Doctors, nurses and cops to be shadowed by Treasury minister for spending evaluate

A Cabinet minister will shadow doctors, nurses and police officers to learn how taxpayers’ cash is being spent across Britain.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones will embark on a tour of nations and regions early next year to spend time on the frontline observing public sector workers. He will officially launch the first review of government spending in over a decade and a half on Tuesday.

Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, he said he is “not just going to do this work from my office in the Treasury” but wants to get out “to listen to people, workers and businesses”.

“I want to be with people where they live and work, hear their ideas and explain what I’m doing to make sure their money is being spent well,” he said. “I will make better decisions having listened and learned from the people who work in and use public services, and from the businesses which create wealth and jobs in our country.”

He said he will not only be reviewing what money is spent on but also how public services can be modernised so money is spent more efficiently. “We will root out waste and make sure that every pound is spent well,” he said.

Top Labour ministers across the government will next week be warned they must make their argument to the Treasury for public funds. Mr Jones said the review will lay the groundwork for achieving Keir Starmer’s Plan For Change, which on Thursday set out tough targets for voters to judge the Government on.

They include putting more money in people’s pockets, fixing the NHS, creating safer streets, making Britain a clean energy superpower and giving every child the best start in life. The spending review is due to be published in June.

The Prime Minister said on Friday he had “no plans” for more tax hikes after October’s Budget but would not rule it out entirely. He said: “What I can’t do is say to you there are no circumstances unforeseen in the future that would lead to any changes at all. Because if you just look at Covid and the Ukraine situation, everybody knows there are things that we can’t see now.

“But I can tell you our intention was to do the tough stuff in that budget and not to keep coming back… It’s tough but fair, but at least we know now with certainty and we can plan.”