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Callard Richard (ShEx
Sent: Thur 11/12/2014 11:07:02 AM (UTC)
To: Batten Peter (ShE:
Cc:
Subject: Sparrow Questions
Attachment: Sparrow Questions for Parliamentary Debate 17th December 2014.docx
Belinda
As discussed, sorry I couldn’t join the call last night. Peter and I are working on the briefing jointly, particularly as he is
soon to depart and so it helps me get up to speed. In that light I have considered the sorts of questions that Jo will
face, which I have listed in the attached, and I would be grateful if you and the team could start preparing the answers
given that you are best placed to do so — we just don’t have some of the background required.
I would be happy to discuss these, but these are by their nature quite uncomfortable or unreasonable questions, but
that is what we will be asked of Jo. Even if we don’t speak publically of some of the questions needed in here, we still
need the answers to provide Jo privately with the confidence to rebut James Arbutnot’s claims. Although we have
kept her sighted on the scheme, there has clearly been a limit to what we could tell her given confidentiality reasons
to date.
It would be helpful if answers are short and punchy — Jo has to remember them ideally rather than scrabbling around
for them.
Finally, I would be grateful for responses asap, but otherwise by close Friday so I have the weekend to look at them
and turn them around (our deadline here is 2pm Monday which is a rather tight). I will separately establish what time
any verbal briefing might be.
Many thanks
Richard
From: Batten Peter (ShEx)
Sent: 10 December 2014 18:26
To: Belinda Crowe
Cc: Callard Richard (ShEx)
Subject: Sparrow catch-up
Belinda
Many thanks for your time. As discussed, can you please send copies of:
- PV letter to Arbuthnot of S November
- The angels and devils briefing (I think that was the name ascribed to it)
- Mark’s rebuttals for the Today programme
- Key facts sheet (i.e. # resolved cases, etc)
We also discussed the cost of the WG point. Recognising the risk that any number could be twisted against POL, this is
a number that Jo will need to be aware of numerically and from a handling risk.
Best wishes
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Peter
Peter Batten I Shareholder Executive I Department for Business, Innovation & Skills I
7 I www.bis.gov.uk I
The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) is building a dynamic and competitive UK economy by creating the
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