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» Wednesday, July 7, 2004

Abortion

Asked if the Prime Minister had had time to read up on the scientific evidence relating to abortion in the light of a question about the issue at PMQs today, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said no. The Prime Minister had been rather busy since PMQs, as journalists were no doubt well aware. For the avoidance of any doubt, however, the Prime Minister had not been signalling a change in Government policy on abortion. He had simply been underlining the point that this was an issue which, in the past, had been up to individual MPs to consider and that that was the way it would be in the future. As he had pointed out, the debate moved on as technology progressed. Asked if the Prime Minister had been indicating that there were plans to look again at the legislation, the PMOS said no. Asked if the Prime Minister would initiate any research into the subject, the PMOS said no. He would read through the existing research and evidence. Questioned as to whether the Government would support a Private Member's Bill on abortion, the PMOS said that given the sensitivity of the issue, he did not think it would be wise to get drawn into a hypothetical discussion about it.

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

MMR

Asked if the Prime Minister believed that the number of Mumps cases had risen because of the misreporting of research into the MMR vaccine in The Lancet, the PMOS said he thought that it would be better to leave the analysis to those best qualified to do so in the Department of Health and related organisations. We had made our position on MMR clear at the time of the initial controversy when we had also set out our fear of the consequences in the event of a fall in the uptake of the vaccine. That view had not changed.

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

Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi

Asked if the Prime Minister was concerned that Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi might cause trouble while he was visiting the UK, the PMOS said that as the Home Secretary had made clear this morning, Dr Al-Qaradawi's actions and words would be closely monitored while he remained in Britain. The Home Office Minister, Fiona MacTaggart, had set out her own reasons for withdrawing from the event at which Dr Al-Qaradawi was due to appear and had said she was disappointed that, unbeknownst to her, he had been billed as guest speaker.

Briefing took place at 15:45 | Read whole briefing | Comments (3)

Butler Report

Asked if it remained the intention to publish the Butler Report on 14 July, the PMOS said that the Inquiry team had stated that they were aiming for that date. Ultimately, however, it was a matter for them.

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

Prime Minister’s Questions

[ The Prime Minister answered questions from MPs in the House of Commons. You can read and comment on his answers at TheyWorkForYou.com. ]

Briefing took place at 11:30 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Education

Asked about the Prime Minister's speech on education later today, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that it was a party event and he was therefore unable to brief on it in detail. That said, the Prime Minister's general message would focus on the need to ensure that schools had both the resources and independence that were necessary to be successful.

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

Downing Street ‘Economics Unit’

Asked for a reaction to reports that Downing Street was intending to set up an 'Economics Unit', the PMOS said that he would file this story under the same category as Jackie Ashley's story yesterday. It was wrong. Asked if a proposal to set up an Economics Unit in Downing Street separate to the Treasury had been put to the Prime Minister, the PMOS said that the story was not only wrong, but it was also rubbish. He couldn't be any clearer than that.

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

Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi

Questioned about Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi's attendance at a conference in London, the PMOS said that the Home Office Minister, Fiona MacTaggart, had made it clear that she would be writing to the organisers to say that she was disappointed by their misleading use of her photograph to publicise the event when they had known that she would not be attending in person and to underline her dismay that a good cause had been turned into a broader political issue by making Dr Al-Qaradawi a guest of honour. As a result, she would not be sending a message of support.

Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (5)

Iraq/WMD

In answer to questions about the Prime Minister's remarks about WMD at the Liaison Committee yesterday morning, the PMOS said that as the Prime Minister had underlined at the start of the questioning, we knew two things: firstly, that Saddam Hussein had had WMD and secondly, that we had not yet found any stockpiles. He had then gone on to set out a range of possible explanations as to why that was the case. The truth, however, was that we would only have a better idea once the ISG presented its report - and even then, that might only be an indication rather than a final assessment. Put to him that this was the first time the Prime Minister had said that the WMD might have been destroyed, the PMOS pointed out that he had said 'might'. The bottom line was that we did not know at this stage. If we did, we would obviously tell people. Asked who would make the final assessment if the ISG report would only be an indication, the PMOS said that it was important to wait for the ISG report in the first instance rather than speculate about the process further down the road.

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

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» Wednesday, July 7, 2004

Abortion

MMR

Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi

Butler Report

Prime Minister’s Questions

Education

Downing Street ‘Economics Unit’

Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi

Iraq/WMD

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