Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Rugby Reception, European Constitution and Tuition Fees.
Rugby Reception
Asked where in Downing Street the Rugby reception was being held and which Ministers would be attending, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that the reception would take place in the State Rooms and the Ministers attending would include the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, Charles Clarke, Tessa Jowell, Richard Caborn, the Chancellor, Lord Falconer and Baroness Amos. It was also possible that Andrew Smith, John Reid and Geoff Hoon would be there. From the Opposition, those attending would include Michael Howard, Charles Kennedy, Julie Kirkbride and Don Foster. The Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency Michael L’Estrange, would also be present.
Questioned as to whether an open invitation had been extended to all members of the Cabinet, the PMOS said that it was a Government reception. These were not uncommon events when Parliament was sitting, and it was open to members of the Government to attend if they so wished. Asked why Baroness Amos would be attending, the PMOS said he presumed she would be representing the House of Lords. Asked why Peter Hain, and for that matter Patricia Hewitt, would not be there, the PMOS said that he had absolutely no intention of going through each member of the Cabinet and explaining why they would or would not be present.
Asked if the Opposition Leaders had had to put in a request for an invitation from Downing Street, the PMOS pointed out that it had not been the practice during this or previous Administrations to invite members of the Opposition to Government receptions. However, because we did not want this evening’s event to be submerged in political controversy - perceived or otherwise - the Government had decided to invite members of the Opposition to attend. Asked if Downing Street had actually invited the Opposition Leaders or whether, as he had indicated this morning, the offices of the Opposition Leaders had had to contact Downing Street to request an invitation, the PMOS said that as the Prime Minister had made clear yesterday, if people indicated to us that they wanted to go, then we would of course accommodate them. Put to him that the words he was using this afternoon were different to the words he had used at this morning’s briefing, the PMOS said that his words this morning reflected his understanding of the matter, i.e. they should let us know if they wanted to attend. Questioned further, the PMOS said that the processology of this whole matter was simply too boring to delve into any further. Put to him that it would have been a suitable occasion to invite the Speaker of the House of Commons and other MPs with an interest in rugby, the PMOS said that as with all such events, space was limited. We had done all we could to ensure that as many people as possible were represented. For example, four hundred school children from thirty specialist sports colleges across London would greet the squad in the Street as they arrived.
Asked for more ‘colour’, the PMOS said that the atmosphere would be relatively informal because today was clearly about the players, their partners and the backroom staff. Asked if Mrs Blair would be attending, the PMOS said that it would depend on her other engagements. Asked if Alastair Campbell had been invited, the PMOS said not as far as he was aware.
European Constitution
Asked the Prime Minister’s reaction to Gisela Stuart’s comments today about the European Constitution, the PMOS said that what was important was the outcome of the European Council in Brussels at the end of the week. Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary had underlined that we would argue our case in terms of the red lines we had set out. The Prime Minister would focus his attention on those. In answer to further questions, the PMOS said that Ms Stuart was entitled to her particular perspective. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary would deal with the actual outcome of the IGC. Asked for a reaction to her suggestion that the Prime Minister might have to allow MPs a free vote on the issue, the PMOS said that the European Constitution was a Government matter and would be dealt with in the usual way.
Tuition Fees
Asked if we saw variable fees as a way of managing demand for courses because we envisaged charges increasing beyond £3,000, the PMOS said that the Government’s proposals had nothing to do with any plans to raise fees in future. On the contrary. It was about universities having the flexibility to use variability to encourage people to take certain courses which they felt were under-utilised, such as engineering. It was important to be clear that it was the universities themselves who were calling for the flexibility of variable fees. Asked if he was implying that one benefit of variable fees was that universities would be able to give discounts on the less popular courses, the PMOS said the point was that different fees could be charged within - as well as between - universities for different courses.
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