The Minister for Environment, Planning and Countryside, Carwyn Jones, welcomed journalists to the Welsh Assembly Government's briefing.The Minister said that there's plenty going on this week and yesterday (Monday, 8 November...

The Queen's speech will be announced later today. Minister said we hope to see that it includes Wales-only bills and Wales clauses in UK legislation.The Minister said that there had been a number of health events recently...

The Education and Lifelong Learning Minister Jane Davidson welcomed journalists from the Lobby to the media briefing and told them of the Welsh Assembly Government's business for the week ahead.Public HealthThe Minister said...

Significant progress has been made in delivering an integrated transport agenda across Wales. This programme will increase our speed of delivery on transport, support the development of our economy and increase the spread...

Economic Development and Transport Minister Andrew Davies welcomed journalists from the Lobby and told them about the Assembly's business for the week ahead.The Assembly is into the second week of the new session and as the...

Asked whether the bill for agency nurses would continue to rise, the First Minister said the number of nurse training places had risen significantly since 1999, but we are not seeing the full benefits of this recruitment ...

Asked if this included subsidised rail travel, the Minister said no but they were looking to increase capacity on Valley Lines services. Already, for example, there re 24 services to Aberdare compared to around 17 a few years...

The Minister for Culture Welsh Language and Sport Alun Pugh welcomed journalists from the lobby and told them of the Welsh Assembly Government's business for the week ahead.Iaith PawbThe Minster began the briefing by highlighting...

Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Minister Alun Pugh welcomed journalists from the lobby to the weekly media briefing.The Minister told the lobby journalists of the Welsh Assembly Government's business for the week and that...

Tony Blair says that the plight of Africa will be at the top of the agenda during Britain's presidency of the G8 next year.

Suicide rates have fallen significantly because of major improvements in mental health services in England, a new report shows.

Health secretary John Reid has thanked NHS staff for all their efforts over the past year.

New guidance enabling hospitals to evaluate and award cleaning contracts is the latest weapon in the fight against hospital infection.

Lessons must be learned from the Harold Shipman case if patients' future safety is to be ensured, the Government has said.

A multi-million pound contract has been signed that will ensure faster access to surgery for thousands of NHS patients.

The launch of NHS Direct Interactive has, for the first time ever, given people access to vital health advice and information in their own homes.

The NHS will be geared up to help people to lead healthier lifestyles, under plans revealed by the Department of Health.

Waiting for hospital treatment has fallen to a record 17-year low, the latest Department of Health figures reveal.

The health service has significantly improved its performance with the number of patients on waiting lists down 12 per cent from last year.

Growth slowdown in third quarter of 2004

Quarter 3 2004: £8.8 billion deficit

UK economy up by 0.5% in Q3 2004

The Prime Minister has paid tribute to the Armed Forces for their 'professionalism' and for doing a 'fantastic job' in what can sometimes be dangerous circumstances.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke says that 'clear and formal rules' will now be established for the handling and recording of cases bought to Ministers' attention.

Tony Blair is back in the UK after how two-day trip to the Middle East.

More than GBP2.4 million has been recovered from 'scrooge' bosses who have not been paying the national minimum wage.

A new 'five a day' website has been launched to encourage youngsters to eat their portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

Briefing from the Prime Minister's Spokesman on: David Blunkett/Budd Report.

The Queen has approved the appointment of Gillian Merron MP as Lords Commissioner.

More than GBP3.8 million is being awarded to community groups to help create cleaner, greener neighbourhoods.

More than a quarter of a million students in England have received the weekly Education Maintenance Allowance, new figures reveal.

Community Support Officers (CSOs) now have power to detain suspects for up to 30 minutes if they refuse to give their name and address.

Strict cigarette advertising limits in shops, pubs and clubs come into force today.

Briefing from the Prime Minister's Spokesman on: David Blunkett and Sikh Play.

Tony Blair has paid tribute to UK armed forces around the world in a special Christmas message.

The British Government has sent messages of condolence to India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives following the earthquake in Asia.

Asked what the Government's reaction would be to the ruling by the Law Lords concerning prisoners detained without charge at Belmarsh prison, the PMS asked journalists if they had seen the Written Ministerial Statement issued by the Home Office in...

Asked if the Prime Minister had been bluffing when he said the outcome of the review of the regiments might not be what people imagined and the outcome had been exactly as predicted, the PMS said that there had been...

The Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) informed journalists that there had been an error on a Press Release issued earlier today. James Purnell would be the new unpaid assistant and Government whip. Tom Watson would now be a paid whip. Put...

Asked what the Government's stance was now that people had had more time to digest the Law Lords decision the PMS said that yesterday's statement had set out the Government's position. We would be studying the Law Lords decision carefully...

Asked about Israeli spokesman comments suggesting that they were not coming in February to a peace conference the Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) said that we were not aware that anybody had announced a conference in February. We were looking to...

Asked why the government was asking civil servants to shred emails in advance of the Freedom of Information Act, the PMOS said it was a normal part of good computer file management. It was the same in any large organisation....

Asked what the Prime Minister was going to say in his Commons Statement about the European Council, the PMOS said we clearly welcomed the start of negotiations in October and that Turkey had agreed to this. We also recognised that...

Asked if David Blunkett was going to be exonerated, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that it would be better to wait for the Budd Report to be published. The PMOS added that he had dealt with what the...

Asked if the Prime Minister signed his own condolence letters in relation to families of troops the PMS confirmed that he did....

Asked if we were sure that Alan Milburn was working for the taxpayer rather than the Labour Party the PMS said that this question had been answered several times before and his role in Government had been explained....

Asked what was going on with the Budd Inquiry Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) said, as was said this morning, the hunch was that it would be published tomorrow. Further information about it's publication might be available later today....

Asked if the Government considered the situation in Birmingham as a case of freedom of speech rights or just a law and order case the PMS referred journalists to what both Estelle Morris and Fiona McTaggert had said yesterday earlier...

Asked about the outcome of the investigation by Parliamentary standards commissioner Sir Philip Mawer the Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) said that we had not seen it yet as it was only published at 11am. Sir Alan Budd would hold a...

Asked if David Blunkett had been cleared by the Budd Report, the Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) said that the Prime Minister was grateful to Sir Alan Budd for his detailed report. Sir Alan Budd had made it clear that there...