JULIA Drown, Labour MP for South Swindon, has welcomed Chancellor Gordon Brown's pre-Budget report.

In a budget consultation Ms Drown presented to Mr Brown this month, health issues topped the list, with 62 per cent of people placing it in their top three priorities. The pre-Budget report announced an immediate £1 billion boost for the National Health Service.

Other important measures include a guaranteed minimum increase of at least £100 a year to the basic state pension and an extension to the Working Families Tax Credit.

Ms Drown said: "The Chancellor's announce-ments are another step towards delivering on the promises we made at the last election. "Swindon people rejected the Tory arguments of massive cuts in public spending, and the consultation I gave the Chancellor demonstrated how important good health services are to this town.

"I know this extra investment in the NHS will be widely welcomed in Swindon."