Maternity pay will be increased from £60 to £75 next year and then up to £100 in 2003.

From June, the child care tax credit will pay up to 70 per cent of child care costs -- instead of £100 a week as at the moment.

Statutory obligation to maternity pay will be raised from 18 weeks to 26 weeks.

Children's tax credit be paid at £10 a week.

Winter allowance, the Christmas bonus and free TV licence for the over 75s will be retained.

A 6p increase on a pack of 20 cigarettes.

Duty frozen on wine, beer and whisky.

Minimum wage to be increased to £4.10 an hour from £3.70.

Vehicle and fuel duty

petrol tax cut by 2p a litre for unleaded petrol until June.

Vehicle excise duty abolished for all tractors.

Seventy per cent of all newly purchased cars will get a reduced licence fee -- applies to engines under 1.5 litres.

In total, £1bn to hospitals and £1bn to schools over three years.

Headteachers of every secondary school will receive for the smaller schools £68,000 and larger schools £115,000.

£135m fund for recruitment of front line staff for the NHS.