Afternoon press briefing from 1 July 2008
Briefing from the Prime Minister's Spokesman on: 10p tax rate, fuel and food prices and miscellaneous
10p Tax Rate
Asked when we would know more details as to how the Government planned to deal with the remaining 1.1 million households who had been affected by the removal of the 10p tax rate, the Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) said that the Chancellor had already set out the plans for this year, and as he had said in his recent statement, for future years we would set out our plans in the Pre-Budget Report (PBR).
Put that when the Prime Minister had been asked a similar question at a recent press conference he had not mentioned the PBR, the PMS said that the position had been set out very clearly by the Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons when he said that he would be setting out the arrangements for future years in the PBR.
Put that that meant there could be more money for next year, the PMS referred to what the Chancellor had said which was that, for future years, our aim was to continue the same level of support for those on lower incomes and proposals to do that would be brought forward in the PBR.
Fuel and Food Prices
Asked about John Hutton's idea for an immediate announcement on fuel prices, the PMS said that both the decision and the timing of any announcement were matters for the Chancellor.
Asked about a report being published next week on energy, the PMS said that there was a paper on food being published in the next week or so and this had been discussed at Cabinet this morning.
Asked if the paper was about rising food prices, the PMS said that it looked at the issue of the global increase in commodity prices, including food prices, and what that meant for the UK.
Asked if the paper was also about biofuels, the PMS said that there was a separate review on biofuels, which was being conducted by Professor Ed Gallagher and would also be published within the next week.
Asked if the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was publishing the food report, the PMS said that Defra had the main policy lead on this subject, although it covered a number of departments. The analysis had been produced by the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit, but the discussion at Cabinet this morning had been introduced and led by Hilary Benn.
Asked if the food report would come up with any particular UK solutions to the problems we were facing, the PMS said that we should wait for the paper to be published, but that it certainly looked at what the issues were for the UK.
Miscellaneous
Asked if Lord Malloch-Brown spoke for the Government when he said we were not in favour of Robert Mugabe having even a ceremonial honorary title in any future power-sharing government, the PMS said that Lord Malloch-Brown was the Minister for Africa so of course he spoke on behalf of the Government.
Asked about US Secretary of the Treasury's visit to London, the PMS said that Mr Paulson would be in London tomorrow and Thursday and that both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor would want to take this opportunity to discuss global economic situations with him.
Asked if the Prime Minister had a response to Ken Clarke's proposals to solve the West Lothian problem, the PMS said that Jack Straw had given a political response on behalf of the Labour Party.
Asked if the Prime Minister would be giving a statement on Iraq next week, the PMS said not necessarily, but that it could be expected before recess.
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