Press briefing: afternoon 27 January
The Prime Minister’s Spokesperson (PMS) answered questions on Scotland, the Immigration Bill, and the UK-France summit.
French summit
Asked if there had been a spouses programme for the UK-French summit that had been cancelled, the PMS said that there hadn’t been.
Asked if President Hollande planned to bring someone at the last moment, would the programme be rearranged, the PMS said that the programme was expected to run to schedule.
Asked why the venue for the summit was chosen, the PMS reiterated the point he had made in the morning briefing that defence cooperation was an important part of the agenda at previous summits.
Scotland analysis
Asked whether the speech that the Secretary of State for Scotland was planning on delivering later in the week was linked to an analysis paper, the PMS said that he was not aware of any plans to publish an analysis paper this week.
Immigration Bill
Asked about government amendments to the Immigration Bill, the PMS said that it was usual for government to table technical amendments to Bills as they pass through the House and he was not aware of any substantive changes to policy.
Asked whether ministers will support the amendment tabled in the name of Dominic Raab MP on deportation, the PMS said that government was already bringing forward proposals in this area and that the right to a family life was not an unqualified right. The PMS said it was important that those who had committed criminal offences could be deported.
Asked whether Parliamentary Private Secretaries will be allowed to support the amendment, the PMS said that was a question for the Whips’ office.
House maintenance
Asked if there was any comment on reports about engineers being called to the PM’s home during the recent floods, the PMS pointed to the statement reported in the media on Sunday.