Press briefing - afternoon 11 July 2012
International aid for family planning, the coalition agreement and House of Lords reform were among the topics discussed at this briefing.
International development
Asked where the £500 million came from for the Department of International Development commitment on family planning, the PMS said that it was from within the DFID budget.
Asked what the PM’s discussions with the President of Rwanda were about, the PMS said it was a brief bilateral which focused on development issues.
Coalition agreement
Asked whether the PM had ruled out changing the coalition agreement, the PMS said that the coalition agreement served a particular purpose bringing together aspects of both party’s manifestos. The government was prioritizing implementation but would also have new policies to announce and there would be a Queen’s Speech next year to outline further legislative programmes.
Lords reform
Asked whether the PM agreed that Lords reform was not a top priority, the PMS said that the PM had already said that it was not a top priority. The top priority for the government was dealing with the economic challenges we currently faced.
Asked whether there were plans to have fewer elected Lords or if the government was going to make similar concessions, the PMS said that there was nothing specific to report and that the government would be discussing its plans in the coming weeks as it sought to build consensus.
Asked whether there would be a new timetable in the autumn, the PMS said there would be.
Asked whether the PM was confident in winning over Lords reform rebels, the PMS said that the PM believed that people who supported House of Lords reform should come together to make it happen.
Aviation
Asked whether the government would be publishing a consultation paper on aviation in the coming days, the PMS said that we would be making an announcement shortly.
Social care
Asked whether policy on social care announced that day had been scaled back or changed at the last minute, the PMS said that it had not been. Asked about funding for social care policy, the PMS said that it would be considered alongside other funding priorities. Asked whether decisions on funding would be made in the next Spending Review, the PMS said that it was one possibility. The spending review was an opportunity to look at spending in the round.
Asked whether the government was actively considering a cap on an individual’s contributions higher than the Dilnot recommendations, the PMS said that we had set out our thoughts and were consulting on those proposals. We want to hear people’s views.
Spending Review date
Asked when the next spending review would be, the PMS said that it had not been announced yet.