New public spending category PDEL is a welcome and could have big impact | Heather Stewart

The Preventative Departmental Expenditure Limit will be money ringfenced in the budget for preventive policies

John Healey’s debut budget was far from a blockbuster, but it may come to be remembered for the birth of a plucky new character in the tax and spend universe – little PDEL.

It may not have the charm of Disney’s Wall-E, but PDEL (pronounced P-Del), Preventative Departmental Expenditure Limit, to give it its full name, marks a welcome, and potentially very consequential, addition.

The chancellor made clear that ahead of what the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said will be a “brutal” spending review next year, the Treasury is prepared to ringfence the budget for preventive policies.