The 2007 Budget

Contains the Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Message of the President and information on the President's budget and management priorities, and budget overviews organized by agency.

This report looks at Budget 2007. The federal budget presented by Canada's Conservative government includes tax and spending measures, and aims to restore the "fiscal balance."

This report is in four main sections: the first looks at the state of the economy, the second examines public finances, the third covers tax measure s, and the fourth miscellaneous issues such as the Girshon programme of efficiency savings and the Comprehensive Spending Review. It is based on evidence sessions: from outside experts, Treasury officials, and the Chancellor as well as written submissions and is published before the Second Reading of the Finance Bill..

The Budget sets out the Government's plans for taxation, public spending and economic growth for the coming year. It focuses on providing support for pensioners and families, increasing employment opportunities and protecting the environment. Measures announced in the 2007 Budget include: basic rate of income tax to be reduced from 22 pence to 20 pence from April 2008; higher rate income tax threshold to be raised by £800 a year in April 2009; Working Tax Credit threshold to be increased by £1200 to £6420 in April 2008; higher personal allowances for those aged 65 or over to be raised by £1180 in April 2008; Child Tax Credit to be increased by £150 per year in April 2008 and Child Benefit for the eldest child to be raised to £20 a week in April 2010; headline Corporation Tax to be lowered from 30 per cent to 28 per cent from April 2008; increase of 2 pence per litre in fuel duty rates from 1 October 2007; changes to Vehicle Excise Duty for the next three years, with rates for the most polluting cars rising to £400 and for clean cars falling to £35; duty on beer and cider rises to 1p a pint, 5p for wine, 11p for cigarettes; Inheriatnce Tax threshold will rise from £285,000 to £350,000 in 2010; ISA savings limit up from £3,000 to £3,600; measures to improve energy efficiency of all homes by the end of the next decade.