Press briefing: morning 11 December 2014
The Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson answered questions about Child Protection Fund, tax avoidance, Northern Ireland and other topics
Northern Ireland talks
When asked about the talks in Northern Ireland today, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesperson (PMOS) said the Prime Minister wants to play a role in helping to resolve the outstanding issues and make further progress. The main areas for discussions were expected to be putting the Northern Ireland executive’s finances on a stable long term footing; so called legacy issues and what could be done to help the political institutions function more effectively.
Bilateral meeting with Algerian Prime Minister
When asked about the Prime Minister’s meeting with Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, the PMOS said they had discussed economic relationships; tackling Islamic extremism; the situation in Libya and the return of foreign national offenders from the UK to Algeria.
Shaker Aamer
When asked about the case of Shaker Aamer, the PMOS said the UK was working with the United States so that he could be returned back to the UK as a matter of urgency.
Child Protection Fund
When asked about the £50 million Child Protection Fund announced today, the PMOS said the money would come from the overseas aid budget and was a good example of how it can be used to tackle issues that are really important for people in Britain.
Intelligence and Security Committee
When asked about the Intelligence and Security Committee, the PMOS said the Prime Minister attached importance to making sure our intelligence agencies have a strong reputation and that we uphold our moral authority around the world.
Tax avoidance
When asked about tax avoidance in Europe, the PMOS said important progress had been made on tackling tax havens and cracking down on this issue in recent years.