Press briefing: morning 16 July 2013
The Prime Minister's Spokesperson answered questions on Trident, Lynton Crosby, ministerial interests and the NHS.
Trident
Asked why the Chief Secretary to the Treasury was only making a speech and not a formal statement to the House on Trident, the Prime Minister’s Spokesperson (PMS) said there would be a full parliamentary debate on Trident tomorrow.
Asked about the Prime Minister (PM)’s views on Trident, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister’s view is the same – he believes in a continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent.
Lynton Crosby
Asked if the PM had discussed Syria with Lynton Crosby, the PMS re-emphasised that the PM has never been lobbied by Lynton Crosby on any issue.
Asked if Lynton Crosby had disclosed who his other clients were, the PMS said details of Lynton Crosby’s employment were a matter for the Conservative party.
Asked how the PM would know if Lynton Crosby was lobbying him, the PMS said he could give that assurance that the PM never been lobbied by Lynton Crosby on any issue.
Ministerial interests
Asked why the government hasn’t published the ministerial register of interests, the PMS said it would be published shortly reflecting the interests of current ministers.
NHS
Asked if the PM holds any Labour ministers responsible for unnecessary deaths in the upcoming Keogh review, the PMS said it was right that we wait for the publication.
Asked if public confidence might decline in the NHS from political point scoring, the PMS said the message we were sending to the public is about raising standards in the NHS by looking at pockets of poor practice identified through the inquiry into Mid Staffs and the Keogh review.
Asked if the PM was concerned about staffing levels in the NHS, the PMS replied that we now had 7,000 fewer mangers but 8,000 more clinically trained staff in the NHS; however, it is for hospitals to make the right decisions on the right mix of clinically-trained staff to serve their local communities.
Asked if doctors included in the 8,000 would have been trained under the last government, the PMS said the important this was that they were employed by the NHS whose budget this government has protected.