This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/budget-2017-live-latestpmqs-updates-philip-hammond-theresa-may-news-a7617421.html

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Budget 2017 live: Hammond signals economic gloom during Brexit years Budget 2017 live: Hammond's £2bn social care giveaway 'nowhere near enough'
(35 minutes later)
Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog of today’s Prime Minister’s Questions and the Chancellor’s 2017 Budget: Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog of today’s Prime Minister’s Questions and the Chancellor’s 2017 Budget: 
  
Chancellor Philip Hammond is delivering a Budget he insists will deliver a "brighter future" - but admitted growth forecasts from next year to 2020 have been cut.  
The Chancellor's announcement of an extra £2bn for social care over the next three years in the Budget provoked instant criticism from medics, academics and political opponents who say it is nowhere near enough to ease the crisis afflicting UK healthcare.
Delivering his first Budget, Philip Hammond admitted the social care system was "clearly under pressure" and said the extra cash would ease pressure on the NHS, which this winter suffered acute shortages of beds and pressure on accident and emergency departments.
In an attempt to tackle the problem, Mr Hammond announced an extra £1m for projects that will see GPs placed in hospitals to cut the number of patients who go to A&E when they could be cared for elsewhere.
At the beginning of his speech, the Chancellor also admitted growth forecasts from next year to 2020 have been cut.
Mr Hammond said the UK economy had "continued to confound the commentators" by delivering "robust growth".Mr Hammond said the UK economy had "continued to confound the commentators" by delivering "robust growth".
But the new statistics from the Office for Budget Responsibility show the British economy is now expected to grow at a slower rate than before the Brexit referendum, all the way through to EU withdrawal and beyond. But new statistics from the Office for Budget Responsibility show the British economy is now expected to grow at a slower rate than before the Brexit referendum, all the way through to EU withdrawal and beyond.
With Prime Minister Theresa May expected to start the formal Brexit process within weeks, Mr Hammond told the Commons: "As we start our negotiations to exit the European Union, this Budget takes forward our plan to prepare Britain for a brighter future; it provides a strong and stable platform for those negotiations."With Prime Minister Theresa May expected to start the formal Brexit process within weeks, Mr Hammond told the Commons: "As we start our negotiations to exit the European Union, this Budget takes forward our plan to prepare Britain for a brighter future; it provides a strong and stable platform for those negotiations."
He announced that mobile phone roaming charges outside the EU would be subject to VAT, a 20 per cent tax paid by the consumer - meaning mobile phone roaming bills will rise by 20 per cent.He announced that mobile phone roaming charges outside the EU would be subject to VAT, a 20 per cent tax paid by the consumer - meaning mobile phone roaming bills will rise by 20 per cent.
And he also revealed that a sugar tax would be introduced to fight rising rates of obesity.