Cuts in Council Spending

BBC political editor Nick Robinson says: The chancellor has just announced cuts in council spending by over a quarter over four years. He also announced that he was removing ring-fenced grants. It reminds me of the old Whitehall saying "Governments with money centralise and claim the credit; those without decentralise and spread the blame"

Ministry of Justice cuts

The Ministry of Justice cuts announced mean that its budget will fall from around £9.5 billion to £7 billion over four years.

This is a huge cut and will be dependant on ministers achieving changes to sentencing, prisons and legal aid funding.

budget news - social housing rents

Terms for existing social housing tenants and their rent will be unchanged, with new tenants offered intermediate rents at around 80% of the market rent. The chancellor forecasts this will allow the building of up to 150,000 new affordable homes over four years.

Ministry of Justice faces cuts of 14,000 full-time staff

The BBC's Danny Shaw says a leaked memo from the Ministry of Justice, dated 14 October, says the department faces cuts of 14,000 full-time staff - with most of this coming on the front line, where 11,000 posts will go. Most of the cuts in the first two years, it adds.