The Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett MP said today:

Eight-year-old George Sheath, whose father is a serving soldier in Germany will walk out as team mascot beside David Beckham and the rest of England Team ahead in their first world cup match against Paraguay this...

The Foreign Secretary has approved the appointment of Mr Stewart Eldon CMG, OBE to be the UK Permanent Representative on the North Atlantic Council in succession to Sir Peter Ricketts KCMG, who will be succeeding...

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister Lord Triesman, Minister responsible for consular assistance for England supporters in Germany, commented on the opening day of the World Cup:

A new report shows that the NHS has achieved record improvements in the quality of care and waiting times over the last six months. It also states that the NHS is on track to achieve financial balance by the end...

The Leader was asked, in relation to the Electoral Administration Bill, if he was open to the idea of individual registration. He said the Government had accepted a significant change in relation to postal ballots...

The Leader drew attention to the second reading of the Fraud Bill on June 12 (Mike O'Brien would lead for the Government); Lords amendments to the Work and Families Bill on June 13 (Jim Fitzpatrick) and consideration...

Mr Straw noted that it had been customary until the end of 2002 for the Leader of the House to speak at the briefing about forthcoming business. He had now decided to resume the practice. The Leader spoke of his...

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) confirmed that there would be a joint press conference with President Chirac tomorrow afternoon. Asked what the themes of the summit would be, the PMOS said that the...

Asked if the Prime Minister was concerned by the fact that because of delays in passing the Terrorism Act of 2006, those arrested at Forest Gate would have to be released next Friday, whereas the Terrorism Act's...

The PMS gave journalists a run-through of the Franco-British summit. She said that the British delegation included the Prime Minister, Margaret Beckett, Des Brown, David Miliband, Jim Knight and Malcolm Wicks. The...

Asked if the Prime Minister would watch the England match against Paraguay tomorrow, the Prime Minister's Spokesman (PMS) said yes he would. Asked if he had a big screen TV to watch it on the PMS said that she didn...

Tony Blair travelled to France to hold talks with President Jacques Chirac ahead of next week's European Council meeting. You can read their joint communiqué on our website.

Press briefing from the Prime Minister's Spokesman on: World Cup, Franco-British Summit and Terror Legislation

The last few days have included a speech on public sector reform, a meeting about climate change, an audience with the Pope and an interview with users of our website.

The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, has appointed 5 additional members to the Legal Services Consultative Panel, chaired by Lord Justice Moore-Bick.

Sunny, warm weather over Southern and Eastern England over the next few days is likely to lead to the first summer smog episode of 2006.

Press briefing from the Prime Minister's Spokesman on: Franco-British Summit, Briefing from Leader of Commons, Forthcoming Business and Other

The Scottish Executive's response to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's 25th Report. The document complements Defra's response the the Royal Commission.

An SEED Sponsored Research report - The principal aim of this project is to explore the problems and possibilities of incorporating a ‘children as researchers’ perspective into the agenda of government social...

This report presents the findings of research with Gypsy/Traveller and Showground Traveller pupils relating to their experience of interactive communications technology (ICT) and its support for their learning in...

Deficit unchanged at £4.0bn in April 2006

Visits to the UK from overseas up 7%

Inspection Report

Independent review of NHS wheelchair and seating services in Scotland with recommendations for improvement to services.

In recognition of the increasing importance of the FCO network in delivering our climate change goals, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary (Margaret Beckett) has looked again at our strategic international...

The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will be held on 12 June in Luxembourg. My right honourable friends the Foreign Secretary (Margaret Beckett) and the Minister for Europe (Geoff Hoon) will...

On 9 February my hon. Friend the Minister for Energy informed the Standing Committee of the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill that I would undertake an urgent review of local plans to determine whether ...

The provision for the Government Indemnity Scheme is made by the National Heritage Act 1980. The scheme facilitates public access to loans of works of art and other objects for public display made to museums, galleries...

I am pleased to announce that Christine Gilbert is to become Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England with effect from 1 October 2006.Ms Gilbert applied for the position of chief inspector through an ...

I represented the United Kingdom at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels on 22 May 2006. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ben Bradshaw, represented the UK for the fisheries item.The Council...

The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will be held on 12 June in Luxembourg. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I will represent the UK.The agenda items are as follows:General AffairsPreparation...

In recognition of the increasing importance of the FCO network in delivering our climate change goals, I have looked again at our strategic international priorities, set out in the Government White Paper "Active...

I would like to announce that the Government are making an extra donation of£2.5 million to the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund to give assistance to bereaved and the injured victims of the 7 July...

In a written statement on 24 January 2006 I informed the House that the UK, along with all other donors, had decided to withhold direct budget support to the Government of Ethiopia as a result of concerns about ...

I am today announcing the publication of consultation documents for the new East Midlands, West Midlands and cross-country rail franchises. Copies of the consultation documents have been placed in the House Library...

I will attend the second Transport Council of the Austrian presidency which takes place in Luxembourg on 9 June.The main items on the agenda are: the draft regulation on public service obligations in passenger transport...

I havetoday laid a draft code of practice prepared by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC), before Parliament in accordance with the procedure set out in section 53A(4) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995...