In the Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced that there will be a £10.1 billion annual budget surplus by 2020, with growth forecast to be 2.4% this year and similar levels being maintained up to the end of the decade. Furthermore, due to revised economic figures from the Office of Budget Responsibility, showing a £27 billion improvement in the UK finances over this parliament, the Chancellor scrapped changes to Tax Credits all together.
Speaking from Westminster this afternoon Mr Evans said,
“Today’s Autumn Statement delivers economic security to the people of the Ribble Valley. It takes the difficult decisions that are necessary for us to live within our means and pay down our debts, defend our country’s interests abroad and keep our citizens safe at home.
I am particularly pleased that police funding has been protected and there will be no cuts to the police budget at all. Following this announcement I am writing to Clive Grunshaw, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire, to ask him to ensure that police services in the Ribble Valley are protected.
When this Government took office five years ago, it faced a job of rescuing Britain. It is now facing up to the task of rebuilding Britain through sound finances and strong defence, and ensuring that Britain becomes the most prosperous and secure of all the major nations of the world.
Today’s Autumn Statement is good news for the Ribble Valley.”