LONDON, Oct 25, 2021 (BSS/AFP) - The British government will provide an
extra £6 billion to its National Health Service to tackle backlogs built up
during the pandemic, finance minister Rishi Sunak will announce in this
week's budget.

  All eyes will be on Sunak Wednesday as he outlines the government's tax and
spending plans for the next year.

  He is grappling with a range of problems thrown up by the pandemic and
lockdowns, with many anticipating tax hikes to deal with record borrowing.

  Sunak told the BBC on Sunday that the country would have to wait until
Wednesday to find out his tax plans.

  But his office released details of the œ6 billion ($8.25 billion, seven
billion euros) health fund for patients waiting for diagnostic tests and non-
emergency operations.

  Part of the funding will go towards creating 100 "one-stop-shop" diagnostic
centres across England to catch life-threatening diseases such as cancer.

  Sunak called it a "game-changing investment... to make sure we have the
right buildings, equipment and systems to get patients the help they need."

  The minister will also announce a œ5 billion fund for innovative health-
related projects, according to his office.

  Health Minister Sajid Javid said the investment would add to coronavirus
treatments and vaccines developed in the UK to battle the pandemic.

  "The new investment will build on this success by accelerating the
discovery of ground-breaking medicines and technologies," he said.

  But the big-spending plans have raised questions about where the debt-
wracked government is going to find the money, with free-marketers within
Sunak's Conservative Party concerned that it will come from tax rises.

  The country is also suffering from high inflation and supply shortages,
blamed on the pandemic and Brexit.

  Sunak on Sunday told Sky News that high employment levels were a sign that
the government's "plan for jobs is working".

  But he conceded supply shortages and high energy prices were squeezing
household budgets.

  Labour's Rachel Reeves, the shadow finance minister, took aim at her
counterpart for not doing enough to ease the burden.

  "Our priority would be easing the cost-of-living price crisis, helping
businesses who have had a torrid 18 months," she told Sky News.