Press briefing - morning 5 September 2012
Growth, aviation and the Paralympics were discussed at this press briefing.
Growth
The Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) informed the assembled journalists that a new Cabinet sub-committee focusing on growth implementation would be established in the coming days. The PMS explained that the aim would be to ensure effective implementation of measures that would lead to sustained and balanced growth.
Put that this was an emergency committee, the PMS said the existing Economic Affairs Committee was where the key economic policies were agreed and the new sub committee would focus on driving through implementation. Up until now, the Cabinet had monitored the progress. The implementation committee would meet monthly to focus on implementation on a more systematic basis.
Asked who would sit on the committee, the PMS said the Chancellor would chair, and the Business Secretary would be his deputy. The full list of members would be announced in due course.
Aviation
Asked about the government’s position on the future of Heathrow, the PMS reiterated that the Coalition agreement made clear that this government would not build a third runway and that position had not changed.
Paralympics
Put that the attendance of Ministers at the Paralympics was distracting from the Games, the PMS said both the Olympics and Paralympics had been a great success and Ministers had rightly attended events throughout and would continue to do so.
Asked what role the former Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt would have in the remainder of the Paralympics, the PMS said Mr Hunt would continue to participate in London 2012 until the end of the Games.