Rachel Reeves demands real-time public spending data

Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is pushing for greater transparency in government spending. She has asked other government departments to provide real-time updates on their public spending before the spring statement scheduled for next week. Reeves wants this data to be easily accessible. The aim is to help the government save billions of pounds. Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury, announced that the department is investing in new software and artificial intelligence (AI) to support this initiative. He emphasized that taxpayers deserve to see how their money is being spent. The idea of tracking government spending in real time is not new. It was previously suggested by Dominic Cummings, a former adviser to Boris Johnson. He proposed setting up a unit within the government to address underperformance and waste. Rachel Reeves will present her spring statement against the backdrop of a struggling economy. Recently, she revealed plans to cut welfare spending by £5 billion by 2029/30. She will also be responding to forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. These forecasts indicate lower growth and higher borrowing, which may force her to make difficult decisions about taxes or spending. Reports suggest that she is not expected to announce any tax changes in her upcoming statement. The pressure from the economic situation will weigh heavily on her decisions moving forward.