Forecaster says curtailing rising costs such as health and pensions ‘are today’s challenge, not just tomorrow’s’ Business live – latest updates Policymakers must act to prevent public debt rising unsustainably in coming decades as the population ages and defence spending rises, the government’s independent economic forecaster has said. In a fresh illustration of the challenges facing the prime minister in waiting, Andy Burnham, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said that without gover