Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Tuition Fees and Hutton report.
Tuition Fees
Asked if he thought it was fair that Scotland should receive a windfall from the introduction of tuition fees south of the border in the light of the fact that the Scots, themselves, had rejected the policy, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that, under the Barnett Formula, they would receive a share of additional resources. Pressed as to whether that was fair, the PMOS said that that was the Formula which had been agreed by Parliament.
Asked to give ‘an absolute guarantee’ that the Second Reading of the Higher Education Bill would take place on Tuesday 27 January, the PMOS said that that was the date we had announced and that was when the vote would be. He hadn’t heard any discussion whatsoever about any possible change.
Asked if "Blair" had a visit to a university tomorrow, the PMOS said no and he thought the journalist meant "Prime Minister".
Asked about the Prime Minister’s meetings with backbenchers today to discuss tuition fees, the PMOS said that the meetings were part of the ongoing dialogue and engagement with his Parliamentary colleagues in the run-up to next Tuesday. Asked if the Prime Minister was planning to meet MPs every working day until the 27th, the PMOS said that he would not rule out the possibility that the Prime Minister might speak to other MPs between now and next Tuesday. However, he doubted whether he would have meetings every day until then because of other engagements. In answer to further questions, the PMOS said that the Government was not complacent in any way, shape of form about the vote next Tuesday. We realised that there was still a lot of debate, engagement and discussion to be had. It went without saying that the Government, from the Prime Minister down, would continue to make the case to both the public and their colleagues.
Asked if the Prime Minister would have met with all those who had signed the EDM by next Tuesday, the PMOS said not necessarily. That said, it was not impossible that the signatories would have had meetings with other members of the Government. Obviously the Government was working hard to win the vote at all levels.
Asked if the Prime Minister was planning simply on ’surviving’, or ’surviving well’ given the importance of the issue, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister had been asked a question on Newsnight last night and he had given a straight answer. It was clearly a slow news day today.
Hutton Report
Asked what time the Hutton Report would be published next Wednesday, the PMOS said that the precise timing was a matter for Lord Hutton to decide. As far as he was aware, no definitive statement had been made at this stage. Asked what time the Prime Minister would make his Statement to the House, the PMOS said that it would be after Lord Hutton’s statement. Precisely when that would be he could not say. Asked if Lord Hutton was aware that the Prime Minister would be doing PMQs at midday next Wednesday, the PMOS said he would have thought so.
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