It’s always exciting when the pre-Budget Report date is announced. OK, so TS needs to get out more.

This year we heard apparently authoritative rumours that it would be on the 22 November or the 27th. Alas, both such informants were out of the loop. Even though our sources are always wrong on this, we were confident it would be one of those dates. It’s on 6 December.

PwC were apparently also in a terrible rush to get the news out about the date, sending out an e-mail last week mentioning 6 November, Richard Murphy’s tax blog reports. That would be 2013, then, the next time that date occurs on a Wednesday, the usual PBR day.

Chris Wales, the chancellor’s tax guru, once gave TS some sage advice on guessing the PBR/ Budget date. ‘Just look at the PM’s calendar and the chancellor’s. When they’re both in the country, that’s when it is.’

When TS finally gets hold of both the two most important people in the country’s calendars, Chris, that’s exactly what we’ll do.