Press briefing: morning 10 June 2011
The Prime Minister's Spokesperson (PMS) discussed a Cabinet Office leak, a meeting with David Willetts and the Energy Secretary.
Cabinet leak enquiry
Asked for information on any investigation by the government into Daily Telegraph’s publication of letters between Gordon Brown and Ed Balls, the PMS told the assembled press that the Cabinet Office had said that it would first look into whether these papers were in the possession of a government department, and if so whether there were any breaches of document security.
When asked if the police would be called in to investigate stolen papers, the PMS said we shouldn’t jump the gun. The Cabinet Office had to first investigate if the papers were in the government’s possession, and then secondly if there was a breach of document security.
Asked for further details of the investigation, the PMS said to ask the Cabinet Office.
Asked whether the investigation by the Department for Education Permanent Secretary was sanctioned or authorised by the Cabinet Secretary, the PMS explained that the Cabinet Office had received a request from the Shadow Chancellor to look into the matter, and this was the Cabinet Office’s response
Miscellaneous
Asked if the PM had met with University Vice-Chancellors in Number 10 earlier and if there was a read-out of the meeting, the PMS said that the PM had briefly stopped by a meeting that was held by David Willetts in Number 10 and as such there was no readout.
Asked if the PM still had confidence in the Energy Secretary the PMS replied that the position had not changed.