Downing Street Says » 2006

» Friday, June 16, 2006

NHS IT Projects

Asked about the NAO report on the NHS IT project and press reports of overspending, the PMOS highlighted several points in the NAO report. It said that the NHS computer system was much needed and it was well managed. It was based on excellent contracts and because of that fact it had saved £6bn. It was delivering major savings. It was on budget at £12.4bn and had made substantial progress. In other words the NAO had confirmed that the cost of the program had not overrun. Instead the IT system would provide much needed coherence for the first time on how the NHS used it records, x-rays and bookings. All of which could not be done as efficiently and effectively as possible with the current system. It would deliver for the first time real choice based on real information for patients up and down the country. Put that it was meant to cost £6bn but Lord Warner had said it was going to cost £12bn, the PMOS said that Lord Warner had been talking about the overall NHS IT budget, which if you added together the frontline services programme, meaning the x-rays, bookings and records, and the backroom costs, meaning personnel etc, this was what Lord Warner had been referring to as £12.4bn. The NAO report was specifically talking about the frontline service so reports of costs in the £20bn region were just flat wrong as the report indicated. It said actually said that the NHS had saved £6bn because of the good contract.

Briefing took place at 6:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Crime Speech

Asked what the Prime Minister's speech on crime next week would cover, the PMOS said that he would be able to brief on the detailed content at some point next week. That said he could give them an indication of the context. No doubt they remembered the recent series of foreign policy speeches the Prime Minister had delivered. He would now be starting a series of speeches from now till the autumn on domestic matters. The first of those would be next Friday. It would be a broad based analysis of where we were in the criminal justice system and what needed to change. The Prime Minister had been consulting experts and expert opinion on a range of matters as he had for his foreign policy series. What he would be saying next week would not be related to recent events but would cover the whole context in which we addressed these matters.

Briefing took place at 6:00 | Read whole briefing | Comment (1)

Iraq

Asked about the Japanese reports suggesting that British troops might withdraw from an Iraqi province, the PMOS reminded journalists what Prime Minister Maliki had said when the Prime Minister had met him in Baghdad. There would be a process where, if the circumstances and the growing capacity of the Iraqi troops allowed, the Iraqi government would take control of security province by province. Prime Minister Maliki had indicated that he thought that process might begin this July. So we could not confirm these reports because this was a matter for the Iraqi government. The way it would work, however, was that the Iraqi government would decide when it was ready to take over a province and then authority for that province would be handed over. This would then gradually have an effect on coalition troop numbers. Our understanding was that that process would take a number of weeks. But first and foremost when it would start was a matter for the Iraqi government.

Briefing took place at 6:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Iran

Asked about the Iranian President's comment calling for an independent inquiry into the holocaust, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister saw no need for such an inquiry. The grim reality of that was there for all people to see.

Briefing took place at 6:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Football

Asked if the Prime Minister had seen the football and what he thought of the performance, the PMOS said that we were not giving a running commentary on the team's performance. The Prime Minister had managed to catch the last ten minutes of the first half and the final twenty or so minutes of the second half so he had seen the all-important goals.

Briefing took place at 6:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

» Thursday, June 15, 2006

Football

Asked how much of the football match between England and Trinidad & Tobago the Prime Minister expected to see, the PMOS said that obviously first and foremost today the Prime Minister was fulfilling his obligations in representing the Government at the Queen's 80th birthday celebrations. He would then go to Europe and because of the previous event would arrive slightly later for the meeting, however Margaret Beckett would be there for the whole of the meeting. In terms of the football, he would watch as much as he can.

Briefing took place at 17:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Forthcoming Business

The Leader drew attention to the second reading of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill on Monday, June 19 (Beverley Hughes would lead for the Government), which would establish a new vetting and barring scheme for those who worked with children and vulnerable adults; the debate would follow Home Office oral questions. On Tuesday, the House would debate remaining stages of the Children and Adoption Bill (Beverley Hughes), dealing with strengthening adoption and controls for inter-country arrangements. The Opposition had proposed the subjects for two half-day debates on Wednesday - one on the future of the BBC (Shaun Woodward for the Government) and the second on "the failure of the Government's housing and planning policy" (Ruth Kelly for the Government). On Thursday, there would be a debate on defence policy on a motion for the adjournment (Des Browne). The House would not sit on Friday, June 23.

Briefing took place at 17:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Sentencing

Asked what would be discussed at the European Council meeting, the PMOS said that we were at a different cycle in Europe than we were when we held the presidency. During that time we had the budget negotiations to complete and also the fallout from the referendums on the EU constitution. What we had also managed to do through our Hampton Court summit, was place on the agenda issues such as energy, where we were with the Austrians was that we would be taking forward these issues at this council. It would be unrealistic to expect any conclusion but in terms of preparing the ground for an action plan to be published at next year's spring council. After the French and Dutch referendum results we had said that there would be a year of reflection on the constitution and we expected that period to be extended and some sort of reference point for when those matters might be considered. Those were the main issues that would come up.

Briefing took place at 17:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Other

Asked about the timing of Home Office legislation to deal with sentencing practice, the Leader said that the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister had made clear that, currently, a review of the programme of the department was taking place. The Home Secretary would make any announcement when he was ready to do so.

Briefing took place at 17:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Other Business

Asked for more detail on the Written Ministerial Statement on Charles Taylor, the PMOS said that it was to do with arrangements for Charles Taylor's imprisonment should he be found guilty in the Hague. Asked which prison he might be kept in, the PMOS said that people should wait for the outcome of the trial. For more detail people should speak to the FCO.

Briefing took place at 17:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

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» Friday, June 16, 2006

NHS IT Projects

Crime Speech

Iraq

Iran

Football

» Thursday, June 15, 2006

Football

Forthcoming Business

Sentencing

Other

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