Osborne: DECC has agreed spending cuts

Chancellor George Osborne today revealed the Department of Energy and Climate Change is one of seven to agree to take an axe to its spending so far. As part of […]

Chancellor George Osborne today revealed the Department of Energy and Climate Change is one of seven to agree to take an axe to its spending so far.

As part of its Comprehensive Spending Review due in June, the Government wants to cut £11.5billion out of the budget for 2015/16.

In an interview this morning, Mr Osborne said: “Seven Government departments have agreed provisionally to cuts of up to 10%.”

The Conservative MP declared the spending decision is about making “choices”: “The choices of the kind of country we want to live in, where we spend our money, particularly when money is tight,” he told BBC Breakfast.

He said the “tough decision” meant to trim the deficit would, however, protect money for the NHS and schools.

The Treasury would not confirm how much spending DECC will slash to appease the Chancellor’s demands.

A spokesman told ELN: “We haven’t set out individual departments’ situations, we’ll say that on 26 June. We have said we’ve got £1billion towards our £11.5bn, that’s more than 20% towards our targets.”

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