Jeremy Hunt vows to 'stick to the plan' of reducing debt as new figures show the government borrowed £30bn less than expected in the financial year to date
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt
, who faces mounting pressure to give public sector workers pay rises, said it is "vital" that the government sticks to its plan of reducing debt. "We are rightly spending billions now to support households and businesses with the impacts of rising prices - but with debt at the highest level since the 1960s, it is vital we stick to our plan to reduce debt over the medium term," Mr Hunt said.
"Getting debt down will require some tough choices, but it is crucial to reduce the amount spent on debt interest so we can protect our public services."In January, payments to energy suppliers hit roughly £8bn as a result of the Government's price cap schemes. It also confirmed that the fourth round of payments under the energy bills support scheme - which paid £400 to households over six months to help cut their bills - cost a further £1.9bn.
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