Autumn Statement rescheduled for 5 December

The date of this year’s Autumn Statement has been changed, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer will now be providing his update on the government’s plans for the economy on Thursday 5 December, one day later than previously announced, reports Northampton Accountants Harris & Co.

George Osborne was originally scheduled to address Parliament on 4 December, but has delayed the speech for 24 hours so that Prime Minister David Cameron has time to return from a trade trip to China to attend.

Cameron’s Chinese visit, which the government has said is designed to ‘strengthen economic ties, was originally supposed to take place earlier in the year, but the invitation was withdrawn after it was made clear that the country’s top leadership would shun the prime minister on account of his decision to meet the Dalai Lama last year.

The Autumn Statement provides an update on the government’s plans for the economy based on the latest forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility, which will be published at the same time as the Chancellor’s speech on 5 December.

The Treasury’s Twitter feed will include all of the latest information on the Autumn Statement, and will be using #AS2013.