THE PRE-BUDGET REPORT WAS HELD ON 9TH OCTOBER AND MY COMMENTS ARE IN A SUB-HEADING (NEWSFLASH) IN THE MENU ON THE LEFT OF YOUR SCREEN - HOWEVER- I'VE LEFT THIS IN AND COMMENTED ON MY PREDICTIONS - FOR ONCE, THEY WEREN'T ALL WRONG (JUST MOSTLY!)......

It's been decided that the Pre Budget Report should be brought forward to 9th October - a few weeks earlier than normal - presumbly in case there might be an election looming.

What do I predict?

1.  In 1994 Chancellor Brown promised to do away with tax breaks for the non-domiciled people living in the UK - generally immigrants and temporary residents who can escape UK tax on foreign income.  This is floating to the surface again thanks to the opposition - I wonder that the Chancellor won't take a chance to blow that one away. YES - THIS ONE WAS A "CORRECT PREDICTION" - CHANGES WERE MADE

2. Changes to the IHT threshold over time - again - take the wind from Tory sails. YES, THIS ONE WAS A "CORRECT PREDICTION" TOO - THE EXTENSION OF SPOUSE EXEMPTIONS TO TAKE HOUSES OUT OF THE SYSTEM.

3. Changes to SDLT - an easy target and ever so easy to collect - higher at the top rate but an increased bottom threshold again.  SEEMS TO HAVE LEFT THIS BE - WRONG!

4. A "ramping up" of the CO2 based road tax disc charge for high CO2 cars.  An increased tax for new car registrations with high CO2 (steal the Liberals idea?). WRONG - AGAIN, LEAVING THIS ONE FOR NEXT TIME PERHAPS?

5. A consultation process for how capital gains are taxed and private equity gains in particular. HALF RIGHT - HAS ANNOUNCED THE BIG CGT CHANGES AND THE ONLY CONSULTATION IS ON FINE DETAIL AHEAD OF IMPLEMENTATION IN APRIL

6. A reannouncement of the same things that were pre-announced last time i.e. capital allowances changes and the Planning Gain Supplement.  A change to car capital allowances. OH YES, A BIT OF THAT WAS IN HIS SPEECH - IT IS EASY TO ANNOUNCE GOOD NEWS AGAIN AND AGAIN

7. Another grab on Air Passenger Duty - perhaps having some long term proposal to align to Carbon Emissions based on air mileage or similar - something nasty to reduce domestic air travel. SURPRISINGLY, "BINGO" ON THIS ONE TOO AS THIS WAS A BIT OF A WILD GUESS - HE WILL SWAP AIR PASSENGER DUTY WITH SOMETHING MORE EXPENSIVE AND LESS VISIBLE TO VOTERS....

8. A response to the Arctic Systems case - a change to family and private company dividends and salary structures-  this could be the big one this time. YES, PRE-ANNOUNCED THERE'LL BE A CHANGE COMING IN THE 2008 BUDGET

[INSERTED AFTER PBR - DONALD, WELL DONE, YOU GOT 6 OUT OF 8 BROADLY CORRECT!]

Of course, I could be completely wrong - and I usually am on my predictions! [NOT THIS TIME]

As usual, I will fill my petrol tank on the way to work...[A WASTE OF 15 MINUTES THAT WAS]

Regards

Donald