» Thursday, December 14, 2006
Police Inquiry
The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) briefed journalists that the Prime Minister had spoken to police this morning The PMOS said that it was not under caution and he was not accompanied by a lawyer.
Briefing took place at 16:01 | Read whole briefing | Comments (3)
Police Inquiry
Asked if she was aware that the police were talking to the Prime Minister when she left Downing Street for this morning's briefing, the Prime Minister's Spokesman replied that Tom Kelly the Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson (PMOS) had said all along that he would tell the Lobby if the Prime Minister had been interviewed by the police. The point at which the PMOS knew the interview had taken place was about 20 minutes before he briefed the Lobby to that effect in the Lower Gallery at 1.30pm that afternoon.
Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Forthcoming Business
The Leader said that, on Monday, December 18, the House would debate the second reading of the Digital Switchover (Disclosure of Information) Bill (Tessa Jowell and Shaun Woodward speaking for the Government). On Tuesday, December 19, MPs would discuss the motion for the Christmas Recess Adjournment (Nigel Griffiths). Business for the week after the recess would be: Monday, January 8 - second reading of the Statistics and Registration Service Bill (John Healey); Tuesday, January 9 - remaining stages of the Welfare Reform Bill (Jim Murphy); Wednesday, January 10 - Opposition Day (2nd Allotted Day): a debate on an Opposition motion, subject to be announced; Thursday, January 11 - a debate on Social Exclusion on a motion for the Adjournment of the House (Hilary Armstrong and Pat McFadden); Friday, January 12 - the House would not sit. Provisional business for the following week: Monday, January 15 - second reading of the Planning-Gain Supplement (Preparations) Bill (HMT Minister).
Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Foreign Affairs debate/Iraq
Asked if there would be a substantive motion, the Leader said that it would be on a motion for the Adjournment of the House, which was the usual - but not exclusive - basis for foreign policy debates. Mr Straw said that, as he had explained to the House, the debate would be on foreign policy, focusing - but not exclusively - on Iraq, since there could be other developments before than. Questioned whether there should not be a vote on the impact of the Iraq Study Group report, Mr Straw said that it was an important study. However, the ISG had not been established by President Bush but by two NGOs - foreign policy trusts. It was in no sense a Congressional inquiry or an inquiry by the US executive.
Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Police
The Leader, in response to a question, said he had nothing to add to the earlier comments of the PMOS and the PMS. In response to further questions, he thanked journalists for their ingenious line of questioning but said he would resist their invitations. He said he personally had learned about the police visit later in the day, but the purpose of Cabinet meetings was not to discuss ministerial diaries.
Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Party funding/Sir Hayden Phillips
The Leader said that Sir Hayden was continuing his deliberations, which were now on the penultimate if not the last lap. Sir Hayden had produced two indications - not proposals - of some of the key issues involved. Mr Straw said that, relating to caps on donations, the issue had been around for a long time. They were used in the US, where there were no caps on spending. However, in some other countries such as Canada, there were caps on both donations and spending. The Leader noted that the parties were now involved in debate with Sir Hayden about the appropriate balance. The crucial thing - as he (Mr Straw) had said publicly - was that all parties worked towards ending the "arms race" on spending. The Leader said it had been thought that this goal had been achieved with the Neill Committee, which formed part of previous legislation, the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Freedom of Information
He was asked if it would have been better for Lord Falconer to have organised a consultation about how the Act was working rather than to publish a draft proposal to extend the £600 limit for dealing with requests for consultation. Mr Straw said he had listened to a news item about the BBC on the issue earlier today with a wry smile. He said the BBC was a public authority and it had been rather less forthcoming on requests to it than Government departments had been on requests to them under FOI.
Briefing took place at 15:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Cabinet
Asked what happened at Cabinet today, the PMOS said there was a presentation from Hilary Benn on Africa, including an overview on our approach to the Continent. There was also a preview of Alistair Darling's statement on Post Offices for Cabinet colleagues. Asked why Cabinet had not gone on longer as planned, the PMOS said there had been no plan for an extended Cabinet. Asked if there had been any discussions on party funding, the PMOS said that there had been a brief discussion. Asked if the Prime Minister had set out his views on party funding the PMOS said no he had not. The gist of the brief discussion was that Hayden Philips would come up with his proposals and that the Government would respond in due course. Asked who would respond to the interim proposals the PMOS confirmed that that would be a party matter.
Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Cabinet
Asked what happened at Cabinet today, the PMOS said there was a presentation from Hilary Benn on Africa, including an overview on our approach to the Continent. There was also a preview of Alistair Darling's statement on Post Offices for Cabinet colleagues. Asked why Cabinet had not gone on longer as planned, the PMOS said there had been no plan for an extended Cabinet. Asked if there had been any discussions on party funding, the PMOS said that there had been a brief discussion. Asked if the Prime Minister had set out his views on party funding the PMOS said no he had not. The gist of the brief discussion was that Hayden Philips would come up with his proposals and that the Government would respond in due course. Asked who would respond to the interim proposals the PMOS confirmed that that would be a party matter.
Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
Police Inquiry
Briefing took place at 11:00 | Read whole briefing | Comments (0)
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