Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: European Union, Prisons and Lord Levy
European Union
Asked what we were seeking to change, other than the name, in the role of the EU Foreign Minister, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) replied that we were seeking for an EU Foreign Minister to be answerable to the Council, and that it was clear it was an inter-governmental role rather than being answerable to the Commission. But we were also clear that there should be nothing that diluted in any way, our ability to set our own foreign and defence policy. Asked what we wanted to call this role, the PMOS replied that we would not be getting into the detail of negotiations. The key point was that this person was answerable to the Heads of Government, as represented in the European Council.
Put that in the last treaty it was also the case that the Foreign Minister would be answerable to the Council, and had this changed since, the PMOS replied that it had not. All that had changed was that some people had raised this question, and we wanted reassurances that this was the case. Like much of this debate, it was about making sure that people were reassured that certain myths did not have any bearing in reality.
Asked if there would be translation or whether the Prime Minister’s linguistic skills would come into play during the Sarkozy phone call, the PMOS replied that he thought there would be a translator present on the call. Some of the technical detail in these exchanges on Europe would defy most people’s linguistic skill, certainly his own included, which were non-existent.
Put that Geoff Hoon had mentioned at lunchtime that he was unsure whether he was going to the Council, and asked if he would be, the PMOS replied that this was a matter for the Foreign Office.
Put that despite the red lines set out by the Prime Minister, there would be concessions on QMV in other areas, the PMOS replied that we would not be getting into details of negotiations. It was important that we set out clearly what the red lines were, and that we look at the substance. In issues of criminal law, in issues of tax and benefits, issues of foreign and defence policy, we will retain control over our own affairs.
Asked if the Foreign Secretary would be attending, the PMOS replied that she would be as the Foreign Secretary always attends.
Prisons
Asked how many people would be released on early licence, the PMOS referred the journalist to the Ministry of Justice. Asked if we thought the number in The Times was correct, the PMOS again referred the journalist to the Department.
Asked if the Government was accepting that this was a u-turn, the PMOS replied that we accepted that we had to respond to real pressures within the system. But it also needed to be understood why those pressures arise. Those pressures arise because we have succeeded in cutting crime by over a third, and that meant for instance that there were 1.25 million more offences brought to justice than there was five years ago. That created a pressure in turn on the prison service. We had built 20,000 extra prison places since 1997, we had created 3,500 more places in the last 2 years, and there would be 700 more this year. But the pressures continue, in part because we were convicting more people and sentencing them for longer for serious offences.
Asked what was the purpose of convicting more people, giving them longer sentences, and then letting them out before they have served their time, the PMOS replied that keeping it in perspective, they were being released just before their time. It was important to recognise that for serious crimes, the average sentence lengths had gone up by 25% in the 10 years from 1995-2005. The total number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody had increased by 26% in the same period. There are currently 40% more serious and violent offenders in prison now, than in 1997. The message was loud and clear that if you commit a serious crime, you will end up in prison.
Put that the message was - yes if you commit a serious crime you will go to prison, but that we were so short of prison places that you would be "shoved out the door", the PMOS replied that this was only a matter of a few weeks. Prison sentences were a lot longer than that.
Lord Levy
Asked if the Prime Minister was going to Lord Levy’s farewell party, the PMOS replied that the Prime Minister would be attending.
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