All the news from Alistair Darling’s first budget – as it happens.

13.21: Mr Darling sits down.

13.20: Winter fuel payments to be increased for pensioners.

13.18: Beer up 4p a pint, cider 3p a litre, wine 14p a bottle and spirits by 55p a bottle.

13.17: 11p on a packet of 20 cigarettes, 4p on five cigars.

13.16: From 2009 major reform of Car Tax to encourage drivers to choose less-polluting vehicles.

13.14:To introduce legislation in 2009 on plastic bag charging if insufficient voluntary measures have not been taken.

13.12: First Carbon Budget will be presented alongside next year’s Budget.

13.10 Have indentified land for the building of an extra 70,000 houses on top of the 40,000 already planned.

13.09: Chancellor wants more long-term fixed rate mortgages and is seeking views.

13.07: No stamp duty on shared ownership until 80 per cent of theequity is owned.

13.06: New funding to develop technology for a national road pricing scheme.

13.04: New measures at airports to speed up immigration procedures.

13.03: Targeted investment in under-performing schools.

13.01: £30,000 charge for non-doms from April.

12.59: Increased tax relief for investment in small businesses.

12.57: Corporation Tax confirmed at 28p from April but there will be changes to Capital Gains Tax.

12.55: Cash ISA limit confirmed at £3,600 from April.

12.54: Chancellor wants lower tariffs for pre-paid meters.

12.52: Changes to Housing and Council tax rules by October 2009 to ensure going out to work is better than being on benefits.

12.50: Remains committed to public spending with growth targeted at 1.9 per cent.

12.49: New proposals to ensure that going to work pays.

12.47: Pays tribute to armed forces.

12.45: Remaining committed to investment in public service.

12.43: Public borrowing scheduled to fall to 1.6 per cent by 2014.

12.41: Fuel duty up 0.5p a litre from 2010. Current planned increase postponed until October.

12.40: Mr Darling confirms policy on maintaining tough fiscal rules.

12.38: No return to inflation of 1990s but inflation forecast to return to target of 2 per cent in 2009.

12.36: British economy grew by 3 per cent last year. Projected to grow by between 1.75- 2.25 per cent this year.

12.35: British economy now the strongest in the G7, thanks to changes made since 1997. Well equipped to meet challenges of global change.

12.34: All economies under pressure from problems that started in American mortgage market.

12.32: British economy will grow through this year and beyond. Still committed to ending child poverty. Looking to build a fairer society.

12.31: Britain better placed than other economies to cope with global slowdown.

12.30: The Chancellor, wearing a white shirt and purple/lilac tie rises to the dispatch box to deliver his first budget.

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