Press briefing: morning 22 September 2014
The Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson (PMOS) answered questions on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and devolution.
ISIL
When asked about the possibility of the UK sending combat troops to Iraq, the PMOS said the Prime Minister’s position hadn’t changed.
With regard to the forthcoming UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting on foreign fighters, the PMOS said the UNSC would seek to foster support for measures that countries around the world - cooperating particularly with countries in the region - could implement to deal with, prevent, and impede the flow of people travelling to the region to take part in violence and terrorist-related activities.
When asked if the UK would involve Russia in the international response to ISIL, the PMOS said the UK already had. The PMOS also reiterated that in terms of tackling ISIL, the challenge needed to be addressed in both Iraq and Syria, a part of which involved securing a transition away from the Assad regime. The UK would continue to press Russia to do all it could to bring about that transition, the PMOS added.
Devolution
When asked about the timetable for draft legislation on further devolution in Scotland, the PMOS said the timetable for Scottish devolution set out during the referendum campaign would be stuck to in absolute terms, with draft legislation published by 25 January 2015.
On the question of English votes for English laws, the PMOS said the Scottish referendum vote had brought the contours of the West Lothian question into starker relief. This was why the Prime Minister and William Hague were looking into proposals to address this question, which would be published by 25 January 2015.