To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what remit he has given to the National Audit Office when asking them to report on the economic assumptions underlying last November's Budget. [2165]

In order to assist the Government in preparing their forecast of the public finances, the National Audit Office has been invited to review the assumptions adopted for economic growth, unemployment and interest rates and the conventions used for projecting proceeds from privatisation and from "spend to save" expenditure measures. A report will be published before the Budget.