Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Reshuffle, Foxhunting and Asylum/Refugees.
Reshuffle
Asked if the Prime Minister was concerned that three previous Cabinet Secretaries had questioned the handling of last week’s reshuffle, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that the Prime Minister had set out his views on the changes to the machinery of Government yesterday. As we had been stating repeatedly over the last few days, once all the dust had settled and we moved away from the issues relating to the process and handling, what would endure were the far reaching reforms to the judiciary which the Prime Minister believed were right. It went without saying that there would be full consultation on the proposals. As Lord Falconer had set out today, papers on the Judicial Appointments Commission and the new Supreme Court would be published on Monday 14 July and people would have until November to make their views known. Legislation would then be introduced at the earliest possible opportunity. In answer to further questions, the PMOS said he thought he had played the full ninety minutes on the subject in the last few days.
Foxhunting
Asked if the Prime Minister wanted the hunting Bill to go through in its present form when it returned to the Commons on 30 June, the PMOS said that as with any piece of legislation, there was a process of discussion to be gone through as the Bill went through both Houses of Parliament. He said that was a statement of fact which applied to all pieces of legislation and should not be over-interpreted. Questioned about the position which the House of Lords might take, the PMOS said that it would not be helpful to speculate about the course of action the Lords might or might not take and how the Government might respond to different scenarios, tempting though it was for journalists to try on a slow news day. The Bill was a Government Bill and he expected the usual conventions would apply in respect of Government legislation.
Asylum/Refugees
Asked again about the idea of regional protection zones, the PMOS said that this was a proposal which had already gained support from some quarters, including the European Commission, UNHCR and some other countries, and would no doubt be discussed further. We were not yet at the point of decision.
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