Downing Street Says » 2006 » October

» Monday, October 23, 2006

Iraq

Asked whether it was Government policy to split Iraq into three as the Foreign Secretary had said it was up to the Iraqi Government, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said we had no reason to believe the Iraqi Government wanted anything other than a unitary state, but she had simply been reflecting that Iraq was a sovereign government. The democratically elected Government of Iraq would decide what happened in Iraq. There were no signs that the Iraqi Government wanted to split the country.

Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Interior Ministers Meeting

Asked if John Reid's chairing of the EU meeting was a moment that could be taken to clear up the Romania and Bulgaria, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that as people knew, there had been discussions within Government, and we had said that we would make our position clear before the end of the month. We would therefore make it clear, but it was better to let the discussions take place before making any announcements.

Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

DNA Database

Asked whether the Prime Minister meant no limit when he said he wanted to see the maximum number of people on the DNA Database, the PMOS said yes, people who had done nothing had no reason to be afraid to be on it. This was an important tool in fighting crime. The Prime Minsiter believed that it was a tool that should be used by every police force in the country. 14 forces already did. Others should follow suit. It was important that people used all the available technology. That was why the Prime Minister also believed in the case for ID Cards. They were new tools available to fight crime and we should use them. Asked whether the Prime Minister had given his own DNA in, the PMOS said that he believed he had done so in November 1999. Asked whether other members of the Cabinet had, the PMOS said that it was a personal matter.

Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Deputy Prime Minister’s tour of the Far East

Asked for an agenda of the Deputy Prime Minister's trip, the PMOS said that in Japan, the Deputy Prime Minister would meet the newly elected Prime Minister, and other senior politicians from the new administration, including the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the health Minister and the Environment Minister. Mr. Prescott would also be discussing a range of issues linked to his Cabinet Committee work. In South Korea, Mr. Prescott would meet the Foreign Minister and the UN Secretary General Designate, along with other Ministers. In Malaysia, Mr. Prescott would meet the Deputy Prime Minister to discuss interfaith community issues. Mr. Prescott would be briefly visiting China to take forward to work of the China task force, following on from Prime Minister Wen's recent visit to the UK.

Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Police Inquiry

Asked whether the Police had contacted the Prime Minister, the PMOS said no, not that he was aware of.

Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Iraq

Put that General Richard Shirreff had said in an interview today that his aim was to get the security in Iraq to be "good enough", and was that Government policy as well, the PMOS rewound the clock back to April 2004, where he had first mentioned "Iraqiisation" and had laid out the strategy that we would be following. That strategy was that we would bring the security forces in Iraq to a capacity and a capability where they, as the representatives of the Sovereign Government and a democratically elected Government in Iraq, could take control of their own security. That was the strategy that we had been following since, and one that we were implementing. In terms of how that strategy worked, as we had made clear all along, the people who ultimately would decide were the democratically elected Government of Iraq.

Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

Hospitals

Asked for further comment on today's Daily Telegraph story that hospitals were wasting £2.5 billion a year, the PMOS replied that what the Telegraph had missed was that this was about improved NHS productivity, and it was a way of helping to spread improved productivity throughout the NHS.

Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)

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