1 Introduction
Our inquiry
1. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Alistair
Darling MP, delivered his first Pre-Budget Report on 9 October
2007.[1] In accordance
with our past practice, we have undertaken an inquiry into the
Pre-Budget Report. We held three evidence sessions in the fortnight
following the Pre-Budget Report—from outside experts on
15 October,[2] from Treasury
officials on 17 October and from the Chancellor of the Exchequer
on 25 October. We also received a range of written evidence, most
of which is published with this Report and the remainder of which
has been reported to the House and is available for public inspection.[3]
We are most grateful to all those who gave evidence.
Other relevant inquiries
2. The 2007 Pre-Budget Report was published alongside
the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review. We conducted our inquiry
into the 2007 Pre-Budget Report in parallel with an inquiry into
the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review. We are reporting separately
on issues relating to the Comprehensive Spending Review, including
child poverty.[4]
3. Some matters raised during evidence on the 2007
Pre-Budget Report were relevant to our inquiry on Climate change
and the Stern review: the implications for HM Treasury policy
on tax and the environment.[5]
We will examine these matters in more detail in our Report on
that inquiry.
1 HC Deb, 9 October 2007, cols 167-175; HM Treasury,
Meeting the aspirations of the British people: 2007 Pre-Budget
Report and Comprehensive Spending Review, October 2007, Cm
7227 (hereafter Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending
Review 2007) Back
2
Mr Robert Chote, Institute for Fiscal Studies, Ms Bridget Rosewell,
Volterra Consulting, Dr Martin Weale, National Institute of Economic
and Social Research, Professor Colin Talbot, Manchester Business
School, and Mr John Whiting, PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Back
3
For a list of published written evidence and a list of other evidence
reported to the House, and details of how such evidence may be
inspected, see p 42. Back
4
Treasury Committee, First Report of Session 2007-08, The 2007
Comprehensive Spending Review, HC 55 Back
5
"New inquiry: Climate change and the Stern review: the implications
for HM Treasury policy on tax and the environment", Treasury
Committee press notice 14, 14 December 2006 Back
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