LONDON, Feb. 9 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
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Government has carried out aReview of Budget information securityin light ofthe events that occurred in the run up to the 2025 Budget Statement
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This includesthe outcomesand recommendations of the National Cyber Security Centre'sinvestigationinto thepublication of theOffice for Budget Responsibility'sEconomic andfiscaloutlook(EFO)and the Cabinet Office's leak inquiryrelating tothe 13 Novemberarticleon income taxin the Financial Times.
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All recommendations will be implemented in full.
The government has todayMonday 9Februarypublished the Budget Information Security Review. TheReviewhasbeencarried outin light ofevents that occurred in the run up to the 2025 Budget Statement and includessteps being takentotighteninformation security.
TheReviewincludesoutcomes andoutcomes andrecommendations fromthe National Cyber Security Centre'sinvestigationinto thepublication of theOffice for Budget Responsibility'sEconomic andfiscaloutlook(EFO)and the Cabinet Office's FinancialTimesleak inquiry.
The principal changes, which will be introduced ahead of Budget 2026, are:
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A set of mandatory embedded protection actions within the IT systems to restrict the extent to which Budget material can be shared, including across departmental boundaries. Measures will include preventing the sending of attachments; limiting access to named lists and restricting the functionality for those accessing information to print or download; and with the ability tomonitorand record access.
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Linking these protections to the introduction of a new 'BUDGET - MARKET SENSITIVE' sensitivity label for the most sensitive categories of Budget and forecast information where HMT and OBR use named lists.
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Cutting back the numbers of officials who can routinely access the most sensitive information, including on named lists.
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The March 2026 EFO will be published on the OBR's behalf by HMT using GOV.UK, which is the platform HMT uses for all itspublications, pendinga permanent move by the OBR to using the GOV.UK platform for market sensitive publications.
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HMT and the OBR will work in partnership with The Bank of England toestablisha protocol foranyfuturebreach insecurity.
The 'Macpherson Principles',whichdeterminewhich information can and cannot be pre-briefed in public and/or with the media, will continue to apply. ThePrinciplesacknowledge that while most Budget information is not market sensitive, the economic and fiscal projections, the fiscal judgement and individual tax rates, reliefs and allowances must not be pre-briefed.
The fullReview has been published on gov.uk.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
