Press briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: NHS, Act of Union/1707, Turkey, Nigerian Elections, Prime Minister, Taoiseach, World Bank and BAe
NHS
Put to the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) that the Prime Minister, in his speech this morning, had poured cold water on the Chancellor’s idea of a independent NHS board, the PMOS said that he had not heard what the Prime Minister had said but he thought the important thing was that all ideas are looked at. Put to the PMOS that the Prime Minister had said the Chancellor’s idea would not work, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister had expressed his own judgment in his own way as usual.
Act of Union/1707
Asked what the Prime Minister would be doing to mark the celebrations, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister would be in Scotland and other departments would announce what other Ministers would be doing.
Put to the PMOS that the Prime Minister would be celebrating the Act of Union rather than the 10th anniversary of the Labour victory at a general election, the PMOS said they’re both on the same day.
Asked if there was going to be any significant Government celebrations, the PMOS said that people in Scotland would mark the occasion in their own way and it was important that they do that. In terms of the Prime Minister his celebrations will be outside London.
Put to the PMOS that the Government says the Act of Union is important why are there no Government celebrations, the PMOS said that there are a number of Government events and it was a yearlong commemoration.
Turkey
Asked if the events in Turkey would put their bid to join the EU under threat, the PMOS said that it was an internal matter for Turkey and it was not for us to comment. We would watch developments but it was an internal matter for Turkey.
Nigerian Elections
Asked if there was any comment on the events in Nigeria, the PMOS said that as indicated previously the overall conduct of the polls were disappointing but it was important to stress that in terms of the aftermath Nigeria still has a chance to set a good example. It was vital that all parties act in line with the constitution and there is a due process for dealing with electoral grievances within that constitution. We call on all the parties to find a peaceful and democratic way forward.
Prime Minister
Asked if this week the PMOS could give an indication of when the Prime Minister would be announcing his departure as last week the PMOS had said last week that the Prime Minister would not be making an announcement this week, the PMOS said that it would be best to get through this week, then it was a Bank holiday next Monday then the reporter could ask again on Tuesday. Asked as that put it into May and would there be a monthly Prime Minister’s press conference next week, the PMOS said that the only thing he knew about the next week was that it began, for the PMOS, next Tuesday with a very important event in Northern Ireland.
Asked if procedurally the Prime Minister does announce his intentions would he feel as a courtesy he should talk to HM Queen about it, the PMOS said that the reporter was kind enough to preface her question by saying it was a procedural question, as such it almost verged into the hypothetical. However it would get the same answer, we will deal with it as and when.
Asked when the next audience with HM Queen would be, the PMOS said he’d find out.
Taoiseach
Asked how the Taoiseach was proposed to address both Houses, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister recommended it to the Speaker, it was then for the Speaker of both Houses to decide. The Speaker has agreed in recognition of the work done by the Taoiseach in the peace process. Asked if peers and members of Parliament had a say in the matter, the PMOS said it would be through the normal channels. Asked when the address would be, the PMOS confirmed it would be the 15th May 2007.
World Bank
Asked if Wolfowitz case had had an impact on world aid, the PMOS said, as had been said before, it was a matter for the World Bank and the World Bank are dealing with the matter.
BAe
Asked if the Government would be responding to the Foreign Affairs Committee findings over the Attorney General’s decision not to pursue a prosecution, the PMOS said the reasons behind the decision were precisely as we set out at the time. What was also important to note was that on 12th March 2007 the Secretary of State for International Development published a report on progress on the Government’s anti-corruption action plan. That included a number of measures which strengthen our stance on anti corruption. None of that takes away from the basic judgment which the Attorney General said was his at the time which was that it was, in his view, unlikely there would be a successful prosecution as well as the other reasons set out at the time.
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