Budget 2014: Other Announcements

The Chancellor George Osborne has now commended his Budget 2014 statement to the House of Commons. Here, we list some of the highlights from his speech.

• Air travel: from 2015, all long haul flights will carry the same, lower, band B tax rate and the tax charge on private jets is increased; there will be Government start-up support for new routes from regional airports

• Scottish independence: the OBR has downgraded its forecasts for North Sea oil and gas tax receipts by £3bn, which the Chancellor said was a reminder of “how precarious the budget of an independent Scotland would be.”

• Right to Build: there will be £150m of Government support for people who want to build their own homes

• Flood defences: there will be £140m of additional money for flood defence repair and maintenance

• Ebbsfleet Garden City: was confirmed, with a commitment to build 15,000 new homes

• Mersey Gateway Bridge: £270 million guaranteed for this project.