REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The French government aims to squeeze 16 billion euros ($17 billion) in savings from its 2024 budget, finance minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday as he trimmed France's growth outlook. Le Maire said 10 billion euros in savings would come from scrapping caps on power and gas prices, put in place to soften the pain for households from Europe's energy price crisis. Le Maire said the inflation shock over the last year would further subside, boosting household consumption - the traditional motor of French economic growth. While the government aims to cut spending, it would nonetheless increase some expenditures, with 4 billion euros more earmarked for the interior ministry and the armed forces. A further 7 billion euros has been set aside for environmentally friendly investments due to be presented later this month and financed by removing some of the tax breaks which some industries get on their on fossil fuel use.

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Persons: Digital Security Bruno Le Maire, Benoit Tessier, Bruno Le Maire, Le Maire, Leigh Thomas, David Holmes Organizations: Economy, Finance, Industry, Digital Security, Bercy Finance Ministry, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Paris, France