Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Guantanamo Bay/Terrorism, Constitutional Reform, Immigration/Beverly Hughes, President of Cameroon, Education/Drugs and GM Crops.
Guantanamo Bay/Terrorism
Asked if the Government had given up all attempts to bring back the four British Guantanamo Bay detainees who were not being released, in the light of the Home Secretary’s comments in the US yesterday, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that the situation had not changed. What Mr Blunkett had actually said yesterday was that, in ‘ideal circumstances’, we believed that the best thing would be for the cases to be tried in the US. ‘Ideal circumstances’ meant people having proper legal representation and right of appeal. As we understood it, that was not the case at the moment. Discussions were continuing with the US authorities as to how this issue could be resolved. Asked if that position was consistent with the Foreign Secretary’s view that he did not want the detainees to be brought before a military tribunal, the PMOS said yes. Discussions were continuing. Asked if ‘proper legal representation’ meant the detainees having the complete freedom to choose who should represent them, the PMOS said that he did not think it would be helpful to get drawn into a discussion about the negotiations when they were still ongoing. That said, as we had stated consistently, the Attorney General had concerns about military tribunal commissions. Those concerns remained, which was precisely why discussions with the US were continuing.
Asked what would happen to the five British detainees once they arrived back in the UK, the PMOS said that it was a matter for the police and MoD to announce at the appropriate time. It was important to let this issue take its course in order to allow the British authorities to deal with it in the normal way and according to procedure.
Asked if Downing Street was concerned by a judicial ruling yesterday requesting the release of a Libyan who had been held in Belmarsh for sixteen months without sufficient evidence linking him to Al Qaida, the PMOS referred journalists to the Home Office for a response as this was a matter for the Department, not Downing Street.
Constitutional Reform Bill
Asked what steps the Government was intending to take following the result of the vote on the Constitutional Reform Bill in the Lords last night, the PMOS said that we regarded last night’s outcome as a serious matter. We wanted to get to the point where we were able to separate the role of the DCA Secretary of State and give him the time to concentrate on running - and reforming - the courts system. We believed that the judicial appointments process should be independent and that there was a need for a Supreme Court. Last night’s defeat was serious and important. However, we had no intention of rushing into a decision about what we were going to do next. We were going to have a period of reflection and then make a judgement. Asked if he was indicating that the Government didn’t have the ‘foggiest idea’ about what it should do, the PMOS said no. We had a very clear idea as to how we might progress. However, we were not going to be rushed into making an announcement today. Asked to go through the mechanics of invoking the Parliament Act should the need arise, the PMOS thanked journalists for the invitation to engage in a hypothetical discussion, but he would politely decline the request.
Asked if the re-introduction of the Constitutional Reform Bill into the Commons was the only option under consideration as Peter Hain had suggested, the PMOS said that rather than speculate about what the Government might do, he thought it was better for people to exercise a little patience and wait for the Government to decide. We would let people know what judgement had been made at the appropriate time. Asked if he was refusing to endorse Mr Hain’s words because there was a doubt about the merits of invoking the Parliament Act, the PMOS pointed out that Mr Hain had been talking about situations which might occur. We would wait and see what the reality was on the ground and then we would talk about it. People shouldn’t rush to read the end of the book first. They should work their way through it chapter by chapter.
Asked if Ministers were holding meetings to decide the next steps that should be taken, the PMOS said journalists could assume that the issue was under active consideration. Asked which Ministers were involved in those meetings, the PMOS said that he had no intention of providing a running commentary on what might or might not be happening or taking place. Suffice to say that the relevant people were involved. Questioned as to whether that included the Prime Minister, the PMOS said that the Prime Minister was being kept informed, as you would expect.
Asked to explain why the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) had been able to reach an agreement on a constitution and yet the UK was unable to do so, the PMOS welcomed the fact that some journalists were bothering to take notice of the historic day in Iraq yesterday. He said that last night’s events in the House of Lords had a party political dimension to them. Consequently, as a Civil Servant, he was unable to comment.
Questioned as to why the Government was rushing to get the Bill on the statute book in this parliamentary session when it hadn’t even been included in the manifesto, the PMOS pointed to the intrinsic merits of what the Government believed was right. In our view, the DCA Secretary of State should be able to focus on his job of running - and reforming - the courts system. Equally, we believed it was right to have an independent judicial appointments process and establish a Supreme Court. Obviously the debate about those issues was going to continue. However, we believed that what we were doing was right and that the measures would be implemented. Put to him that, in the end, the whole issue boiled down to an argument about the primacy of the House of Commons, the PMOS said the Government continued to believe that the will of the Commons should prevail. We would continue to press on with the Bill and hoped to see it on the statue book by the end of the current parliamentary session. However, we would take things step by step. Put to him that he was sounding more conciliatory than either Baroness Amos, the Leader of the House of Lords, or Peter Hain, the PMOS said he didn’t think he sounded like anything. He was simply being matter-of-fact. We were still deciding what to do. When a decision had been taken, we would let people know.
Asked to explain Baroness Amos’s comment last night that what had happened would have serious consequences for the future relationship of the two Houses, the PMOS said that we regarded the implications of last night’s events as a serious matter. That was why we wanted to resolve the issue and find a way to move forward. It was important for people to be patient and wait and see how things panned out. Asked if the Government was planning to speed up the next stage of reform of the House of Lords in the light of last night’s events, the PMOS said that the two issues were totally separate. As we had made clear, the Lords Reform Bill would be brought forward shortly.
Immigration/Beverley Hughes
Asked if the Prime Minister continued to have full confidence in the Home Office Minister of State, Beverley Hughes, the PMOS said yes. Clearly, she handled a very difficult brief very well. Asked if the Prime Minister had spoken to her in the last twenty-four hours, the PMOS said not as far as he was aware.
President of Cameroon
Asked about the Prime Minister’s meeting with President Biya of Cameroon this morning, the PMOS said that the two leaders had had a wide-ranging discussion about issues relating to that particular region of Africa.
Education/Drugs
Asked if the Prime Minister continued to believe that he had parents on his side regarding the publication of guidance on drugs in schools today, even if he didn’t necessarily inspire the confidence of all teachers, the PMOS said he would disagree with the latter part of the question. The Prime Minister believed that this was an important issue which needed to be addressed. We would do so together with schools, teachers and parents.
GM Crops
Asked the Prime Minister’s view on GM crops, the PMOS said that Margaret Beckett would be making a Statement about the issue today. He was not going to pre-empt it.
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