Chancellor to answer hauliers' fuel concerns

Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, will deliver his eagerly awaited pre-Budget report just five days before the fuel protesters' deadline for the resumption of their blockades if there is no cut in duty.

Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, will deliver his eagerly awaited pre-Budget report just five days before the fuel protesters' deadline for the resumption of their blockades if there is no cut in duty.

Mr Brown told MPs in a written parliamentary answer yesterday that he will make his statement on Wednesday 8 November, at least a week later than had been anticipated.

The Chancellor is expected to use the report to set out his plans for dealing with the concerns of demonstrators - particularly the hauliers and farmers who were the driving force behind the protests.

He will also use the pre-Budget report to announce plans for the annual uprating of the basic state pension. Following the bitter outcry over this year's 75p-a-week increase, the Chancellor has made it clear that he will provide an above-inflation rise for all 11 million pensioners.