Challenges for the 2004 Spending Review

The present government's aims include achieving 'world-class public services', eliminating child and pensioner poverty, and increasing the proportion of young people participating in higher education. Achieving these aims is likely to require continued increases in the level of funding for public services. This Briefing Note considers the options for public spending during the years of the forthcoming Spending Review 2004 (2005-06 to 2007-08), in light of what has already been announced and what we know about the government's priorities and past spending decisions.