Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Spokesman on: The Tote, Europe, Windfall Tax Misc
The Tote
The Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) began by clarifying something he had said in that morning’s lobby briefing regarding the Tote and the 2005 Manifesto. The PMS had said this morning that from memory, the 2005 Manifesto had said that if it were not possible to find a solution to the sale of the Tote which involved the sale to the Racing Trust, the Government would seek an alternative commercial option and reinvest some of the money back into the racing industry.
Having double-checked that, the 2005 Manifesto had said that having passed the necessary legislation, the Government remained committed to completing the sale of the Tote to the Racing Trust. However the Government had said in July 2004, that were it not possible to sell the tote to the Racing Trust, we would sell it commercially with 50% of the proceeds going to racing and Jerry Sutcliffe reiterated this in the Westminster Hall on the 21st November 2007.
Asked whether the Government would concede that it hadn’t managed to keep that promise, the PMS said we would not accept that because what was said in 2005 was that we were committed to a sale to the Racing Trust. However the Government had said in 2004 and after the 2005 election in November 2007 that should it not be possible to sell to the Racing Trust, we would find an alternative solution that involved a commercial sale. The key point was that we were reinvesting 50% of the sale proceeds back into the racing industry so that they would benefit.
Put that that wasn’t actually said in the 2005 Manifesto, the PMS reiterated that the Government had said in the Manifesto that it remained committed to completing the sale of the Tote to a Racing Trust. That reflected the fact that our first preference was clearly a sale to the Racing Trust.
Europe
Asked what the timetable would be for the Europe Bill and would it be passed by summer recess, the PMS said people would have to check with the Foreign Office for the exact timetable.
Asked if the Prime Minister was still confident that the Bill would go through, the PMS said that he was. It was an important vote for the Government and we hoped that it would get as much support as possible, but it remained the case that we were confident in our position and in getting the vote through.
Asked if the Prime Minister believed that a frontbencher should resign after voting against the party line, the PMS said that it was a hypothetical question that did not relate to the party of Government. Asked whether the Prime Minister would vote tonight, the PMS confirmed that he was intending to.
Windfall Tax
Put that when the Prime Minister had been asked in PMQ’s about a Windfall Property tax he had referred to the review that was going on and was it the case that no action would be taken until those reviews had reported, the PMS advised people to wait and see.
Asked if the Prime Minister had any view on the allocation of tradeable permits under the European Trading Scheme, the PMS said that people would need to check with BERR on what the exact position was, but from his recollection, in subsequent rounds a greater proportion had been auctioned.
Put that until 2012 they would be free, the PMS said that from memory, in subsequent rounds there was a greater proportion being auctioned off.
Misc
Asked what the Prime Minister drank when he was Chancellor during the Budget, the PMS said he thought it was bottled water, but he would check.
Asked about Jennifer Moses and a story in the Evening Standard, the PMS said that he would not be commenting on personnel matters.
Asked whether the Prime Minister still stood by Ken Livingstone after a question was asked at PMQ’s about Mr Livingstone using tax payers money for the anniversary of the Cuban revolution, the PMS said he had no particular comment on that.
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