That's it for today.

We'll be back bright and early at 06:00 tomorrow.

Ryanair pilots are set to strike again in an ongoing row over pay and working conditions.

The next round of walkouts are pencilled in for 18 and 19 September, with others on 23 September, 25 September, 27 September and 29 September.

“Pilots in Ryanair are seeking the same kind of policies and agreements that exist in other airlines – our demands are not unreasonable," the pilots union British Airline Pilots' Association's Brian Strutton said.

"We want to address issues like pensions; loss of licence insurance; maternity benefits; allowances; and harmonise pay across the UK in a fair, transparent, and consistent structure."

Image source, Getty Images

“The Chancellor has highlighted the importance of investment in UK infrastructure and the need for an ‘infrastructure revolution’, but this is set against a backdrop of dismal construction output stats forecasting a fall of up to £10.5bn by the end of 2020 in the event of a no-deal Brexit," said infrastructure partner Jon Hart from law firm Pinsent Masons.

"The bottom line is that serious issues need to be addressed. The long term skills shortage, supply chain management and the potentially damaging impact of post-Brexit tariffs should be high on the agenda. To be blunt the need for considered investment has never been greater."

Both the major indexes in London closed higher today.

The FTSE 100 was up 0.6% when trading finished at the London Stock Exchange.

Meanwhile the less-international FTSE 250, which is made up of firms with greater exposure to the UK economy, closed 0.8% higher at 19,619.

Image source, GKN Aerospace

British firm GKN Aerospace has announced plans to slash around 1,000 management and support jobs, external.

The company employs around 18,000 people around the world, with 3,500 of those based in the UK. It is not clear where the job losses will hit.

"Despite the big headline figures this Spending Review was limited in scope and detail, highlighting that the ongoing Brexit impasse continues to frustrate much-needed Westminster action on the domestic business environment," according to Suren Thiru from the British Chambers of Commerce.

“If the economy continues to slow as many expect, the government’s ability to meet its spending commitments will be limited," he said.

"While the immediate focus should be on avoiding a messy and disorderly Brexit, bold measures are needed to boost business confidence and stimulate growth – which are critical for businesses to generate the wealth to underpin the tax revenue needed to meet these spending promises.”

Image source, Getty Images

Infrastructure partner Jon Hart, of Pinsent Masons, says that although the Chancellor has highlighted the importance of investment in UK infrastructure and the need for an "infrastructure revolution", there are many other problems to consider.

"The bottom line is that serious issues need to be addressed," said Mr Hart.

"The long term skills shortage, supply chain management and the potentially damaging impact of post-Brexit tariffs should be high on the agenda.

"To be blunt the need for considered investment has never been greater.”

The pound has continued to gain today despite gloomy market data earlier hinting that the country's economy was at risk of slipping into a recession.

Since then the chancellor has unveiled spending plans that would lend the economy a fiscal hand and the governor of the Bank of England has said no-deal Brexit preparations had helped temper its worst-case forecasts.

The pound is up 0.3% against the euro and 0.9% against the dollar. That makes £1 worth over €1.10 and just less than $1.21.

Dominic Casciani
Home Affairs Correspondent

This morning we explained with the help of the Institute of Government why the expert body has "significant concerns" about the funding of prisons. As prison officers left in cuts, violence and drug use increased - and prisoners saw their chance of getting an education to help rehabilitate them diminish. The chancellor has committed to a 5% increase in the Ministry of Justice's budget - but that's already been criticised by a wide range of experts who say it is simply not enough. This tweet from the influential "Secret Barrister" Twitter account sums up the mood in the legal fraternity:

Things are looking pretty healthy in markets on both sides of the Atlantic - and the Channel, for that matter.

In London, the FTSE 100 is up 0.4% at 7,299 and the FTSE 250 is 0.7% higher at 19,594.

On the Continent, the pan-European EuroStoxx 50 is 0.8% higher at 3,446. Meanwhile, in the US all the main indexes are in the green too.

The Dow Jones is 0.7% higher at 26,296, the Nasdaq gained 0.8% to hit 7,938 and the S&P 500 climbed 0.7% to hit 2,927.

Here's a handy graphic showing how today's announcement from the chancellor, Sajid Javid, will affect the budgets of the biggest departments in 2020-21.

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

In terms of health and care, there were two eye-catching numbers in the Chancellor’s spending announcement - £6.2bn extra for the NHS and £1.5bn for social care.

Neither are quite what they seem. The £6.2bn refers to the extra cash the frontline of the NHS is getting next year as part of the five-year settlement announced a year ago by Theresa May.

What is new however is how much extra the rest of health is getting. This is money that goes on the likes of buildings maintenance and training for staff. It is rising by £400m to £9bn.

Experts have welcomed the money, but say it comes off the back of cuts in previous years.

In comparison, the social care announcement for councils is genuinely new. Although the £1.5bn includes £500m which will only be raised from a 2% increase in council tax. The County Councils Network says the extra money is just about enough to stand still.

Image source, Getty Images

The worst impacts of a potential no-deal Brexit can only be mitigated rather than avoided, said Catherine McGuinness from the City of London Corporation, the financial centre's local authority.

She was responding to the Sajid Javid's spending plans, acknowledging: “The Chancellor is right to accelerate preparations for Brexit as we draw close to 31 October."

“It’s vital that businesses – small and large – also make sure they are doing everything possible to prepare in case there is a no-deal Brexit."

"A deal would still be the best outcome for businesses and households on both sides of the Channel," she said.

“Despite the current uncertainty, London remains home to a unique combination of time zone, language, legal system, global talent, and financial services ecosystem. These fundamental strengths will underpin our long-term success.”

Dominic Casciani
Home Affairs Correspondent

The Chancellor, more than anyone else in the Commons, will know how police have struggled with rising violent crime: he listened to their warnings of underfunding when he was Home Secretary. So long-trailed funding for more officers is no surprise.

There are 21,000 fewer police today than in 2010 because of the cuts that began under David Cameron and George Osborne. Boris Johnson says that will be reversed within three years. Today's starting pledge to have recruited an extra 2,000 by next March will only cover about 10% of those who have been lost.

But ... about 6% of police officers leave the job each year. That means the forces may in fact need to attract as many as 44,000 new officers to meet the pledge.

Responding to a question from the Lib Dems' Ed Davey, Mr Javid said his party had no plans to "crash out of the EU" and said to avoid a no-deal Brexit, MPs should vote against a bill that could extend the 31 October deadline.