Number 10 Press Briefing - Afternoon From 16 May 2011
From the Prime Minister's spokesperson on: Chris Huhne, Lords reform, Europe.
Chris Huhne
Asked if the Prime Minister had full confidence in Chris Huhne, the Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) told the assembled press that he had answered this question this morning and the answer remained the same.
Asked if the Prime Minister had seen Chris Huhne’s broadcast clip, the PMS said he did not think so. Asked if anyone in Downing Street had put Chris Huhne up to it, the PMS said that the Minister wanted to set out the position.
On whether the Energy Secretary would be making a written statement to the House tomorrow rather than an oral one, the PMS replied that he thought that was still the plan.
Put that the Carbon Budget announcement was potentially good news for the Government, the PMS said that there would be lots of opportunities to talk about what the Government was doing to ensure green growth. For instance, the Prime Minister would be in front of the Liaison Committee tomorrow and he would have an opportunity to talk about those issues.
Lords reform
Asked if the Prime Minister wanted to see legislation passed on an elected House of Lords by the time of the next general election, the PMS said that Government policy was et out in the Coalition Agreement and further details would be set out in Parliament shortly.
Europe
Asked if the Prime Minister was glad the UK was bailing out Portugal in Brussels, the PMS said that meetings were ongoing. We had always made the point that a stable Eurozone was in the interests of the UK economy.