Anas Sarwar refuses to say when Labour could cut benefits bill - despite PM claiming government working 'flat out' to curb welfare spending

Anas Sarwar has repeatedly refused to say whether Labour will bring down Britain's ballooning benefits bill before the next election. Speaking on Tonight with Andrew Marr, Trade Minister Lord Anas Sawar repeatedly avoided giving a direct answer when asked to provide a timeframe for the government's plans to reduce welfare spending. Ministers are facing mounting pressure to address welfare spending after The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) warned that sickness and disability benefits could cost the Government £100 billion a year before the end of the decade.

It comes after the Chancellor John Healey defended his decision not to announce cuts to Britain's growing benefits bill as he pledged to reform the sector, telling LBC's Nick Ferrari he would bring down benefits the "Labour way" without making "crude cuts". Prime Minister Andy Burnham addressed concerns around the welfare bill on Thursday, telling reporters the government was working "flat out" to reduce welfare. Read more: Burnham says government is working 'flat out' to cut welfare bill after Budget cost warnings Read more: UK spent £1.1 trillion more on benefits than infrastructure since 2006, with Burnham urged to get a grip on welfare bill "I think the important point to make on welfare is we all accept that the welfare system is broken, and we all also accept at the same time that we have a million young people that aren't in education, training, or employment," Lord Sarwar told Andrew.

"And what we've got to get the balance right on—is not just a crude cut to the welfare budget and not think about the knock-on impact that would have on poverty levels in this country or indeed unemployment in this country." More details about the Government’s plans to bring down benefits spending will follow the publication of two major reviews next month, he said. Questioned by Andrew on whether the reforms could be delayed until after the next election - and if so, how Labour would fund its plans to i ncrease defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030 - Lord Sarwar once again refused to be drawn on a timeline.

“That's why the Timms Panel is looking at all these issues," he said. "We will come back with thought-through, rational, proportionate action that will meet the challenge to confront the structural issues around youth inactivity and unemployment, as well as the structural issues around a welfare system that needs fixing.” He also would not say whether the welfare bill would be reduced during the current Parliament. The next election is due to take place in August 2029 at the latest - amid speculation that the Prime Minister could call an early election before the summer.

"We want it to come down as soon as possible, but it has to be done in a fair, proportionate, and pragmatic way," he said. "And that's why the work has been commissioned, and that's why everyone in government is open-eyed about the challenge. But we're determined to fix this, one of many structural challenges we have in this country that we have to confront.”