Downing Street Says » 2004

» Thursday, June 24, 2004

Iran

Asked for an update on the release of the eight British servicemen, the PMOS said that they were still at the British Embassy in Tehran. No doubt more details about the incident would emerge once they were out of Iran and had been properly debriefed. Asked if the boat had been returned, the PMOS said that discussions were continuing about this issue.

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

Northern Ireland

Asked about the Northern Ireland talks at Lancaster House tomorrow, the PMOS said that we would take the opportunity to assess the current position. We believed we needed to intensify the process in the early autumn and would set out how we intended to do so.

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

Iran

Asked if there would be a Commons Statement on the release of the British Servicemen in Iran, the PMOS said that he wasn't aware of one at this stage. The latest information he had was that the eight Servicemen had now reached the British Embassy in Tehran, which we were obviously glad about. Asked what condition they were in, the PMOS said that they would be assessed by Embassy staff. However, we had no reason to believe that they were in anything other than good condition.

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

Iraq

The PMOS told journalists that we condemned the latest attacks in Iraq today. Unfortunately, it seemed that they fitted into the predicted pattern of events in the run-up to 30 June. However, as both the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary had noted at Cabinet this morning, what we had seen in Iraq in recent days was the increasing profile of the new interim administration and, in particular, the role of Prime Minister Alawi. The attacks, therefore, were clearly no longer aimed solely at the Coalition but also at the Government of Iraq as it assumed authority. They were obviously designed to try to stop the transition of sovereignty next week. However, they would not succeed.

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

CSR/Five-Year Plans

Asked if the reason for the delay in the CSR and the fact that some departmental five-year plans would be announced in the autumn was because the Prime Minister had been taking part in the negotiations on spending between the Chancellor and certain Ministers, the PMOS said it went without saying that the Prime Minister took a personal interest in such matters. However, as he had pointed out to journalists yesterday, since a date had not yet been set for the CSR, it could not be said to have been delayed. The fact that some of the departmental five-year plans would be announced before the summer recess and some afterwards in the autumn was nothing new. Put to him that the Treasury had wanted to announce the CSR next week, the PMOS said he would disagree. No firm date had been set. Put to him again that the Treasury had wanted it done next week, the PMOS said that he was not aware of anything on which such a claim could be based. A date for the CSR would be announced at the appropriate time.

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

Cabinet Committees

Asked to confirm today's report in the Independent regarding a new Cabinet Committee to monitor relations with the US, the PMOS said that we never discussed Cabinet Committees, as journalists were well aware.

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

» Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Iran

Asked for an update on the situation regarding the eight detainees currently being held by the Iranian authorities, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that as he had told journalists this morning, we had been informed by the Iranian Government that they were going to be released. We had no reason to believe that that position had changed. He did not think it would be helpful to say anything else at this stage because of the risk of prejudicing events on the ground in Iran. Asked if the detainees were expected to be released today, the PMOS said that that was our understanding of the situation. We had no reason to believe that any problems had arisen. However, various logistical issues, such as getting the relevant people to the right place, had to be taken into account, so things might not happen immediately. People needed to be a little patient.

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

PM’s Speech/Public Services

Asked if the Prime Minister had been indicating in his speech today that the Government was intending to introduce further measures to tackle anti-social behaviour, the PMOS said it was clear that existing powers had been broadly welcomed at a local level. However, it was an issue which was being kept under constant review, as you would expect.

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

Iran

Asked for an update on the situation regarding the eight British military personnel being held in Iran, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that the Iranian authorities had now confirmed to us that they would be releasing the eight later today. We remained in discussion with them through the British Embassy in Tehran. As we believed we were moving towards a resolution, we did not think it would be helpful to say anything else at this stage because we didn't want to prejudice what was happening in Iran at this time.

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

Bichard Report/Humberside Police

Asked if the Home Secretary had the power to insist on the removal of the Chief Constable of Humberside Police, the PMOS said that the powers were contained in Section 33 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (amended section 42). That process had begun and would be followed through. As he understood it, Humberside Police Authority had two weeks to respond. Asked what action could be taken if the Police Authority did not accept the Home Secretary's demand, the PMOS said that the powers laid down in the Act were clear. It would not be helpful to get drawn into a discussion about hypothetical scenarios. Asked if the Home Secretary was saying that the Chief Constable ought to resign or should be sacked, the PMOS said Mr Blunkett was saying that the Chief Constable should be suspended. A process had been agreed with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the Chief Police Officers Staff Association (CPOSA) and the Associating of Police Authorities (APA) and would be followed through.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (2)

Original PMOS briefings are © Crown Copyright. Crown Copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland. Click-use licence number C02W0004089. Material is reproduced from the original 10 Downing Street source, but may not be the most up-to-date version of the briefings, which might be revised at the original source. Users should check with the original source in case of revisions. Comments are © Copyright contributors. Everything else is © Copyright Downing Street Says.

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» Thursday, June 24, 2004

Iran

Northern Ireland

Iran

Iraq

CSR/Five-Year Plans

Cabinet Committees

» Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Iran

PM’s Speech/Public Services

Iran

Bichard Report/Humberside Police

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