Tag: Downing Street

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 December 2009.

The Prime Minister has urged members of the international coalition to unite behind President Obama’s strategy on Afghanistan.

Earlier today, President Obama announced the United States would send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan.

It follows the commitment made by the Prime Minister earlier this week to deploy an additional 500 UK troops to Afghanistan from next month.

On President Obama’s announcement today, Gordon Brown said:

“I call on all our allies to unite behind President Obama’s strategy. Britain will continue to play its full part in persuading other countries to offer troops to the Afghanistan campaign.

“A vital next stage is the London conference on Afghanistan on 28 January, to which all 43 coalition nations will be invited.

“It will offer an opportunity to agree a process to transfer provinces and districts to Afghan control; to make decisions on new civilian co-ordination in Afghanistan; and to support commitments by President Karzai on Afghan reforms to build up the Afghan army and police, and local governance; and to secure further support from international partners.”

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 December 2009.

The Prime Minister has welcomed Muslims from across the UK to Downing Street for a reception for Eid ul Adha.

The annual festival, which marks the end of the Hajj – the pilgrimage to Mecca – was celebrated by Muslims around the world last week.

Speaking about Eid ul Adha, Gordon Brown said:

“Marking the end of the Hajj, this most holy occasion commemorates our common humanity and reminds us of the importance of devotion, fairness and the equality of all human beings before God.

“It allows those of us of other faiths, and none, to reflect on the unique Islamic contribution to Britain and to share with you in celebration of all that has been achieved by British Muslims across so many walks of life. Today Muslims around the United Kingdom and the world will be reflecting on many challenges that face us and the deep moral issues like conflict, poverty and climate change. Together we can stand up to these challenges and move forward to a better world.”

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 3 December 2009.

Hundreds of leading UK and international companies have joined the Prime Minister in calling for a fair and ambitious deal at the Copenhagen climate change conference.

The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change presented Gordon Brown with a communiqué endorsed by more than 850 companies which sets out the business case for strong UN climate deal.

The presentation took place at an event at Downing Street to highlight and celebrate UK businesses providing low carbon products and services.

The PM said:

“We are committed to securing a comprehensive and ambitious agreement in Copenhagen; an agreement which must mark the decisive global shift towards combating climate change, and I welcome this unprecedented support from business to achieve this. Our common purpose is our greatest strength as we push for a binding agreement on climate change.

“Our transition to a low carbon economy will be a key driver of our future economic prosperity. UK companies are at the forefront of this transformation, their innovation and expertise demonstrates why this is one of best places in the world for low carbon business.”

On Thursday evening, he met representatives of more than 100 businesses – including a large number of SMEs – who have embraced the low carbon economy, working in sectors ranging from renewables to IT.

The Corporate Leaders Group includes companies such as John Lewis, Vodafone and Lloyds Banking Group, and businesses in more than 50 countries have already signed the communiqué.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 4 December 2009.

The Prime Minister has told a group of young people that a deal at Copenhagen to avert catastrophic climate change is achievable.

Gordon Brown joined Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband and Baroness Glenys Kinnock in a discussion with an audience of 16 to 25 year-olds on climate change this morning.  A member of the UK Youth Climate Change Coalition facilitated the event.

The question time debate comes just days before the world meets at the United Nations conference in a bid to agree a new international agreement to tackle climate change.

The PM said the world is half way to agreeing an international climate deal, but a five billion-tonne gap must be closed at Copenhagen.

“Today the world is on a path to emissions of 54 billion tonnes by 2020. So we need to take out 10 billion tonnes through this agreement. So far, unilateral action by countries around the world to reduce their emissions is already projected to take five billion tonnes out of the atmosphere. So we are half way there. Now at Copenhagen we must achieve the other half.”

Mr Brown said the European Union has put forward an ambitious offer and now everybody else needs to be ambitious too.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 4 December 2009.

The Prime Minister outlined plans for childcare vouchers in a letter to Dr Roberta Blackman Woods MP and Ms Fiona Mactaggart MP.

He confirmed that all families who currently receive vouchers will continue to get the same support and that tax relief will be retained for any new childcare vouchers that are issued in the future.

Additionally, from April 2011, all new recipients of childcare vouchers will get the same income tax relief as basic rate taxpayers do currently in order to ensure that the system does not disproportionately benefit higher rate taxpayers.

The Prime Minister wrote to the members of Parliament saying:

“I have already made clear that no family currently in receipt of tax relief for their childcare vouchers will see any change in the support they receive. But following our discussions I can now also say that we will retain tax relief for new childcare vouchers issued in the future. However, there still remains a concern that a disproportionate benefit is accruing to higher rate taxpayers. So in order to ensure that this tax relief is given on a fairer basis to all families, we will ensure that all taxpayers get the same income tax relief as basic rate taxpayers do currently. This will take place from April 2011 and will not affect those receiving vouchers issued before that date.”

In the letter Gordon Brown said that the government will continue to make progress to provide free part-time nursery places for all two year olds whose parents want them, albeit at a slower rate.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 4 December 2009.

The Prime Minister met the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, in the House of Commons today.

Mr Brown took the opportunity to discuss the Cyprus settlement talks with Mr Talat and, in a statement made after the meeting, said that the UK continues to support the progress made in negotiations.

The PM also commended Mr Talat and the President of Cyprus, Dimitris Christofias, for the “perseverance and resolve” they have shown while trying to reach a solution.

The Prime Minister said:

“Having striven for a settlement for many years, Mehmet Ali Talat knows well how vital a solution in Cyprus is for all Cypriots as well as for the region and for Europe. I commend both leaders for the perseverance and resolve they have displayed in their search for a settlement.

The two Cypriot leaders have shown enormous courage and determination to get this far. I know that both leaders are fully committed to finding a solution and I hope that the negotiations can be intensified so the two leaders can fully exploit the opportunity that now exists to resolve the issue to the benefit of all Cypriots.

The UK continues to support these efforts and welcomes the good progress made so far. We hope to see further progress over the coming months. With political courage and compromise on both sides, these talks have every chance of success.”

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 December 2009.

The Prime Minister has met Dr Mong Joon Chung, vice-President of FIFA and chairman of the ruling Grand National Party in South Korea, at Downing Street.

Gordon Brown and Dr Chung discussed their cooperation in taking forward the G20 agenda as South Korea takes over the Chairmanship in January.

Before the meeting the PM said they would also discuss England’s bid for the World Cup in 2018.

“We have an outstanding bid, world-leading facilities and infrastructure, and a country that is totally united in its determination to bring the world cup to England.

I look forward to discussing the 2018 bid with Dr. Chung, and will be reiterating to him that the government will offer its fullest support to give our bid the best prospects of success.”

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 December 2009.

The Prime Minister has outlined plans for improving frontline services, increasing Government efficiency, and using technology to help hospitals, schools and police forces get better value for money.

During a speech titled “Putting the frontline first: Smarter Government”, Gordon Brown said identifying more efficient  ways of working will deliver savings in excess of £12 billion over the next four years, including £3 billion of new efficiency savings identified since the budget.

The PM said the UK is now entering the third generation of public services where power will shift to the users of public services.

He said every citizen from next year will have access to information on the performance of public services including hospitals and schools. And within five years, the Government also plans to shift the majority of large transactional services online.

“This increased transparency and accountability will enable citizens to compare local services, lobby for improvements, choose providers and demand changes in service delivery – with the web as a powerful new tool for sharing customer experience – in the same way that social networking sites provoke debate and discussion and mobilise opinion.”

Mr Brown said the goal was to make government and institutions both responsible and responsive to the British people.

• During the speech the PM also announced plans to:
• Cut the senior civil service pay bill by up to 20 per cent over three years to release savings of £100 million a year.
• Halve Whitehall spending on consultancy, and reduce spending on marketing by a quarter – in total, an annual saving of £650 million.
• Merge or abolish 123 government arms length bodies with the remainder subjected to greater oversight, with a view to save a further £500 million a year.
• Relocate more staff outside London and the south east.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 December 2009.

The Prime Minister has presented an award to Formula 1 driver Jenson Button recognising his championship-winning performance this year.

Gordon Brown told guests at the annual British Racing Drivers’ Club Awards that the driver was a “brilliant ambassador for British sport” before presenting him with the Richard Seaman Trophy, named after the pre-war Grand Prix driver.

Last year, the Prime Minister presented the same award to last year’s F1 champion Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking at this year’s ceremony, the PM said:

“What motor racing does is combine the great sporting talent of individuals, who are the drivers themselves, with the brilliant teamwork for which Britain is famous as well: the engineering and the team genius that makes up for a successful motor racing team. Jenson Button had probably one of the most difficult starts to a season that a driver could ever have had. He had to fight back against the loss of his team to start with. He took a salary cut. He fought back, and then had a brilliant start to the season, and then went on to win.”

The awards came on the day that it was announced that the British Grand Prix will remain at Silverstone for the next 17 years.

The PM said:

“I believe that all those who have contributed to that success and to that announcement today deserve our praise. It puts Britain right at the centre of world racing for seventeen years to come.”

The press release issued by Downing Street on 9 December 2009.

The Chancellor has said the Pre-Budget Report sets out plans to protect frontline services while halving the deficit.

Alistair Darling presented the report to Parliament today, which included plans to help the unemployed, reduce borrowing, and secure growth.

As part of the plan, the Chancellor said that from today, a one-off levy on bank bonuses over £25,000 would be used to pay for measures to help the young and older unemployed back into work.

The Chancellor said he expects the UK economy to return to growth in the fourth quarter of this year, and growth next year is forecast to be between one per cent and 1.5 per cent, he said.

The Chancellor outlined a number of measures in the Pre-Budget Report:

• VAT will return to 17.5 per cent on 1 January, as planned
• Support for the Mortgage Interest Scheme would be extended for a further six months
• From next month, anyone under 24 unemployed for longer than six months will be guaranteed work
• The minimum number of hours over 65s need to work before receiving Working Tax Credit will be reduced
• The UK will finance four Carbon Capture and Storage demonstration projects
• An additional £200 million will be made available to help with energy efficiency
• Up to 125,000 homes will receive help to replace the most inefficient boilers and an extra 75,000 households will benefit from an extension of the Warm Front scheme
• A 10 per cent corporation tax rate on income which stems from patents in the UK will be introduced
• Plans for rail electrification between Liverpool, Manchester and Preston will go-ahead
• Government measures mean more than half of additional revenue raised will be paid by the top two per cent of earners
• No one earning under £20,000 will pay any more NI contributions
• Free school meals will be extended to half a million primary school children of low income working parents
• A further £2.5 billion will be set aside for military operations in Afghanistan