Chancellor

The annual attack on the stamp duty land tax and inheritance tax was launched today, with both the Halifax and John Charcol calling for the Chancellor to reform both ahead of his Pre-Budget report tomorrow.

The chancellor has promised to cut the amount of regulatory red tape imposed on British companies by a quarter, reports the Daily Telegraph .

The Chancellor has made two new appointments to the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).

The Chancellor has increased the Inheritance Tax threshold from £275,000 to £325,000 ensuring 90% of estates pay no tax.

Removal of tax breaks on direct investment in residential property and esoteric assets in Sipps has provoked a flood of comments from IFAs concerned about the effect on business and consumer confidence.

The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) is urging the Chancellor of the Exchequer to announce a review of the pensions and savings tax regime in his pre-budget report next month.

THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AUTHORITY has lost friends at the Treasury it seems - contrary to suggestions from the FSA last week - as the Chancellor has thrown his weight behind Tony Blair's criticism of the regulator, says this morning's Daily Telegraph...

FOLLOWING CRITICISM of the chancellor's spending review on Monday, the Guardian this morning says Brown expects to plug the gap thanks to an improvement in financial services and the revenue earned by city workers' huge bonuses.

Pension poverty in the UK will be "eliminated by 2010", says chancellor Gordon Brown thanks to the additional money it is spending on pensioners.

Funds are being taken from the capital modernisation fund to help finance an additional 120,000 childcare places by 2007-08.