Briefing from the Prime Minister’s spokesman on: BNP, migration and piracy
BNP
Asked what the Government was doing about public servants who happened to be members of the BNP, the Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) replied that this was really a matter for the bodies for the relevant public sector professions. In relation to the police for example, membership of the British National Party was prohibited.
Asked if the Government would take a role in guidance, or leave it to them, the PMS replied that the people best placed to answer this were the relevant departments, government bodies, and relevant professions.
Asked if there was any guidance for departments, particularly with DCSF for teachers, the PMS replied that it was best to check with the department.
Migration
Put that net migration was up at 250,000, and asked if the Prime Minister shared Phil Woolas’ view that we did not want to see the population rising to over 70 million, the PMS replied that he was not sure that this was Phil Woolas’ view. The figures that were published this morning showed the actual number of people coming into the country in gross terms had fallen. So the reason for the net increase was because of more people choosing not to emigrate. These figures applied to the period before the points-based system that had come into effect. The points-based system meant that only those people from outside Europe that we want, and no more, can come here to work and study.
Asked if there would be a point in the future where the Government would be concerned about the population declining as saw immigrants fleeing to more prosperous pastures, the PMS replied that he did not think that the population was declining. We had seen an increase in net migration this morning, migration numbers had come down, but we were not at that point, and nor was he aware that anyone was suggesting that we were close to that point.
Piracy
Asked if we were dispatching the Royal Navy to return to its historic role of sweeping the sea of pirates, the PMS replied that we had called for the immediate release of the two British crewmembers who were aboard the Sirius Star. Britain was playing its part, HMS Cumberland was on patrol as part of a NATO maritime force, and they recently detained a number of Somali pirates. We had ensured that the Navy had the means and authority to disrupt and deter acts of piracy, and we were introducing legislation to further strengthen the powers of the Armed Forces to detain ships and arrest suspects.
Asked for clarification on the legislation, the PMS replied that we committed to introducing legislation to further strengthen powers for the Armed Forces to detain ships and arrest suspects to prevent terrorist offences or piracy.
Asked how this would work, the PMS replied that he was not an expert on piracy legislation, but he was sure someone in the Home Office could help.
Asked if we would be sending more ships, the PMS replied that we were already playing our part, HMS Cumberland was on patrol as part of a NATO maritime force.
Asked to clarify that those powers would be national powers, and that we were not suggesting that we would lobby NATO to strengthen ships that had been deployed already, the PMS replied that all of these things had to be kept under review. We were prepared to play our part, and we were playing our part through the inclusion of HMS Cumberland on patrol as part of a NATO maritime force.
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