Briefing by the Prime Minister’s spokesman on: Shahid Malik, Democratic Renewal Council, 1966 World Cup Event, Danish PM and Industrial production figures
Shahid Malik
Asked whether the Prime Minister was aware that Shahid Malik had a second office and was he satisfied with Mr Malik’s explanation, the Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) said that issues in relation to Shahid Malik and the Ministerial Code had been looked at by Sir Philip Mawer. Other issues relating to Mr Malik’s expenses as a Member of Parliament were a matter for Mr Malik.
Asked why the Prime Minister did not agree with Sir Christopher Kelly that Sir Philip’s report should be published, the PMS told the assembled press that the report was confidential and contained personal information. The PMS said that the Government would, of course, be happy to publish a summary version of the report which we would do later today.
Asked when the decision was taken to publish a summary document, the PMS said that he would not be getting into a discussion about internal Government matters, other than to say that the Government was happy to publish a summary version of the report.
Asked whether the summary report would detail the rent that Mr Malik was paying, the PMS said that the report would be published in summary version and as he had said yesterday, Sir Philip Mawer found that an independent valuation of the properties had confirmed that the rent said to be charged was reasonable in the light of market and other commercial considerations. There was personal and confidential information relating to Shahid Malik in the report that would be inappropriate to publish.
Asked whether this would be a Government summary or a summary produced by Sir Philip Mawer, the PMS said that it would be produced by Sir Philip Mawer.
Asked to confirm that the process by which civil servants assisted Ministers with their Commons expenses had been extended to include Mr Malik, the PMS pointed out that that process related to consistency with the Ministerial Code. The issues in relation to whether or not Mr Malik had complied with the Code had been looked at by Sir Philip Mawer.
Asked whether Sir Philip Mawer was aware of Mr Malik’s second office, and if he wasn’t, was he going to reopen his investigation, the PMS said that if there were specific accusations people wanted to make regarding Mr Malik and the Ministerial Code they could make them. The issues that were raised previously had been looked at by Sir Philip Mawer.
Asked repeatedly about Mr Malik’s office, the PMS said these were questions about an MP’s expenses. Mr Malik, like many many other MPs, was facing questions about his expenses and was providing explanations.
Asked whether the PM thought it appropriate for an MP or Minister to have in effect four offices, the PMS said that there would be a process for all MPs where all of their expense claims would have to be re-examined by an independent panel. That applied to the Prime Minister, to Shahid Malik, and to every other MP.
Democratic Renewal Council
Asked whether the Prime Minister thought today’s Commons statement on democratic reform should be seen as a diversionary tactic away from the real issue of MPs’ expenses, the PMS said that there had been some incorrect reporting, particularly by the BBC last night, about what the Prime Minister was supposed to be saying today. We had to deal with the issues directly relating to MPs’ expenses, and that was what we were doing and what the Prime Minister would be setting out in his statement later today. Crucially, that involved pushing forward with legislation as a matter of urgency in order to establish an independent regulator for MPs.
On electoral reform the Prime Minister had said a number of times, most recently on the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme that he was in favour of a debate on that issue.
Put that electoral reform was not a priority issue compared to other issues such as the economy, the PMS said no one was suggesting that it was. There was a pressing need to deal with the issue relating to MPs’ expenses and that was why the Prime Minister wanted to see all MPs have their expenses reassessed by the independent panel, and why he wanted to see legislation taken forward to set up the independent regulator. Of course there would be a wider debate about wider constitutional issues. Economic issues were also an absolute priority of the Government.
Asked whether today’s statement was an interim measure ahead of Sir Christopher Kelly’s report, the PMS said that the Kelly report was about the system of allowances, while today’s statement was about putting in place the Government structures around that.
Asked when outside members would be appointed to the National Democratic Renewal Council (NDRC) the PMS said that the NDRC was an internal Government process and a means by which the Government would take forward its agenda. We were not suggesting that this body was the source of all wisdom, or that it was exclusive, but it was important that the Government was able to bring together its position on a range of these issues, and could then consult through other means with outside experts, the public, opposition parties or whoever.
The PMS said that, like the National Economic Council, the NDRC did not have outside members. How Government engaged with other parties, experts, or the wider public, was a different point and one on which we hoped to say more on in the next week or so.
Asked about Vernon Bogdanor’s role, the PMS said that there were a number of people to whom the Government spoke to informally, but that he had no formal position.
1966 World Cup Event
In answer to questions about the 1966 World Cup event at Downing Street, the PMS said that this followed a recent FIFA decision that members of the squad should also receive medals, and this was an event to mark that.
Asked which team the Prime Minister had supported in 1966, the PMS replied that the PM had made clear that he would always support a British team, except when they were playing against Scotland.
Danish PM
Asked what would be on the agenda for the meeting with the new Danish Prime Minister, the PMS said that they would want to discuss European economic issues ahead of next week’s European Council, climate change ahead of the Copenhagen summit, and Afghanistan, where Denmark was an important partner.
Industrial Production Figures
Asked for a reaction to the latest industrial production figures, the PMS said that as the Government had said, there were signs that Government actions to support the economy through this difficult downturn were having an effect but this remained a very difficult global economic situation, and there were absolutely no grounds for complacency.
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