The FCO Minister for Africa, Lord Triesman of Tottenham and the Secretary of State for International Development, Hilary Benn, today (16 May) welcomed the adoption of UNSCR 1679 as well as the conclusions of the...

Tony Blair has outlined a 'full and important programme of work' in a letter to Alistair Darling, the new Trade Secretary. Read the letters sent so far to Cabinet Ministers on this website.

Nuclear power, renewable energy and energy efficiency are "back on the agenda with a vengeance", the PM told the CBI tonight. We have the full speech and an update on the Energy Review.

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has today announced a reorganisation of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England.

Lord Warner confirms details of ambulance service reorganisation

Following the Commission's Monitoring Reports on Romania and Bulgaria, the Minister for Europe, Geoff Hoon said:

Tony Blair is to address the CBI's annual dinner tonight. Energy is one of the big issues he will be tackling. See key findings from an update on the Energy Review published here.

RESPONSE TO THE ENTERPRISE AND CULTURE COMMITTEE FINAL REPORT ON BUSINESS GROWTH

Sir Hayden Phillips announced that his review of the funding of political parties starts today with the launch of a website. He will also be giving evidence to the Constitutional Affairs Select Committee about the...

Geoff Hoon MP, the new Minister for Europe, will visit Berlin on Wednesday 17 May. His programme will include meetings with the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Europe Minister Gunter Gloser.

Tony Blair has outlined a 'full and important programme of work' for Alistair Darling in his new post as Trade Secretary.

Annual update on breastfeeding rates.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued precautionary advice to dive shop owners and any other people carrying out gas analysis on diving cylinders after an incident at a dive shop where two people were...

A pilot scheme designed to allow families of murder and manslaughter victims the chance to tell courts of the impact of the death is being tested at Winchester Crown Court.

Applications for Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS) agreements have reached the landmark 1,000 mark, including 86 which underpin Higher Level Stewardship applications. Of the 74,244 hectares of land currently...

As of Monday May 8th, Andy Burnham has been appointed as Minister of State for Delivery and Quality and Ivan Lewis has been appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Care Services at the Department...

John Hutton today announced his intention to work in partnership with insurers to ensure faster compensation for mesothelioma sufferers and their families.

Asked if the Prime Minister had any comment on the Venezuelan President's offer to give gas and oil to London's poor, the PMOS said that it President Chavez wanted to study our support for people in this country...

Put that the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) had published a report yesterday suggesting that civil servants should be responsible for their failures, the Cabinet Secretary had just been asked about ...

Asked what the Prime Minister's view was of the outrageous Evening Standard story that there were too many Scots in the Cabinet, the PMOS said that journalists could slur the Standard if they wanted to but he would...

Asked how Alistair Darling would be launching the gas review, the PMOS said that it was a review of the strain on gas over winter where we had recognised that supplies were tight but that the scare stories had turned...

Asked to elaborate on the role of the Chancellor in relation to the Home Office and the spending review, the PMOS said that he had dealt with this yesterday. The Treasury had always had a role in allocating money...

Asked if the police, following their statement about their inquiry, had interviewed anyone from Downing Street, the PMOS in response asked whether it was normal for the government to comment on an ongoing police...

Asked how Sir Hayden Phillips would be launching his review, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said he would check. Asked if the Prime Minister would comment on the launch, the PMOS said he would not...

Press briefing from the Prime Minister's Spokesman on: Sir Philip Hayden's Review, Police Inquiry, Home Office, Utilities, Cabinet, Civil Service and Venezuela

Annual update of breastfeeding statistics, providing breastfeeding rates at health visitor's first visit and at 6-8 week review. Data available by NHS Board area and Local Health Care co-operatives.

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell today announced the line-up of members for the Board of the Olympic Lottery Distributor (OLD), taking its membership to five including the Chair.

Statement of Need and Business Energy Forum are key lessons of tight winter

Children who are poor but have parents who take an interest in their schooling and read to them when they are young are more likely to pull themselves out of poverty, new research published today shows.

PREPARED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS DIRECTORATE

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) told journalists that the Prime Minister would, in his speech to the CBI tomorrow, deliver a strong defence of economic liberalism in a wide-ranging speech, which would...

Asked whether the Deputy Prime Minister would conduct the parliamentary questions session on Wednesday and what would he be answering questions on, the PMOS said that the Deputy Prime Minister would answer questions...

Asked if the Mayor was running his own foreign office, the PMOS said that the Mayor would speak for himself. In terms of President Chavez it was a private visit. Asked if he was welcome to Downing Street, the PMOS...

Asked about the Chancellor's role in ensuring our security, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that he was not aware of the reference because it was a party event. However, the fact of the matter...

Press briefing from the Prime Minister's Spokesman on: Criminal Justice System, Chavez, DPM Questions and CBI Speech

PREPARED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS WELFARE & POVERTY DIRECTORATE

April: CPI rises to 2.0%, RPI up to 2.6%

The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment as non-executive directors to the Bank of England's court of directors of James Strachan, Robert Wigley and David Rhind.The Queen has also been pleased to approve...

The Scottish Executive Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, (Mr. Allan Wilson), and Steven Effingham, Divisional Manager of the European Union Division of the DWP/DfES Joint International Unit represented...

Simon Foster, European Union Division, DWP/DfES Joint International Unit and Suzanne Chisholm, Youth Policy Officer, Welsh Assembly Government represented the UK during the informal meeting of EU Youth Ministers...

I would like to provide an update on the issue of foreign national prisoners.The House will understand that I can only provide the information available to me at this time. Very detailed consideration of the casefiles...

The Major Incident Investigation Board, set up by the Health and Safety Commission to supervise the investigation into the explosion and fire at Buncefield oil storage depot, published a progress report on 9 May...

On behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the BFI inspection reports on the following councils were published today: Brentwood borough council, Isle of Anglesey county council...

The Scottish Procurement Directorate's Policy Manual

Members of the Reserve forces will soon benefit from enhanced mental healthcare support on return from operational deployments overseas, the Under Secretary of State for Defence, Tom Watson, announced today.

The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will be held on 15 May in Brussels. Defence Ministers are attending for separate discussions as well as a joint session. My right honourable friends the...