The inadvertent release of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecasts last week has “inflicted heavy damage” on the watchdog’s reputation.

Details of Wednesday’s Budget were mistakenly made public almost an hour early when official forecasts were uploaded online.

The OBR apologised for the leak and launched an investigation to be headed up Professor Ciaran Martin, former head of the National Cyber Security Centre.

The probe revealed this was the second time it had happened. It found that in March someone had gained access to the spring statement while the Chancellor was on her feet in the Commons.

Last week, OBR chairman Richard Hughes said he had been “mortified” by the leak and would resign if he lost the confidence of the Chancellor and the Commons Treasury Committee.

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