Asked whether for further information about the bird flu discussions at Cabinet, the PMOS replied that it was a résumé of what we already knew, and of the uncertainties which surrounded the issue. The ...

Asked if there had been any discussion in Cabinet about the child poverty figures that had been released today, the PMOS replied there had not been. As people knew, however, Ministers had been talking about them...

Asked about the Prime Minister's views towards the remarks of Sir Alastair Graham during his speech today on independent inquiries, the PMOS said that the key word was accountability. Whether there was someone who...

The PMOS told journalists that the Prime Minister had paid tribute to the courage, dedication and commitment shown by the members of the Home Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment. They had faced pressures which...

Climate change, Iraq and International Women's Day were on the agenda at this week's PMQs. You can watch the broadcast again here.

Press briefing from the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman on: Royal Irish Regiment, Prime Minister Trip to Bratislava-Prague, Sir Alastair Graham, Child Poverty, Brazilian President and Bird Flu

Scottish Executive Consultation Report, following consultation paper "Connecting to the System: Consultation on Paying for Connections to the Water and Sewerage Networks"

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil announced today, during his state visit to the UK, that Brazil would be joining the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) and will be contributing $...

The Government announced today it will strengthen the Code for Sustainable Homes alongside the introduction of new tougher building regulations, in order to address climate change.

Full-time Home Service personnel of The Royal Irish Regiment will receive a tax-free ex gratia lump sum of £28K over and above any normal Army redundancy terms as part of a settlement package announced...

Unmarried partners are to receive pension benefits for the first time under a new police pension scheme, Minister for Policing Hazel Blears announced today.

Significant changes to law and how care is provided to people lacking mental capacity are set out in a draft Code of Practice published for public consultation today.

prepared by the DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS EXTENDING WORKING LIFE DIVISION

The government has been spreading the word about its new Education and Inspections Bill this week with a series of seminars hosted in Number 10.

Brazil's president and Tony Blair have issued a joint statement on ways the two countries can work together, at the climax of Mr Lula's State visit to the UK.

The OFT has today signalled its intention to refer the market for the supply of groceries by retailers in the UK to the Competition Commission for more detailed investigation, and has published its analysis of the...

The funeral of Alice Baker, believed to be the last female World War 1 service veteran, was held today in Norfolk.

A new Home Office programme to break down barriers to volunteering received a £3 million boost today. Volunteering For All will be a two-year strategy led by the Home Office and reaching across Government...

The final measures to outlaw age discrimination in the workplace were published by Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson today.

Increased financial help will soon be available for some severely disabled people wishing to live independently in the community.

Smoking habits in Great Britain

Asked if the Prime Minister was still backing Chi Patel for a peerage, the PMOS said, as he had this morning, that he was not going to comment on questions about the peerage nominations process. Asked whether the...

Asked who the Prime Minister thought was responsible for NHS finances the chief executive or ministers, the PMOS said that he had set out the position in regard to Sir Nigel Crisp yesterday and he did not retract...

Asked about Iran, the PMOS said that the E3 had issued a statement. The next step was the UN Security Council and as we had said all along we believed that this should be taken step by step. What Iran...

Asked if there were any words from the meeting with the Taoiseach, the PMOS said that this was primarily a stocktaking exercise. The two Prime Ministers were clearer in their view of where we were going, but there...

Asked whether Sir Gus O'Donnell was establishing facts on the questions about the pub company asked in Nigel Evans' letter, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said, as they all knew, that Tessa Jowell...

Press briefing from the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman on: Tessa Jowell, Northern Ireland, Iran, NHS and Peerages

A new cross-Government report promises to remove excessive bureaucracy and empower local government to deliver first class public services.

Orders in the twelve months to January 2006 rose by eight per cent compared with 2004, and orders in the three months to January 2006 rose by 16 per cent compared to the same period a year earlier. Orders in the...

Thousands more people were lifted out of poverty in the last year, new figures released today by the Department for Work and Pensions show.

Manufacturing: 0.2% three monthly fall

Deficit unchanged at £3.8bn in Jan 2006

This publication presents estimates of the proportions and numbers of children, working age adults and pensioners living in low income households in Scotland.

I will represent the UK at the Environment Council in Brussels on 9 March.At this Council the Austrian presidency will be seeking Council conclusions on several items. First, the thematic strategy on air quality...

I have previously made it clear that I sympathise with the view that performances by some wild animals in travelling circuses are not compatible with meeting their welfare needs. The Animal Welfare Bill will itself...

Dr. Rod Pullen has been appointed as UK Special Representative at the Inter-Sudanese Peace Talks on Darfur. He took up his position on 6 March. This appointment is a further indication of our commitment on this ...

In a written statement in response to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Gordon Prentice) on 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 165W, I said that I hoped to make an announcement soon ...

On 11 January 2006 the House of Commons Health Committee published its second report of Session 2005–06: "Changes to Primary Care Trusts". The Government have today published their response to this report. Copies...

I have today placed before Parliament the Government's response to the Joint Report of the Home Affairs and Work and Pensions Committees on the Government's draft Corporate Manslaughter Bill. This is a key step ...

I would like to make a statement to mark the fact that today is International Women's Day. It is important to reflect on how women are treated in the criminal justice system and what still needs to be done to ensure...

I am pleased to announce today the formation of the Public Service Commission for Northern Ireland. The Government's decisions on the review of public administration, which were announced on 22 November 2005, will...

I will be attending the Competitiveness Council in Brussels on 13 March. Martin Bartenstein, Austrian Minister for Economics and Labour, will chair the Council in the morning and Elisabeth Gehrer, Austrian Minister...

Follow up inspection of HMP Kilmarnock

Launching the Committee's Annual Report for 2005 today (Thursday), Sir Alistair Graham is to pledge that the Committee will continue to press for changes to the system for inquiries into allegations of breaches ...

Nuclear energy must be safe and secure if it is to have a defensible role in the future energy mix, Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks will say during a visit to Manchester today.