Office for Budget Responsibility Forecasts Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Office for Budget Responsibility Forecasts

Jayne Kirkham Excerpts
Monday 1st December 2025

(1 day, 6 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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James Murray Portrait James Murray
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One of the reasons we take this matter so seriously is precisely the value that we place on the OBR. We see it as having a vital role in a robust and transparent fiscal framework, which is why we take last week’s breach of information so very seriously.

Jayne Kirkham Portrait Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) (Lab/Co-op)
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It is really concerning that these leaks have happened before. I understand that the investigation is still under way, but could the OBR tell who was trying to access this information, and can my right hon. Friend confirm that this will be investigated fully? Can he also confirm when last there was headroom as low as £4 billion?

James Murray Portrait James Murray
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My hon. Friend asks what the OBR report was able to conclude. It said that

“We could not, in the time available, carry out deeper forensic examination of other recent EFO events and we recommend that such an exercise is, with expert support, now urgently carried out.”

That is exactly what the Government will be doing.