Speaking to business leaders at the CBI Scotland annual dinner in Glasgow this evening, the PM said that the Government would make “careful interventions” on behalf of “hard-pressed families”. In addition to the Homeowners Support Package and the £120-a-week tax cut for basic rate taxpayers, the Government was “working up proposals” with utility companies on tackling rising fuel bills.

The PM said:

“We will do what it takes to bring security to families on modest and middle incomes. And we will ensure that no-one who is prepared to work hard and adapt to change will lose out as a result of global forces. We will act responsibly to prepare people for the inescapable challenges ahead - in the short, medium and long term.”

Mr Brown also said that the UK was better placed as a whole to deal with the credit crunch than during any other period of financial turb-ulence. He highlighted Bank of England independence, a flexible labour market, the underlying strength of business finances and a reduction in public debt as a share of national income as reasons to be “cautiously optimistic” about the country’s economic resilience.

The PM added that Britain needed to undergo a “revolution” in its energy consumption, reducing its dependence on oil, increasing energy efficiency and creating a low carbon economy . The Government plans to spend £100 billion to ensure that 15 percent of the UK’s energy comes from renewables by 2020.

Read more about the Homeowners Support Package

¼/p>

Mr Brown began his visit by giving opening remarks at the Northwest Economic Conference where he told guests that the region was well placed to be one of the “real gainers in the future” from the benefits of economic globalisation.

Later he took a look around St George’s Hall and The Walker Art Gallery. One of the gallery’s major displays is the Liverpool Cityscape painting [above] by artist Ben Johnson, just one of a wide range of art works commissioned by the city as part of the cultural festival.

Go to the Liverpool 08 website (new window)

Speaking to business leaders at the CBI Scotland annual dinner in Glasgow this evening, the PM said that the Government would make “careful interventions” on behalf of “hard-pressed families”. In addition to the Homeowners Support Package and the £120-a-week tax cut for basic rate taxpayers, the Government was “working up proposals” with utility companies on tackling rising fuel bills.

Read more…

The Queen has also been pleased to approve that The Honourable Mr Justice Terence Etherton be appointed as a Lord Justice of Appeal with effect from 29 September 2008, following the increase in the maximum number of judges in the Court of Appeal from 37 to 38.

Biographical Note

Right Honourable Lord Justice Anthony Tristram Kenneth May

The Right Honourable Lord Justice Anthony Tristram Kenneth May (67) was called to the Bar (Inner Temple) in 1967 and was made a Bencher in 1985. He took Silk in 1979, and was a Recorder from 1985 until 1991.  He was appointed a Judge of the High Court (Queen’s Bench Division) in 1991 and promoted to the Court of Appeal in 1997.  Lord Justice May was Deputy Head of Civil Justice from 2000 until 2003 and has been Vice-President of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court since 2002.

Lord Justice May was knighted in 1991.

Honourable Mr Justice Terence Etherton

The Honourable Mr Justice Terence Etherton (57) was called to the Bar (Gray’s Inn) in 1974 and was made a Bencher in 1998. He took Silk in 1990, and was appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2000. He was appointed a Judge of the High Court (Chancery Division) in 2001 and appointed Chairman of the Law Commission in 2006.

Mr Justice Etherton was knighted in 2001.

Notes for Editors

The maximum number of judges in the Court of Appeal was increased from 37 to 38 by way of the Maximum Number of Judges Order 2008, which was brought into force on 10 July 2008.

Economy

Asked for a flavour of the Prime Minister’s speech this evening, the Prime Minister’s Spokesman (PMS) replied that the speech would begin with an assessment of the global economic situation and would say how global economic turmoil was affecting every economy in every country; that the UK economy was better placed than it had been in the past through a number of measures that has been put in place; and that we would continue to back up that resilience with interventions which would help British people through.  There was also a major component on energy that would include the need to improve energy efficiency, and the need to diversify our sources of energy.

Asked if there was any further progress on the talks with the energy companies, the PMS replied that as we said yesterday we were engaged cooperatively in constructive talks with the energy companies and when we had finalised a package we would make an announcement.

Asked if tonight’s speech would touch on this point, the PMS replied that the speech may touch on aspects of it including the need for greater energy efficiency.

Asked if there would be any policy announcements in the speech tonight, the PMS replied that there were aspects which would discuss our approach to the energy package, including some of the measures that we felt would be important.

Asked if the Prime Minister thought that a better way to tackle fuel poverty was to give people money to invest in energy efficiency measures rather than one off payments, the PMS replied that there was two aspects to this – firstly there was a long term issue to do with fuel efficiency which would deliver savings for people over the long term, and there were also important short term considerations for people who were faced with higher energy bills in the next few months.  The energy package next week would address both short term and long term.

Asked if the Government was looking at the idea of auctioning off more carbon trading permits, the PMS replied that there would be further details on the energy package when it was announced next week.

Asked for any comment on the record fall in house prices, the PMS replied that he would not be commenting on the housing market.

Prostitution

Asked if the Prime Minister backed Harriet Harman in her crusade to make paying for sex illegal, the PMS replied that Harriet Harman was a Government Minister and as such had the Prime Minister’s backing.

Asked to clarify if the Prime Minister was backing Harriet Harman in her job as Minister responsible for such matters or the view that prostitution should be legalised, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister had full support for Harriet Harman.

Asked if the Prime Minister thought that there should be a law banning the purchase of sex, the PMS referred journalists to the relevant department on that question.

Asked if the Prime Minister thought it was socially and morally acceptable to buy sex, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister did not think this.

Miscellaneous

Asked if the Prime Minister accepted that he had “months” to turn around his premiership, the PMS replied that he was not going to be drawn on any of the comments from Charles Clarke this morning, and referred journalists to his political colleague.

Asked for a view on a story concerning publication of changes to the Iraq dossier, the PMS replied that on that specific case journalists should contact the Cabinet Office.

Biographical note

Sir Igor Judge was educated at the Oratory School, Woodcote and Magdalene College, Cambridge.  He was called to the Bar, Middle Temple in 1963 and became a Bencher in 1987, he was a Recorder from 1976 to 1988 and Prosecuting Counsel to the Inland Revenue (now HMRC), 1977 -1979; Judge of the High Court, Queen’s Bench Division, 1988 -1996.  Sir Igor was a Lord Justice of Appeal from 1996 to 2005; Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales 1998 - 2003 and Deputy Chief Justice of England and Wales 2003 - 2005. Sir Igor has been President of The Queen’s Bench Division since 2005.

The PM has given his sincerest best wishes for the holy month of Ramadan which started on Monday 1 September.

Speaking from Downing Street, the PM said we should “celebrate the diversity that contributes to Britain’s strength” and “consider the contribution of Islam not just to Britain, but to the world”.

The PM also praised the huge contribution that Muslim’s have made to “our prosperity, our society and our culture”.

He said:

“I would like to give you, your family, and all Muslim communities, my sincerest best wishes for the holy month of Ramadan.

Ramadan teaches patience and humility, and reminds us of our shared moral universe; our obligation to others.

The message of empathy for the less fortunate is reflected in Ramadan by the daily fast.  And Ramadan’s message of compassion and social justice spreads beyond Muslim communities; it speaks of shared values that unite us all.

The hadith of the Prophet Muhammad emphasise the duty of care we owe one another. So during this special month, let us also celebrate the diversity that contributes to Britain’s strength. 

Muslims make a huge contribution to Britain’s success - to our prosperity, our society and our culture.  And of course, Ramadan is an opportune time to consider the contribution of Islam not just to Britain, but to the world: Islamic art, science, and philosophy have enriched our lives over many centuries.

Finally, Ramadan is also a time to recall the Prophet’s message that ‘the best richness is the richness of the soul.’  This speaks to me, as it speaks to so many others.  I look forward to continuing positive engagement with British Muslim communities across the UK.”

PM’s Ramadan message (arabic)