The Spending Review has confirmed what many expected in terms of large increases in resources for many public services. The Budget had already told us how far the overall spending envelope would grow, and has laid out a very generous settlement for the NHS ֠with real increases averaging at 7.4% per year through until 2006.

This week's statement from the chancellor announced the other big winners. Transport receives 8.4%, international development gains 8.1% and education gets an average real spending growth of 5.8% over the next three years. There were also more modest increases for defence (1.2%), the environment (2.7%) and housing (4.1%).