Downing Street Says » 2004

» Friday, March 26, 2004

Dr George Carey

Asked the Prime Minister's reaction to comments by Dr George Carey about Muslims, the PMS said that the Prime Minister was attending the European Council in Brussels today and she did not think he had seen the remarks.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (3)

» Thursday, March 25, 2004

Strategy Unit Fisheries Project Report

In answer to questions about the Strategy Unit Fisheries Project Report, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that as he understood it, it set out a possible long term strategy for improving the fortunes of the fishing industry, recognising the need to manage what were finite marine resources as well as the economic development of the communities which relied on them. He encouraged journalists to speak to DEFRA for more details.

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

Sutton Report/Beverley Hughes

Asked if the Prime Minister retained full confidence in Beverley Hughes following the publication of the Sutton Report today, the PMOS said yes, absolutely. He believed that Ms Hughes was a first-class Minister who had one of the hardest briefs in Government. She had made a significant difference, for example by halving the number of asylum applications. Of course, no one was pretending that there weren't difficult, complex issues facing the Government. We acknowledged that there were real challenges ahead. However, the Prime Minister continued to believe that she was an excellent Minister. In answer to further questions, the PMOS said that Ms Hughes had given a response to critics of the Sutton Report on Radio 4's The World At One today. The Report had been carried out by a senior IND official who was a well respected individual in his particular field. The conclusions of the Report were based on his considered judgements after taking all the evidence into account. Put to him that the Report's suggestion that Ministers had not known what was going on in their own Department would, in itself, suggest a high level of incompetence, the PMOS said that Ms Hughes had been absolutely upfront about what had happened. Everyone acknowledged that mistakes had been made both in terms of issuing the guidance and the oversight. As Ms Hughes had stated when the issue had first come to light, since she was the Minister with responsibility for this area, it was her job to put things right and make sure they didn't happen again. No one was claiming that what had transpired had been the best chapter in the IND's work. However, the considered findings of the Sutton Report showed that these decisions had been taken, wrongly, without reference to more senior officials. It was important to make sure that did not happen again.

Briefing took place at 15:45 | Read whole briefing | Comments (2)

Government Communications/Phillis Review

Asked if Downing Street would agree with the description of the new Permanent Secretary for Government Communications, Howell James, as a 'professional spin doctor', the PMOS said no. Mr James was a very talented communications professional. He was joining Government in a senior capacity with a breadth of experience in communications, both in a FTSE 100 company, in an important public service organisation - the BBC, in Government itself and as a partner in a private sector PR agency. The appointment had been made through open competition and by a selection panel which had included the Independent Civil Service Commissioner and the Cabinet Secretary. The universal view of the panel was that Mr James was the best candidate to do the job, and their recommendation had been accepted by the Prime Minister.

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

Government Communications/New Appointments

The PMOS drew journalists' attention to a press notice today announcing the appointment of Howell James as for Government Communications. The new post was the result of a recommendation in the Phillis review, which had been set up in response to the Public Administration Select Committee report following events at the Department of Transport. The Permanent Secretary would be responsible for the strategy, co-ordination and effectiveness of Government communication across Whitehall. He would also be Head of Profession, responsible for increasing the professionalism and capability of Government communications. He would be a permanent civil servant and would report to the Head of the Home Civil Service, Sir Andrew Turnbull. He would work closely with the Prime Minister and the Minister for the Cabinet Office to ensure that a co-ordinated and strategic approach was taken to communications across Government. The PMOS underlined that Howell James had been appointed through open competition by a Selection Panel. The panel, chaired by Baroness Usha Prashar, the Independent First Civil Service Commissioner, and including Sir Andrew Turnbull, had made a unanimous recommendation, which subsequently had been accepted by the Prime Minister. The PMOS said that Mr James was joining Government with a wealth of experience in communications, both in a FTSE 100 company, in a public service organisation - the BBC, within Government itself and as a partner in a private company. He was someone who was a very talented communicator who would bring considerable energy and focus to this important post.

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

Strategy Unit Fisheries Project Report

In answer to questions about the Strategy Unit Fisheries Project Report, the PMOS said that all parts of the UK had been visited and had been fully involved in the formation of the strategy. It was clearly a considered piece of work. He referred journalists to the Department concerned for a more detailed explanation of the background to the project.

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

» Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Press Office Budget

Asked to account for the doubling of the Downing Street Press Office budget since 1997, the PMOS said that these figures had to be seen in the context of the increasing demands of a 24-hour media. There had been a very significant increase in media outlets and interest from the foreign press. Obviously Downing Street had to respond to those demands and in doing so endeavoured to be as cost effective as possible. Put to him that despite the increase in outlets the actual amount of information hadn't changed, the PMOS said that may be the case, but the demand for it was greater. More outlets simply meant more calls to the press office and more staff needed to take those calls. The PMOS said that obviously we aimed to provide an efficient and cost effective service.

Briefing took place at 15:45 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

Prime Minister’s Visit to Libya

Asked to comment on the timing of the Prime Minister's visit to Libya, the PMOS referred journalists to the extensive briefing on this already from those on the trip. In particular, he would draw journalists' attention to what the Deputy Prime Minister had said in the House of Commons today and to what Jim Swire had said as well. There were difficult issues, but as the IAEA had verified, the Libyan regime had, in recent months, taken significant steps towards eliminating WMD programs. If a country was making progress with this and withdrawing its support for terrorism, then it was the Prime Minister's judgement that that country should be helped on the road to rejoining the international community.

Briefing took place at 15:45 | Read whole briefing | Comments (9)

Parliamentary Security

Asked where the line should be drawn between beefing up security in and around Parliament with screens and barriers and undermining the democratic process by restricting access to MPs, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that decisions about any such issues were not a Government matter. They were for the House authorities, in consultation with the police. It was important to recognise that the changing nature of the threat was a reality for all democracies. That meant that adjustments would have to be made from time to time. In saying that, he wasn't confirming any speculation. Asked if it would be a victory for terrorism, the PMOS said that it was always necessary to strike a balance between prudent precaution and ensuring that people could continue to go about their day-to-day business. That was the reality of twenty first century democracy. We believed the public understood that.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (4)

European Constitution

Asked for a reaction to today's FT story suggesting that the Government was going to give up its red line on law and order, the PMOS said that there was no change to the text as set out in the White Paper last September which stated, "We will insist that unanimity remain for treaty change and in other areas of vital interest, such as tax, social security, defence, key areas of criminal procedural law and the system of Own Resources". We would continue to insist that anything which was essential for our courts system could not be changed against our wishes. We would be looking for an outcome in terms of any changes in QMV which delivered higher standards for our citizens abroad without undermining our standards at home. The Irish Presidency had been in discussion with other European member states and was due to report to the European Council later this week as to how they saw the negotiations developing during the first half of this year. We were continuing to engage constructively. People were fully aware of our position. Asked if he was implying that there was no truth in the FT story whatsoever, the PMOS said he thought that setting out a consistent position in a White Paper and underlining eight months later that that position continued to hold true showed a uniformity of approach. He repeated that we would continue to insist that anything which was essential for our courts could not be changed against our wishes. As he understood it, the draft treaty stated that the adoption of minimum rules in the EU would not stop an individual country from maintaining or introducing a higher level of protection for the rights of individuals in criminal procedure.

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

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» Friday, March 26, 2004

Dr George Carey

» Thursday, March 25, 2004

Strategy Unit Fisheries Project Report

Sutton Report/Beverley Hughes

Government Communications/Phillis Review

Government Communications/New Appointments

Strategy Unit Fisheries Project Report

» Wednesday, March 24, 2004

Press Office Budget

Prime Minister’s Visit to Libya

Parliamentary Security

European Constitution

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