§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Prime Minister (1) if he approved the memoranda from his Press Secretary to the Secretary of State for Social Security and the Minister of State for Social Security and Welfare Reform of (i) 1 January admonishing those Ministers for their actions in relation to the media and (ii) 26 February requiring an explanation of why their interviews had not been cleared through his office; [37393]
(2) what powers he has given to his Press Secretary to control the responses by Ministers to inquiries from the media; and if he will make a statement; [37394]
(3) if Ministers are required to clear statements to the media, including the timing of such statements, through the office of his Press Secretary before their issue; [37395]
(4) pursuant to his oral answer of 1 April 1998, Official Report, column 1252, if he will make a statement on the responsibility of his Press Secretary for party political activities. [37989]
§ The Prime MinisterMy Chief Press Secretary operates in accordance with the framework on the presentation of Government policy as set out in the Ministerial Code, and within the terms of the Special Adviser contract.