Archived lobby briefings: Monday, June 10 Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, is on a tour of north east England where he is making an announcement on regional development Asked what they were, the PM's deputy official spokesman said they were "things like finding a cure for Alzheimers." Asked if there was any cash on offer for posing a good question, the spokesman said: "Not if there is no solution." Asked if no one could think of a challenge facing the world and civilisation then that would mean one does not exist, the spokesman said: "That is a very philosophical stance." Asked what the PM would say to General Sir Peter Wall's criticism of possible defence cuts in the 2015/16 spending review, the PMDOS said "final decisions were yet to be taken" but "first and foremost we are seeking to find genuine efficiencies that will protect frontline capability and military manpower numbers" Asked if the PM wanted defence to go up in real terms after April 2015, the PMDOS said: "The MoD's planning assumption is for a 1 per cent increase in their equipment budget, and that is what we have always talked about." Asked if Gen Wall had been "put up to this" by Philip Hammond, the PMDOS said: "We want to negotiate a successful financial settlement for 15/16." The PMDOS said that the PM and President Obama would be having a phone conversation this evening. Asked about the announcement from the US overnight about Syria's alleged use of chemical weapons, the PMDOS said: "We welcome this candid assessment by the Americans, Our intelligence agencies have been sharing information and we certainly share their view that there is growing evidence about chemical weapons being used by their regime." He added that evidence gathered by Britain had been tested at Porton Down and shared with "our international colleagues" including at the United Nations. Thursday, June 13, 2013 Afternoon briefing Asked if the Government wanted to tackle child poverty, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said that, while the Coalition "was committed to eradicating child poverty, we are taking a new and different approach which is all about tackling the source of the problem." He added that ministers were looking to "develop wider measures that better reflect the true reality of child poverty, addressing worklessness, educational failure and family breakdown because it is through tackling those most significant progress can be made." Asked for the real reason why Stephen Hester quit as chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland, the spokesman said the reasons "were exactly those that the board and Mr Hester have set out." Asked if the Prime Minister liked ministers to speak about areas outside their expertise, his official spokesman said: "What you see across all government departments is a real commitment to public service reform." He declined to say if Mr Cameron welcomed Mrs May's ambition to be leader of the Conservative party nor whether Mrs May's speech had been signed off by Number 10 before it was delivered to the Reform think-tank's annual dinner. Morning briefing The Canadian Prime Minister will address both houses of Parliament at noon. The Prime Minister will subsequently have a bi-lateral with Mr Harper at 2pm. Chris Grayling has given a speech on prisoner rehabilitation. The lobby briefing was dominated by Stephen Hester's resignation. Much of the questioning focused on whether George Osborne had played a direct role in his departure. The Prime Minister's Official spokesman admitted that UK Financial Investments, the government-funded body which sits on the Board of RBS, had been involved in discussions. However, he refused to be drawn on the role played by either the Prime Minister or George Osborne. Asked if Chancellor put pressure on the RBS board, PMOS said: "I wouldn't put it in those terms. Boards as you would expect discuss future strategic planning and succession planning with their shareholders. Clearly through UKFI the government is a major shareholder, so UKFI have been involved in discussions with the board of RBS in the way that you would entirely expect. Asked whether the fact Hester hadn't spoken to George Osborne for two months hastened his departure, PMOS said: "There reasons for him stepping down are exactly as have been set out. As the Chancellor described it we are moving from a rescue phase to a new phase. We are seeking a CEO to lead the bank through a return to private ownership and beyond. Asked where the government going to find someone to take over RBS when the pay is "minuscule" by bankers standards, PMOS said: "There will be a process lead by RBS." So did the Chancellor make representations through UKFI? You would perfectly expect when it comes to decisions around long-term strategy for companies lead by the boards to engage with shareholders. Asked whether there was a timetable for the privatisation of RBS, PMOS said: "There isn't a timetable." The Prime Minister was asked whether RBS's decision axing 2,000 jobs ahead of privatisation was a "good thing for taxpayers." PMOS replied: "Job losses, wherever they are in the economy, are of course a real burden for those who are affected." Asked about whether Bermuda is resisting efforts to greater transparency, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said: "My understanding is that the Bermudan government has explained that recent reports don't represent their position. We have been making progress will of the overseas territories. Asked whether the Prime Minister's hand would be weakened at the G8 if he failed to secure an agreement with the crown dependencies on tax, PMOS said: "Let's see where we get to, eh." Asked if he thought it was right that doctor and surgeons can withold their performance data from league tables, as reported in The Daily Telegraph this morning, PMOS decline to comment. "On specifics of that I will point to the Department of Health," he said. On the wide-ranging speech by Theresa May, the Home Secretary, which fuelled speculation about her leadership ambitions, the PMOS said he did not know whether it had been signed off by the Prime Minister. "There's nothing for me to add," he said. Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has proposed that fox hunting should be introduced on the streets of London to deal with the growing problem. Asked if the Prime Minister has agreed, he said it was a "matter for the Mayor of London." Asked whether Mr Cameron would join a hunt in the capital, PMOS declined to comment. There were subsequently questions on whether Liam Fox would make a return to the Cabinet. Wednesday, June 12, 2013 Downing Street was asked to clarify exactly what the Prime Minister had meant earlier at PMQs when he said the Commons would have "a say" on arming the Syrian rebels. Will MPs be given a proper vote before Britain sends weapons to the rebels and will the outcome of such a vote be binding on the government? The Number 10 spokesman said: "The point the Prime Minister is trying to get across is that at present, no decision has been taken. But as he made clear, he has always supported the notion of the House having a say on these issues. After Jordan's parliament approved a treaty with Britain designed to allow Abu Qatada to be deported, No10 was asked whether Mr Cameron had booked the radical cleric's plane ticket yet. The spokesman said the announcement from Jordan was "good news" but that the case was "ongoing." The Prime Minister is clear in his determination to put Abu Qatada back on a plane to Jordan. Had the PM checked with HMRC before telling MPs that £700,000 in tax had been avoided as a result of John Mills, a businessman, donating shares instead of cash to Ed Miliband's party? The Number 10 spokesman, who is an impartial civil servant at all these briefings, said he had no reason to believe the figure was wrong but that Tory spin doctors should be approached for a fuller response on "political" issues. The Deputy Prime Minister will give a speech in Sheffield this evening where he will announce the formation of the regional growth committee. The Foreign Secretary is in Washington where he is meeting the US Secretary of State John Kerry. The business minister Jo Swinson it going to set out the draft consumer rights bill. Jeremy Hunt will give a statement to the house on child cardiac surgery. The science minister David Willetts is chairing a meeting of G8 science ministers. They will be considering the role of science in addressing global challenges including how we boost global research. The PMOS was asked if he still supports David Nicholson, the chief executive of NHS England, after it emerged that he wasn't aware of 51 gagging orders. He replied that members of the Public Accounts Committee will have the opportunity to put questions about the gagging orders to Sir David this afternoon, when he appears before the committee. Following reports that the UK is going to push Europe to embrace GM crops, the Prime Minister's spokesman said Britain will be led by "scientific advice" and underlined that GM crops could help meet future food production needs. He said: "The PM's view is that in this area we should take a precautionary approach and be guided by the very best, independent, scientific advice. I'm not going to jump ahead. There is a challenge globally about how future food production needs are met. There are a number of strands to that. One is in the area of GM, as you say, but the point I'd really like to underline is that all decisions that are taken are going to be firmly rooted in the very best, independent, scientific advice. The PMOS was asked if he had any comment on the news that Bermuda has said it is not going to be signing up to any deals. We have seen progress on what is a global tax reform agenda. I think we will continue to see progress in the context of the G8. Tax and transparency are at the heart of our G8 agenda. PMOS was asked about Labour's call for a debate on child pornography. The PMOS said: "The PM's view is that he is sickened by the proliferation of child pornography. They government has already taken action in this area. CEOP now has doubled its number of staff since 2010 and we are always looking at what more can be done. That's why Maria Miller (the Culture Secretary) and Claire Perry are getting the internet companies around the table next week. After James Crosby, the former chief executive of Hbos, was stripped of his knighthood, the PMOS was asked if other bankers involved in the financial crisis should "look to their consciences" and do the same. With regard to forfeitures there's an independent process to consider that. As for James, he took his decision and I don't have anything further to add to that. The PMOS was asked if William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, will be discussing "snooping on British citizens" with John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, during his trip to Washington. He did not deny that the issue would be raised. The Foreign secretary's talks with Secretary Kerry will focus on Syria and the Middle East peace process. Asked whether the Prime Minister is confident that he can secure international agreement on banning ransom payments at the G8, PMOS said: "We are continuing to discuss all the issues in detail with our G8 partners. Terrorist related issues are on the gender. Tuesday, June 11, 2013 The Prime Minister's official spokesman was asked about whether progress would be made on armying Syrian rebels during a visit by William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, to Washington. He said: "This is a scheduled meeting. It's part of the ongoing close engagement that we have with allies, including the US, in support of the political solution that we want to see in Syria. Our position remains seeking that political solution, and how we can move towards a transitional government in Syria. That means putting political pressure on all sides. Asked whether a decision had been taken on arming the rebels , he said: "There has been no decision taken whatsoever." Asked whether Mr Hague would be discussing Prism, the National Security Service's intelligence gathering operation, in Washington, PMOS declined to comment. We don't comment on discussions we have with other governments on intelligence matters. The focus is very much with regard to Syria. Asked about comments from Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors that the housing market was showing green shoots of recovery, PMOS said: "I'm running out of gardening responses. I think the right thing to do is to keep explaining why the government has the economic approach that it does. While there is a hard road, progress has been made. You know the stats well - the deficit down by a third, a million and a quarter new jobs. Morning briefing (at 12pm today) The PM chaired Cabinet this morning and economic growth was on the agenda. Was any Cabinet minister ticked off for projects being behind schedule? I don't think I'd put it in those terms. You'd expect the Cabinet to consider the progress that has been made," says the PM's official spokesman. Not even the rural broadband roll-out, which is about to be heavily criticised by the National Audit Office and is on amber/red alert with the Major Projects Authority? The PM's official spokesman won't "highlight" any area as the discussion was very broad. However, he says "good progress" is being made on improving broadband. Asked whether rural broadband will hit its 2015 target and whether Maria Miller, the Media Secretary, got a pat on the back for her work on it, he won't be drawn. Keir Starmer, director of public prosecutions, has warned that without the snooper's charter it will be difficult to prosecute terrorists. "We take a little bit of issue with that," says the PM's spokesman, adding the David Cameron has been "very clear" the authorities will get all the tools they need to keep up with criminals "in this fast-paced area." What does The PM think about Turkey joining the EU in light of this week's violent clashes on the streets? "UK remains fully supprtive of the accession process with regard to Turkey," he says. Foreign Office guidance says Brits should "avoid areas where there are demonstrations," he adds. Did David Cameron tell Cabinet about his trip to the Bilderberg summit of global leaders at the weekend? "Cabinet was busy discussing parliamentary business and the growth agenda," says his offficial spokesman. Since the Bilderberg meeting was discussed in Parliament, that doesn't rule it out... The PM's spokesman is a bit flummoxed by a question on Jeremy Hunt suggesting councils should look at banning fizzy drinks in schools. He hasn't heard these comments but says the Government has an "active public health agenda." Monday, June 10, 2013 The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) was asked about the possibility of arming the Syrian rebels. He said there has been "no change" and that there "has been no decision to provide lethal assistance." The PMOS said the Government's "focus" is "very much on the proposed international peace conference and a process that leads to a transitional government." On the row over Thames Water, the UK's biggest water company, paying no corporation tax this year, the PMOS said he could not comment on "specific cases." However, he added that "the general point is that taxes that are due must be paid." On the US data-surveillance row, the PMOS was asked whether the PM is content that no ministerial emails could have been accessed. Asked whether it is a good idea for ministers to use email servers that could potentially be compromised, the PMOS said he had "nothing more to add" on the issue. The PM had no comment on the news that Staffordshire Police has identified 200-300 cases in which alleged neglect may have contributed to death. The PMOS said he was not aware of anyone at the Bilderberg group meeting criticising the PM's position on the EU and encouraging him to raise it in a speech today. The PMOS was asked if the PM is confident of an agreement on tax transparency. There is "an increasingly shared view that progress needs to be made," he replied.