Press briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: NHS Doctors, Ethiopia Kidnaps, Renewable Energy, Policy Review and Police Inquiry
NHS Doctors
Asked if the Prime Minister had any concerns over the number of junior doctors who were struggling to find jobs in the NHS, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) replied that the important thing was that there were more doctors than before. That was part of the investment that had gone into the Health Service. In terms of people getting jobs, there were the usual processes in place to ensure this happened, but that was best done at an operational level rather than a policy level. The important thing was that the overall number of doctors, as with nurses, had gone up.
Put to him that this was all very well, but these doctors could not actually find work, the PMOS replied that the usual processes were in place for matching available trainees with jobs. But this was best done at an operational level.
Ethiopia Kidnaps
Asked if the Prime Minister had been kept up to date with the incident in Ethiopia this morning, the PMOS replied that the Prime Minister was being kept informed, details were still being worked out, and it was probably best not to comment at this early stage.
Renewable Energy
Put to him that the Prime Minister had championed wind power with new 20% compulsory targets for energy, but at the same time there were reports that hundreds of applications for wind power were being turned down, the PMOS replied that in terms of wind turbines and planning applications, this was an issue being dealt with as part of the Energy Review. We were already setting ambitious targets in terms of renewables, but only as part of an overall mix of energy supplies. Planning was part of the issue that we had to address, and the Energy Review was up front about that.
Asked about the DTI scheme inviting people to apply for a subsidy to install a solar panel or wind turbine in their homes for domestic use, and put to him that the subsidy funding available for each month was running out extremely quickly, the PMOS replied that in terms of demand for this scheme, we had to use public money to the best advantage. The important thing now was that there was a willingness from individuals to engage on this issue and we needed to consider how to use this willingness to the best advantage. Indeed both David Miliband and Alistair Darling referred to this during the discussion in Cabinet yesterday. This was an evolving situation.
Asked to clarify that David Miliband and Alistair Darling discussed micro-generation at Cabinet and the way it was funded, the PMOS replied that as he had said yesterday, there was an overall discussion of the environment and climate change. In terms of the changing pattern of public attitudes to this, one of the illustrations was precisely the point made in the previous questions.
Policy Review
Asked when they could expect the Prime Minister’s Policy Review to conclude, the PMOS replied that the review would be publish when it was ready.
Police Inquiry
No
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