Press release

Number 10 Press Briefing - 16 October Morning

The Prime Minister's spokesperson answered questions about the alleged Jimmy Savile abuses, Chancellor Merkel and Ministry of Defence staffing.

• From: Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street
• Published: 16 October 2012

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Savile

Commenting on the calls for a single independent inquiry into the organisations involved in the alleged Jimmy Savile abuses, the PMS said that nothing had been ruled out. It would be premature to prejudge the outcome of the BBC inquiry and the police investigation.

MOD

Answering a query on the need for stronger legislation to govern business appointments of ex-military officers, the PMS said that the Defence Secretary had set out the Government’s concern over the issue. The Government was considering the PASC’s reports on business appointments.

Germany

Outlining the response to reports from Germany that Chancellor Merkel had compared the PM to a muppet, the PMS said that the comparison was actually made by a German publication and not from the Chancellor herself. The UK continued to work with Germany on a number of issues and the PM had spoken to Chancellor Merkel before the upcoming EU Council.

Published 16 October 2012