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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| NI budget 'could face £100m cut' | NI budget 'could face £100m cut' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has said he is worried that the Northern Ireland bloc grant could be slashed in Alistair Darling's budget cuts. | Finance Minister Sammy Wilson has said he is worried that the Northern Ireland bloc grant could be slashed in Alistair Darling's budget cuts. |
| The Chancellor has begun delivering his pre-Budget report. | |
| Mr Wilson said the Chancellor had already said he would be looking for £3bn worth of government efficiencies. | Mr Wilson said the Chancellor had already said he would be looking for £3bn worth of government efficiencies. |
| He said that Northern Ireland would bear "a proportion of that" and that if it was on a pro rata basis this would amount to about £100m. | He said that Northern Ireland would bear "a proportion of that" and that if it was on a pro rata basis this would amount to about £100m. |
| "If you are told your bloc grant is going to be reduced by that amount of money then you've got to find it: this will not be negotiable with the Treasury," he said. | "If you are told your bloc grant is going to be reduced by that amount of money then you've got to find it: this will not be negotiable with the Treasury," he said. |
| The Chancellor's statement will set the tone for the economic debate in the run-up to the election - which must be held by next June. | |
| In his statement to MPs, the chancellor is expected to unveil a one-off 50% tax on bank bonuses, inheritance tax changes and a boiler scrappage scheme | In his statement to MPs, the chancellor is expected to unveil a one-off 50% tax on bank bonuses, inheritance tax changes and a boiler scrappage scheme |
| He will also detail what savings are required across Government departments. | He will also detail what savings are required across Government departments. |
| WHAT IS THE PRE-BUDGET REPORT? Each year the chancellor delivers two reports to MPs, updating them on the state of the economy and planned fiscal changes. | WHAT IS THE PRE-BUDGET REPORT? Each year the chancellor delivers two reports to MPs, updating them on the state of the economy and planned fiscal changes. |
| The pre-Budget report (PBR) takes place in the autumn with the Budget each spring. | The pre-Budget report (PBR) takes place in the autumn with the Budget each spring. |
| This year's PBR will be Mr Darling's third since he became chancellor in June 2007 and, with an election imminent, his most important. | This year's PBR will be Mr Darling's third since he became chancellor in June 2007 and, with an election imminent, his most important. |
| You can watch BBC TWO's pre-Budget report special - together with text commentary and expert analysis and reaction on the BBC website from 1130 to 1430 GMT | You can watch BBC TWO's pre-Budget report special - together with text commentary and expert analysis and reaction on the BBC website from 1130 to 1430 GMT |
| Economic challenges for the parties Nick Robinson's view | Economic challenges for the parties Nick Robinson's view |
| Cutting | Cutting |
| Employment and Learning minister Sir Reg Empey said that demand for the services his department were providing was going up because of rising unemployment. | Employment and Learning minister Sir Reg Empey said that demand for the services his department were providing was going up because of rising unemployment. |
| "If we have to start cutting that will effect the service we can deliver - that's inevitable," he said. | "If we have to start cutting that will effect the service we can deliver - that's inevitable," he said. |
| Northern Ireland has traditionally had a larger reliance on the public sector than the rest of the UK. | Northern Ireland has traditionally had a larger reliance on the public sector than the rest of the UK. |
| Alliance Economy spokesman Stephen Farry said that this may prove to be an Achilles' heel for the local economy. | Alliance Economy spokesman Stephen Farry said that this may prove to be an Achilles' heel for the local economy. |
| "Whenever there have been recessions in the past this has been a cushion that has seen us through the difficulties, for example in the early 90s when the UK went through a recession Northern Ireland didn't," he said. | "Whenever there have been recessions in the past this has been a cushion that has seen us through the difficulties, for example in the early 90s when the UK went through a recession Northern Ireland didn't," he said. |
| "But this time because we are potentially seeing cuts in public spending to pay off the debt this becomes a very doubled-edged sword." | "But this time because we are potentially seeing cuts in public spending to pay off the debt this becomes a very doubled-edged sword." |