§ Mr. BluntTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the extent of compliance with the golden rule until 1 June 2006 on the basis of his annual forecasts. [135347]
§ Mr. BoatengAs stated in Budget 2003
The projections for the public finances show that the Government is firmly on track to meet its strict fiscal rules over the economic cycle, including in the cautious case, and while meeting its international and public spending commitments: the average current budget since the start of the current cycle in 1999–2000 is comfortably in surplus, ensuring the Government remains on track to meet the golden rule, using cautious assumptions and in the cautious case".An interim forecast update will be published, as usual, in the Pre-Budget Report.