Osborne makes Coins public

To be made available before the Budget on 22 June

Osborne is to make public an online database that gives full details of government spending

Chancellor George Osborne is to make public an online database that gives full details of government spending, according to a report in the Financial Times.

The database, known as the Combined Online Information System (Coins), is believed to contain 24 million items and will be made available before the Budget on 22 June.

Coins will fulfil the promise set out in the Programme for Government document, published earlier this month, to provide “full, online disclosure of all central government spending and contracts over £25,000”.

The online availability of the database will make it easier for the public to understand the impact of the recently announced spending cuts and of the next round of cuts in the autumn.

As shadow chancellor, Osborne asked for Coins to be made public, but the Treasury refused.

An anonymous Treasury official told the Financial Times: “We want the spending review to be open and that starts with transparency.”