Downing Street Says » 2006 » May

» Thursday, May 18, 2006

Eric Forth

Asked if there was any comment on Eric Forth's death, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that when Jacqui Smith had broken the news to the Cabinet this morning there had been a genuine and spontaneous expression of sadness. The Prime Minister reflected that Eric Forth was one of those colourful characters that made parliament the place it was. He would be sadly missed by everyone, including those who did not agree with him on many things.

Briefing took place at 8:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Iraq

Asked if the Prime Minister might be going to Washington or Iraq soon, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that he wasn't in a position where he could give any meaningful guidance, because we did not yet know when the new national unity government might be formed in Iraq. Asked if there was some sort of deadline on Monday 22 May, the PMOS said that Monday was when the Iraqi Prime Minister elect said that he hoped to have a government by.

Briefing took place at 8:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

Pensions

Asked about the pensions briefing at Cabinet, the PMOS said that it was best that Parliament heard it first, which would probably be towards the back end of next week though it was not yet 100% decided.

Briefing took place at 8:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Nuclear Energy

Asked if there had been a discussion in Cabinet about nuclear energy, the PMOS said no. Asked when Cabinet had last been briefed about the cost of nuclear power stations, the PMOS said that the costs would obviously be a part of the energy review and it would look at the costs on all sides. As he had said throughout the week, there wasn't any cost free option on the table.

Briefing took place at 8:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

Nuclear Energy

Asked to comment on the alleged cabinet splits over nuclear power funding, the PMOS said that the time to talk about costs would be whenever the energy review was published. That said everyone should bear in mind that whatever was decided there would be costs associated with that. Renewables would cost as well. The idea that you could get something for nothing in this area was a fallacy. The PMOS repeated that the time to talk about costs would be when the energy review was complete. However, it was worth underlining again that the cost of doing nothing was that we would become 80-90% dependent on foreign imports and that we would have to accept that we would miss the carbon emissions target by some distance.

Briefing took place at 8:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Royal Mail

Asked for an explanation for the Government giving £1.75bn to Royal Mail on the day Royal Mail had announced profits of £355m, the PMOS said that the money was allowing Royal to transfer reserves which already existed, so this was not new Government money as such. Furthermore it was an investment on which the Government would receive money back in the future. So it was a sensible way to allow Royal Mail to invest in the future, something which was in the public interest. Asked if the Government would make a profit out of this, the PMOS said that it would, as Royal Mail had said this morning.

Briefing took place at 8:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Other Business

Asked if there would be further figures on the number of foreign prisoners deported, the PMOS said that we had committed to giving regular updates to Parliament, but it was better that the Home Office decided on the most sensible times to do that. It was in the interests of Parliament and the public that we gave updates at significant points rather trying to keep to a pro forma routine.

Briefing took place at 8:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

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