Economic experts yesterday cast fresh doubts over Chancellor Gordon Brown's growth forecasts for the UK economy, which were outlined in last week's Budget.

A panel of experts from City and academic institutions and think-tanks said they would be surprised if the UK economy grew by the three per cent to 3.5 per cent in 2004, which Mr Brown is hoping for.

Appearing before MPs on the influential Treasury Select Committee, the experts said the ambitious forecast from the Treasury deviated from economists' consensus estimates for growth of about two per cent to 2.5 per cent.