been the norm for some years. The next budget will be in the autumn.
2017年12月四级作文预测范文:为什么大家都在用微信
国际英语资讯:End of violence key to success of Libyan political settlement: official
梅根会见女王,哈里王子的婚事真要敲定了
研究报告:污染是世界第一大杀手
国际英语资讯:China Focus: Belt and Road Initiative boosts Canton Fair
国际英语资讯:Ukraine denies ex-Georgias president asylum request
贝嫂又曝奇葩吃法:生嚼咖啡豆能抑制酒瘾
碧昂斯拒演《美女与野兽》,原因也在情理之中
国际英语资讯:Bolivian president urges U.S. to commit to Paris accord
体坛英语资讯:Liang wins first gold for China, Coleman wins 100m world title at Doha worlds
The Flower Market 花卉市场
苏格兰新规禁止在人行道上停车 然而……
体坛英语资讯:Lazio players to wear Anne Frank jerseys after fans anti-semitism
划重点!十九大报告里面的这些数字要记牢[1]
国际英语资讯:U.S. urges immediate end of violence in Myanmars Rakhine State
American LaMar Baylor spends most of his time in New York City, 阅读理解答案
国际英语资讯:Nearly 590,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, children threatened by diseases: UN
想在职场更上层楼?来个每周回顾吧
国际英语资讯:WHO withdraws Mugabes goodwill ambassador title
Everybody loves to play board games sometimes, but it is surprising 阅读理解答案
2017英语六级作文备考范文:为了得高分多次参加考试
中国最有钱人都住哪?前10有你在的城市么
体坛英语资讯:Seeded players march on, Chinese duo bow out at China Open
国际英语资讯:Spanish Senate invites Catalan leader to speak later in week
国际英语资讯:Britain, EU within touching distance of a deal on citizen rights: May
国际英语资讯:Spotlight: EU gives green light to preparation for 2nd-phase Brexit talks amid Mays charm
When I Have Target 当我有了目标
常用不规则名词复数的用法测验
国际英语资讯:Japans ruling camp wins two-thirds majority in lower house election amid opposition splitt
国际英语资讯:Trump denies account of soliders widow over his condolence call
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |