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» Monday, February 23, 2004

MMR

Asked if given the latest on MMR, we could confirm whether Leo Blair had received the vaccine, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) referred journalists to the answer the Prime Minister had last given on the subject well over a year ago. The position hadn't changed and they could look it up. Asked what it was the PMOS said that in summary from memory, that the Prime Minister would not ask parents to do what he wasn't prepared to do himself.

Briefing took place at 15:45 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Civil Service Bill

Asked about Sir Nigel Wick's comments about a Civil Service Bill, the PMOS said that the draft bill would be published in due course. Clearly any Government had a variety of competing demands on its legislative time, but we had given an undertaking on a draft bill. In respect of issues to do with Special Advisors, it was worth pointing out that firstly there were just over eighty Special Advisors. That this Government had been the first to implement the model contract and ensure that there was a code of conduct for Special Advisors.

Briefing took place at 15:45 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Drug Testing in Schools

Asked which Cabinet Minister's the Prime Minister had discussed the proposals for random drug testing in schools, the PMOS said that the guidance was being drawn up by the Department for Education and Skills in consultation with the profession groups acting in the field and the police. This was not something which had dropped out of Downing Street from a clear blue sky one Sunday morning. It was something which DfES had been working on for some time. Asked if the Prime Minister would customarily discuss with the Department the fact that he was going to mention it in an interview, the PMOS said that the Department would certainly have been aware of what the Prime Minister had said.

Briefing took place at 15:45 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Iran

Asked the Government's view on the Iranian elections the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS), said that the Foreign Secretary had said this morning on the way into the GAERC in Brussels that the elections were flawed, in light of the fact that a large number of candidates were prevented from standing. Asked why, given that we already knew the elections were being undermined, we had allowed Prince Charles to go to Iran recently, the PMOS said that no one disputed that Iran had made considerable progress towards greater political freedom in the last ten years, although clearly this was a set back. It had been made clear at the time of Prince Charles' visit that it had not been a political visit as such, but humanitarian in the wake of the terrible earthquake at Bam.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Drug Testing in Schools

Asked if the Prime Minister believed he had the support of most head teachers for the Government's proposals for random drug testing in schools, the PMOS said that clearly there had been some comment from organisations representing teachers over the weekend. The Prime Minister did believe he had the support of parents in tackling the menace of drugs. It was important to recognise what this policy was and what it wasn't. It was something we had been working on for some time, and guidance would be out shortly - next month. It was the result of extensive consultation with the teaching profession, the police and those working in the field. This was a discretionary power. We were not saying that all children would have to be tested at the same time as the school register was taken, which was how this had been interpreted in some quarters. This was about giving head teachers the option, where they felt that such powers would be beneficial, to use them. This was an extension of the Government's desire to tackle the issue of drugs in schools. For example in 2002 we introduced guidance for "one-strike-and-you're-out" for students found dealing drugs on school premises. There were now a number of police officers attached to schools, working with them 5 days a week. The Government had also put a significant investment into drugs training for teachers. The decisions to act would quite rightly sit with schools but the Prime Minister believed it was right that we gave head teachers the powers that they might find useful. Asked if it was workable given the implications of permission, the PMOS said that we should wait for the guidance on this, but clearly this was something which had been put together in consultation with the teaching profession, the police and those working in the field. It was not falling on them from a clear blue sky courtesy of SW1. We were working in partnership with them.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (13)

Guantanamo Bay

Asked if there would be a Parliamentary statement on the release of the five detainees, the PMOS said that it was not impossible Jack Straw would reprise his statement of last week to the House. Clearly he was in Brussels today.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Council Tax/Pensions

Asked for a view on the issues concerning the case of a pensioner who had refused to pay her council tax, the PMOS said as he understood it, those living on the basic state pension alone should be entitled to pensioner credit and people in those circumstances should also be entitled to some rebate on their Council Tax. The Government was aware that there were over a million pensioners entitled to some relief on their Council Tax who were not claiming it, which was why there would be a campaign next month to encourage people to apply for it. Asked about the particular case, the PMOS said it was up to the individual concerned to find out what her entitlements were, in conjunction with the authorities in the area.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

EU Accession States/Immigration

Asked why Accession state citizens should be treated any differently from any other members of the European Union, the PMOS said it was best to wait for the Home Secretary's statement this afternoon. Asked when the final decision about the strategy had been taken, the PMOS said that there had been a meeting last Tuesday where the final details were worked out and it was agreed that David Blunkett would make a statement today as we had announced at the time. Asked if the strategy had been cleared with Brussels, the PMOS said he was sure we would not be doing anything incompatible with any obligations we might have. Asked what the principle behind the statement would be, the PMOS said that everyone was aware of the issues involved. There were issues in relation to the fact that there was free movement of citizens in the enlarged European Union. There were issues in relation to people coming to the UK as "Benefit Tourists" and making sure people didn't abuse the benefits system here. There were issues in relation to people working here. He didn't think he was telling journalists anything they did not know already but they only had a few more hours to wait until the statement.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

Bin Laden

Asked for an update on the search for Osama Bin Laden, the PMOS said that that it remained active.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

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» Monday, February 23, 2004

MMR

Civil Service Bill

Drug Testing in Schools

Iran

Drug Testing in Schools

Guantanamo Bay

Council Tax/Pensions

EU Accession States/Immigration

Bin Laden

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