Forum Topic

Spending Review predictions?

What cuts to government departments are we going to have next Wednesday?  What cuts should Mr Osbourne make?  What cuts do we deserve?Personally, I'd love to see drastic cuts in overseas aid to so-called developing countries.  Anyone agree?

Gerry Tan ● 4665d10 Comments

Yes Chris but ask the police,fire service etc. whether they think the cuts are 'savage' or not.We give far more in aid as a %of gdp than most if not all other countries I think.USA .19%,Russia .03%.This is a good thing in a sense,but we need to be sure it reaches the people we want it to reach,which is often not possible.

Keith Iddon ● 4662d

Let's get this in perspective - the "savage" cuts represent a reduction of around 1.6% on the level of current government expenditure.Against a backdrop of many organisations making reductions of up to 25% on Opex over the last 3 years the only sensible conclusion is that very little cutting has actually taken place. Efficiency savings of 3% a year should be in place anyway so the 1.6% "cut" basically means that the rate of efficiency improvement in the public sector is still just over half that achieved year on year by other sectors.

Chris Martin ● 4662d

Tony,I think it's the rise from .56% of gdp to .7% that sticks in the craw,especially at a time when soldiers are being dumped,police/ambulance and fire brigades being down sized and hospital waiting lists lengthening blah blah...the actual amount we give has risen from about 8.5 billlion to 12 billion.I object to India receiving any as it is booming and if there is poverty and inequality there they should tax the rich to allieviate it.(Your scenario may well be ok).Any country such as Pakistan which puts nuclear weaponry development above the needs of its people should also be crossed off the list imo.I don't mind giving aid,although Nelson Mandela himself said that it is often counter productive as it a dis-incentive to change and also you might just be buying a tyrant another Lear jet.

Keith Iddon ● 4662d

Unfortunately, as I understand it, the overseas aid budget is ring-fenced, so we won't be seeing any cuts in that.I fail to understand why we are giving around a quarter of a billion to India when, as somebody on radio 4 said earlier this morning, "they have a grand prix and a space program"!  To which one might add - and a nuclear program.OTOH, I always thought that any aid given was always by way of goods and services purchased from the aid-giving country.  So really it's not aid so much as a kind of backdoor subsidy to certain UK businesses.  I would welcome any corrections to this perspective if I am wrong.

Tony Colliver ● 4662d

Maybe, but I wonder what thoughts Mr Osbourne has on our need for  nuclear subs, aircraft carriers and state-of-the-art aircraft - I mean its not as if we're a world leading power!

Gerry Tan ● 4662d

As far as I recall, the UK has committed to increase the overseas aid budget up to 0.7% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).This was a Labour promise adopted whole-heartedly by both sides of the coalition government.The last figures I saw showed that the majority of our money is not given away so much as allocated to projects and schemes.  I doubt that detail makes much difference to final outcomes.As far as this goes then, Mr Osborne would seem to have thought about future spending and made a firm decision.

Phil Kay ● 4662d

Cuts are very frustrating. Nobody likes cuts. Re the Spending Review(which doesn't happen for a few years yet) - by all means "ring-fence" Health and Education but do we really need to give millions away to so-called developing countries?  I don't think so. Mr Osbourne better think hard and deep about future spending. Otherwise I might turn towards Mr Balls. And do not borrow and spend any more - enough is enough! I don't want my children and grandchildren to have any more of my debt.

Gerry Tan ● 4662d

Giving aid to overseas developing countries is all very well, but not to the extent given when so much need is necessary now with unemployment, homelessness, child cruelty, poverty and general distress in the UK. The spending review should address this situation. The exchequer needs to demonstrate more fairness and balance in his priorities imo.

Gerry Tan ● 4664d

I would love to see all overseas aid channelled through registered agencies who have 'feet on the street' dedicated towards the people in need not into the pockets of despots or dictators.Bill Gates has a superb model in supporting vaccination and education. When interviewed recently his remarks were along the line of 'funding teachers not dictators' and his trust arranges the direct supply of vaccines and people to administer them thus neatly cutting out the 'middle men' who could profit from such activity.

Nigel Brooks ● 4665d

We should only give aid when it is Requested ,Needed , and Afforded. ALL AID IS NOT CHARITY. The public purse and the treasury of a nation is meant for the Politicians to use for its own nationals,and in its own Peoples interests when there is general consent by the tax-payers.That is broadly how I see it.

Os A Whittle ● 4665d