MI5 and MI6 budget cuts could put public at risk Despite protests from Conservative ministers, the 2015-16 cuts will fall on departments" resource budgets - which fund day-to-day operations - and not on the welfare system. It has raised the prospect of cuts in the £2 billion Single Intelligence Account, which funds the work of intelligence agencies. That budget is already being cut in real terms over the current spending round and some ministers are concerned about further cuts in 2015-16. Lady Warsi insisted that spending cuts cannot be allowed to undermine counter-terrorism work. "The security of our citizens will never be put at risk, whatever economic climate we find ourselves in," she said. I'm not going to comment on a discussion that may take place between my colleagues and the Chancellor, but what I can say is, we would never put the security of our citizens either here or abroad at risk because of austerity. Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, warned today that ministers in control of unprotected departments will have to accept cuts of about 6 per cent in the forthcoming spending review. He told BBC Radio 4"s World at One that he accepted a projection from the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies that "non-protected" department budgets will be cut by between 5 and 6 per cent in 2015-16. "Broadly speaking, yes I would accept that," he said, adding that "we're looking very hard at where we can find further efficiencies and improvements in the running costs of government." H said: "We're looking at further policy reforms to help deliver better outcomes for less money." Ministers including Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary and Theresa May, the Home Secretary, have openly warned against fresh cuts. But Mr Alexander insisted that all ministers accepted the need for them. The road is harder and longer than we first forecast. The commitment is unwavering. Defence chiefs fear that the spending review will lead to a fresh round of cuts in Armed Forces personnel, a prospect that appals some Conservative MPs. Bob Stewart, the Tory MP for Beckenham and a former Army commander, said the plans were a "gamble with our nation's defences" and that serving officers were worried.