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Tories make Nat Insurance pledge Tories make Nat Insurance pledge
(10 minutes later)
The Tories have outlined plans to block some of next year's planned National Insurance rises.The Tories have outlined plans to block some of next year's planned National Insurance rises.
Shadow chancellor George Osborne said the plan would benefit anyone earning up to £45,400, although the new rate would apply to higher earners.Shadow chancellor George Osborne said the plan would benefit anyone earning up to £45,400, although the new rate would apply to higher earners.
Describing it as "a tax on jobs and the middle classes", he said seven out of 10 workers would be better off by the change if the Tories won the election.Describing it as "a tax on jobs and the middle classes", he said seven out of 10 workers would be better off by the change if the Tories won the election.
Labour say National Insurance is one of many Tory plans as yet unfunded.Labour say National Insurance is one of many Tory plans as yet unfunded.
Mr Osborne said the Tories had identified £6bn of savings that could be made by government departments in 2010.Mr Osborne said the Tories had identified £6bn of savings that could be made by government departments in 2010.
Any money saved in the Departments of Health and International Development would be re-invested in frontline spending and the Ministry of Defence budget would remain unchanged this year, he added.Any money saved in the Departments of Health and International Development would be re-invested in frontline spending and the Ministry of Defence budget would remain unchanged this year, he added.
Last week, Labour identified £11bn of savings, but said they aimed to implement them by 2012-13. Last week, Labour identified £11bn of savings, but said they aimed to implement them by 2012-13 and warned of the dangers of making cuts too soon.
'Political own goal''Political own goal'
In the party's first major tax-cutting pledge in the run-up to the election expected on 6 May, the Tories announced they would pay for the billions of pounds in lost National Insurance by cancelling some projects in this financial year while pledging to reduce waste and cut the cost of procurement.In the party's first major tax-cutting pledge in the run-up to the election expected on 6 May, the Tories announced they would pay for the billions of pounds in lost National Insurance by cancelling some projects in this financial year while pledging to reduce waste and cut the cost of procurement.
That would result in an immediate cut to the budget deficit, they said.That would result in an immediate cut to the budget deficit, they said.
Mr Osborne described the planned rise in NI contributions as "the economics of the madhouse" and said it would lead to job losses and hinder the recovery. Mr Osborne described the planned rise in NI contributions as "the economics of the madhouse".
He said that under Tory moves employees earning between £7,100 and £45,400 would be saved up to £150 a year. Employers would also pay less in NI than under government plans. "Labour will kill the recovery with their tax on jobs," he said. "We will cut Labour waste to stop it.
"No-one can seriously argue that tackling waste is somehow going to damage the economy."
They have entirely lost sight of cutting the deficit Liam ByrneChief Secretary to the TreasuryThey have entirely lost sight of cutting the deficit Liam ByrneChief Secretary to the Treasury
Mr Osborne said that under Tory moves employees earning up to £35,000 would be spared the increase by raising the threshold at which they start paying NI by £24 a week and raising the upper earnings limit for contributions by £29 a week.
He said that as a result, relative to Labour's plans, employees earning between £7,100 and £45,400 would be saved up to £150 a year.
Those earning more than £45,400 would see the proposed National Insurance increase come in as planned by Labour, the Tories added.
Employers would also pay less in NI than under Labour plans.
The threshold at which employers start making contributions would rise by £21 a week, a move Mr Osborne said would save them up to £150 for every person they employ relative to Labour.
Chancellor Alistair Darling announced two 0.5% increases in National Insurance to take effect in April 2011 - one in his 2008 pre-Budget report and one in 2009.Chancellor Alistair Darling announced two 0.5% increases in National Insurance to take effect in April 2011 - one in his 2008 pre-Budget report and one in 2009.
They are central to the government's plans to cut the budget deficit.They are central to the government's plans to cut the budget deficit.
'Control recruitment'
Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Philip Hammond said the Tories had identified five immediate steps that could be taken to save £6bn in public sector costs in 2010-11:Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Philip Hammond said the Tories had identified five immediate steps that could be taken to save £6bn in public sector costs in 2010-11:
  • Halt spending on major new IT projects and cancel any existing ones that were not worth completing
  • Negotiate significant cost reductions in the contracts held by government departments with major suppliers
  • Control recruitment by closing some back office and support roles when they become empty
  • Cut back on discretionary spending such as expenses, travel, consultancy and office consumables
  • Reduce public sector property costs by vacating space and cutting the running costs of buildings
  • Halt spending on major new IT projects and cancel any existing ones that were not worth completing
  • Negotiate significant cost reductions in the contracts held by government departments with major suppliers
  • Control recruitment by closing some back office and support roles when they become empty
  • Cut back on discretionary spending such as expenses, travel, consultancy and office consumables
  • Reduce public sector property costs by vacating space and cutting the running costs of buildings
Mr Osborne said "not a single penny" of the £6bn "will come from the frontline services that people depend on".Mr Osborne said "not a single penny" of the £6bn "will come from the frontline services that people depend on".
He claimed the chancellor scored a political own goal in this month's Budget, when he announced there were billions to be saved in so-called efficiencies, whilst insisting it would be wrong to spend less now.He claimed the chancellor scored a political own goal in this month's Budget, when he announced there were billions to be saved in so-called efficiencies, whilst insisting it would be wrong to spend less now.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the Tories' opponents would say "pledging lower taxes whilst cutting the deficit faster can only be paid for by dramatic cuts in spending which they've so far refused to spell out".BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the Tories' opponents would say "pledging lower taxes whilst cutting the deficit faster can only be paid for by dramatic cuts in spending which they've so far refused to spell out".
That argument is likely to feature when Mr Osborne, Mr Darling and Liberal Democrat economics spokesman Vince Cable go head-to-head on Monday night in a live debate on Channel 4.That argument is likely to feature when Mr Osborne, Mr Darling and Liberal Democrat economics spokesman Vince Cable go head-to-head on Monday night in a live debate on Channel 4.
This could trigger an intriguing political role reversal Nick RobinsonBBC political editor Read Nick's thoughts in fullThis could trigger an intriguing political role reversal Nick RobinsonBBC political editor Read Nick's thoughts in full
Hitting back at the Conservatives' plans, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liam Byrne, said: "They [the Conservatives] have entirely lost sight of cutting the deficit.Hitting back at the Conservatives' plans, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liam Byrne, said: "They [the Conservatives] have entirely lost sight of cutting the deficit.
"Rather than making more promises he can't afford, the test for George Osborne is to tell people how he'll pay for the ones he's got.""Rather than making more promises he can't afford, the test for George Osborne is to tell people how he'll pay for the ones he's got."
In January, two business groups urged the government to scrap the rise in national insurance, arguing it could endanger the economic recovery.In January, two business groups urged the government to scrap the rise in national insurance, arguing it could endanger the economic recovery.
The British Chambers of Commerce and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) said business would suffer from the extra financial burden which will hit any upturn in the labour market.The British Chambers of Commerce and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) said business would suffer from the extra financial burden which will hit any upturn in the labour market.