Press briefing from the Prime Minister’s Spokesman on: Cabinet, Helen Liddell, Attorney General, Police Inquiry
Cabinet
Asked what was discussed at Cabinet today, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that there was an overview from the Health Secretary on the Health Service and a report back from the Foreign Secretary on the UNSC meeting this week, this month we are in the chair at the Security Council.
Asked what the overview of the health service related to, the PMOS said that it marked the progress that had been made, particularly the progress that has been made in terms of improving treatment for patients while recognising that that means there are changes in the service which are challenging, which throw up questions that we have to address. The overall message was one of progress in terms of improvements for the patient.
Asked if the Health Secretary explained the increase in pay to consultants when productivity levels had not increased at the same rate, the PMOS said that the second part of the reporters question was not entirely correct. Firstly, again the focus is on the patient, and if you look at the proportion of time consultants spend on direct clinical care that had increased as a proportion of time worked. Equally the overrun in 2005/06 was a relatively small margin of 2.3 percent of the total consultant pay bill. The new contact does link pay progression to performance and therefore that is a real benefit. We make no apology for paying consultants if it means we are able to retain them within the health service and it increases doctor retention which was a real problem in the past.Â
Helen Liddell
Asked if the Prime Minister thought it was helpful for Helen Liddell to say that he had never seen Iraq as part of the war on terror, the PMOS said that if the reporter actually looked at the quote in full it makes it clear what Helen Liddell was stating is the fact which was we didn’t say that the war on Iraq was about terrorism, but she then went on to say that it is a fact that terrorists are now trying to use the war in Iraq and we are facing terrorism in Iraq. In terms of Australian press coverage, that was more about Australian politics and that was not something he would comment on.
Put to the PMOS that Australia were part of the coalition, the PMOS said that yes they were part of the coalition and we very much welcome and have always welcomed their role in the coalition, but in terms of internal Australian politics he would not get involved. The reporter went on to argue that Helen Liddell was a Government representative in Australia, she caused a fuss in Australia then surely there must be a view on it, the PMOS said that we did not have a view if she was stating the factual position which she did. He added that the reporter was trying to get the PMOS to comment on Australian politicians’ reaction to Helen Liddell and he would not do that because that is about Australian politics not about what Helen Liddell said.
Attorney General
Asked if the comments made by the Attorney General in the Guardian meant there would be something new in the terror bill regarding the questioning suspects, the PMSO said it would be better left to the department to talk about the bill.
Police Inquiry
No.
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