Press briefing: morning 2 April 2014
The Prime Minister’s Spokesperson (PMS) answered questions on the England shirt, spare room subsidy, onshore wind and Muslim Brotherhood.
England shirt
Asked whether the PM agreed with Sports Minister Helen Grant that £90 was a lot of money for a replica England football shirt, the PMS said the PM agreed. It was not for government to set the price of football shirts, but he was sure fans would welcome a rethink.
Spare room subsidy
Asked about the spare room subsidy, the PMS said the government’s approach was fundamentally about fairness as those in the private rented sector did not receive the subsidy. The government had also more than doubled the hardship fund for local authorities to use in difficult cases.
Onshore wind
Asked about the government’s policy regarding onshore wind farms, the PMS said onshore wind farms had a role to play in a diverse energy mix. Regarding planning, the government thought it was right for local communities to have a greater say and had introduced changes to allow that.
Muslim Brotherhood
Asked about the government review into the Muslim Brotherhood, the PMS said the review would look across the board at the Muslim Brotherhood, its links to organisations in the region and in the UK itself.