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| Government publishes second batch of Prince Charles' letters - live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| In this letter to Bradshaw, the Prince notes that the minister has “moved up in the world” to the position of culture secretary before discussing the arts, which he says are “rather close to my own heart”. | |
| The Prince then expresses his hopes to discuss heritage matters with the minister, particularly “the conversion and re-use of major historic sites, many of which are lying derelict and abandoned by unscrupulous owners”. | |
| As many of these historic sites are often in fairly deprived areas, their revitalisation can make a big difference. Not only that, but I do feel we owe it to those dedicated craftsmen who built the buildings in the first place, and many of whose descendants probably still live in the area, to bring their dedicated workmanship back to life. | |
| Former health secretary and current Labour leadership contender, Andy Burnham, displays his deferential side as he signs off his correspondence to the Prince of Wales. | |
| He writes: | |
| I would be delighted to meet with you at Clarence House at your convenience to discuss this and other topics of interest to us both. | |
| And then adds in his own hand: | |
| I have the honour to remain, Sir, your Royal Highness’s most humble and obedient servant. | |
| Matthew Weaver | |
| In December 2007, then housing minister Yvette Cooper now Labour leadership hopeful, expressed enthusiasm for the Prince’s architecture trust playing a “significant role” in the design of the Labour governments plans for new Eco Towns. | |
| Charles wrote to Cooper outlining his preference for “small-scale” housing schemes (underlined in pen). In a letter that used language similar to a Nimby (Not-in-my-back-yard) objection to a planning application for new rural homes, he said: “Six well-designed houses in a hamlet or village are often all that is needed to make a small rural community viable. Equally, building fifteen homes, or more completely undermine the dynamics and character of the village - destroying the very thing which everyone is striving to protect.” | |
| In response to the Prince, Cooper said: “I am strongly of the view that the Prince’s Foundation should play a significant role in encouraging and advising on the design elements of eco-towns, drawing on its well-established expertise and experience.” | |
| In this letter, Johnson is addressing concerns raised by the future monarch over the control of the spread of ragwort, a wild flower, across the UK. Johnson says: | |
| I am aware that ragwort is classed as an injurious weed under the Weeds Act 1959 and as such many bodies have policies on its control. | |
| Johnson then moves to reassure the Prince there are no herbal medicines available containing ragwort, which can have an adverse impact on health. Johnson continues: | |
| I hope this gives you some reassurance that this issue is taken very seriously and I am sure colleagues in Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) will be able to provide you with further assurances about controlling the spread of the plant. | |
| Rob Evans | |
| The heir to the throne pressed the then health minister, Alan Johnson, to preserve the funding of NHS homeopathic hospitals “and the threats they appear to face to their existence”. | |
| In a letter on September 19 2007, Charles said the referrals to Royal London Homeopathic Hospital were increasing “until what seems to amount to a recent ‘anti-homeopathic campaign’.” | |
| He said three homeopathic hospitals “faced large and threatened cuts in funding from local healthcare commissioners” despite “the fact that these homeopathic hospitals deal with many patients with real health problems who otherwise would require treatment elsewhere, often at greater expense”. | |
| In this letter to Johnson, the Prince of Wales sets out in impassioned terms the reasons why he “persists” with efforts to integrate complementary medicines into conventional healthcare. The Prince says: | In this letter to Johnson, the Prince of Wales sets out in impassioned terms the reasons why he “persists” with efforts to integrate complementary medicines into conventional healthcare. The Prince says: |
| I cannot bear people suffering unnecessarily when a complementary approach could make a real difference. I have been convinced for many years that we in the United Kingdom need to do more to encourage and facilitate good health, as well as to treat illness, and that there should be more of a “whole person” approach to the treatment of illness rather than a “reductionist” focus on the particular ailment. | I cannot bear people suffering unnecessarily when a complementary approach could make a real difference. I have been convinced for many years that we in the United Kingdom need to do more to encourage and facilitate good health, as well as to treat illness, and that there should be more of a “whole person” approach to the treatment of illness rather than a “reductionist” focus on the particular ailment. |
| In addition, I am sure that more can be done to take advantage of complementary medicine, not as an alternative or competitor to conventional medicine, but as part of an integrated approach with the same doctor being able to provide or suggest conventional and/or complementary remedies and treatments as he and the patient see fit. | In addition, I am sure that more can be done to take advantage of complementary medicine, not as an alternative or competitor to conventional medicine, but as part of an integrated approach with the same doctor being able to provide or suggest conventional and/or complementary remedies and treatments as he and the patient see fit. |
| My colleagues Rob Evans and Robert Booth have this first take on the latest round of letters Prince Charles to ministers. | My colleagues Rob Evans and Robert Booth have this first take on the latest round of letters Prince Charles to ministers. |
| Prince Charles wrote to Labour ministers about the use of complementary medicines, the state of the world’s rainforests, and hospital food, the second batch of royal correspondence released following a successful freedom of information request by the Guardian shows. | Prince Charles wrote to Labour ministers about the use of complementary medicines, the state of the world’s rainforests, and hospital food, the second batch of royal correspondence released following a successful freedom of information request by the Guardian shows. |
| The 17 “black spider memos”, written between 2006 and 2009 to ministers in four departments including Alan Johnson and Andy Burnham, also see Charles discuss Labour’s plans for a new generation of “eco towns”. | The 17 “black spider memos”, written between 2006 and 2009 to ministers in four departments including Alan Johnson and Andy Burnham, also see Charles discuss Labour’s plans for a new generation of “eco towns”. |
| According to Clarence House, Charles wrote concerning homeopathy in hospitals: “I cannot bear people suffering unnecessarily when a complementary approach could make a real difference.” | According to Clarence House, Charles wrote concerning homeopathy in hospitals: “I cannot bear people suffering unnecessarily when a complementary approach could make a real difference.” |
| Seventeen letters from prince to government ministers believed to be about issues including health, rural affairs and architecture | Seventeen letters from prince to government ministers believed to be about issues including health, rural affairs and architecture |
| The government’s decision to release the correspondence cuts short what was set to be another battle over the publication of the second tranche of the prince’s correspondence with ministers. A freedom of information tribunal was to hold a hearing later this year on whether the Guardian should be given access to this batch. | The government’s decision to release the correspondence cuts short what was set to be another battle over the publication of the second tranche of the prince’s correspondence with ministers. A freedom of information tribunal was to hold a hearing later this year on whether the Guardian should be given access to this batch. |
| In a letter to Prince Charles, Johnson recalls they had “spoke in detail about hospital food” and promises to consider the Prince’s proposals to develop a hub to improve food procurement in the public sector. | In a letter to Prince Charles, Johnson recalls they had “spoke in detail about hospital food” and promises to consider the Prince’s proposals to develop a hub to improve food procurement in the public sector. |
| The newly appointed health secretary, Andy Burnham, wrote to the Prince to thank him for his letter and to suggest a meeting to discuss the possibility of a study on integrating complementary medicine in hospitals in England. | The newly appointed health secretary, Andy Burnham, wrote to the Prince to thank him for his letter and to suggest a meeting to discuss the possibility of a study on integrating complementary medicine in hospitals in England. |
| I know Alan (Johnson) has made great progress in furthering the debate on complementary medicines. The results of the Northern Ireland pilot were very interesting and I am in conversation with my officials about our plans to run a similar study in England. | I know Alan (Johnson) has made great progress in furthering the debate on complementary medicines. The results of the Northern Ireland pilot were very interesting and I am in conversation with my officials about our plans to run a similar study in England. |
| In a letter to the Prince of Wales, Alexander says the heir to the throne asked about support for one of his charities, Turquoise Mountain, a regeneration project in Kabul, Afghanistan. | In a letter to the Prince of Wales, Alexander says the heir to the throne asked about support for one of his charities, Turquoise Mountain, a regeneration project in Kabul, Afghanistan. |
| You also asked about possible support for the Turquoise Mountain Foundation in Afghanistan... we have moved away from funding smaller scale initiatives such as this - and towards funding larger-scale government programmes. | You also asked about possible support for the Turquoise Mountain Foundation in Afghanistan... we have moved away from funding smaller scale initiatives such as this - and towards funding larger-scale government programmes. |
| The latest batch of Prince Charles’s letters to ministers shows his concerns for UK and wider world, Clarence House has said. | The latest batch of Prince Charles’s letters to ministers shows his concerns for UK and wider world, Clarence House has said. |
| Reacting to the publication of the second round of letters, a Clarence House spokesman said: | Reacting to the publication of the second round of letters, a Clarence House spokesman said: |
| The correspondence published by the Government today, Thursday 4 June, shows the range of The Prince of Wales’ concerns and interests for this country and the wider world. | The correspondence published by the Government today, Thursday 4 June, shows the range of The Prince of Wales’ concerns and interests for this country and the wider world. |
| The letters published by the Government show the Prince of Wales expressing concern about issues that he has raised in public like affordable rural housing, the quality of hospital food, the preservation and regeneration of historic buildings, an integrated approach to healthcare, climate change, and others. In all these cases, The Prince of Wales is raising issues of public concern, and trying to find practical ways to address the issues. | The letters published by the Government show the Prince of Wales expressing concern about issues that he has raised in public like affordable rural housing, the quality of hospital food, the preservation and regeneration of historic buildings, an integrated approach to healthcare, climate change, and others. In all these cases, The Prince of Wales is raising issues of public concern, and trying to find practical ways to address the issues. |
| The second batch of letters from Prince Charles to ministers have been published here. | The second batch of letters from Prince Charles to ministers have been published here. |
| Here are some of the stand-out topics covered in the latest tranche of correspondence between the Prince of Wales and ministers: | Here are some of the stand-out topics covered in the latest tranche of correspondence between the Prince of Wales and ministers: |
| What did the first batch of letters from Prince Charles to ministers contain? | What did the first batch of letters from Prince Charles to ministers contain? |
| For a refresher on what Prince Charles’s black spider memos are, watch this video made before the first tranche was released. | For a refresher on what Prince Charles’s black spider memos are, watch this video made before the first tranche was released. |
| A second batch of letters written by Prince Charles to government ministers is to be published imminently – and we’ll have all the revelations and reaction from across the political spectrum and royal commentariat right here on this live blog. | A second batch of letters written by Prince Charles to government ministers is to be published imminently – and we’ll have all the revelations and reaction from across the political spectrum and royal commentariat right here on this live blog. |
| The 17 letters, expected at 2.30pm, cover the prince’s correspondence between 2006 and 2009 with ministers in four departments. | The 17 letters, expected at 2.30pm, cover the prince’s correspondence between 2006 and 2009 with ministers in four departments. |
| The newest cache is released some three weeks after the government published 27 letters between the heir to the throne and ministers, bringing an end to a decade-long battle that started with a freedom of information request in April 2005 by Guardian journalist Rob Evans. | The newest cache is released some three weeks after the government published 27 letters between the heir to the throne and ministers, bringing an end to a decade-long battle that started with a freedom of information request in April 2005 by Guardian journalist Rob Evans. |
| The first batch dated from 2004 and 2005 and showed Charles petitioning ministers on a colourful range of subjects from the Iraq war to alternative therapies and from Antarctic huts to Patagonian toothfish. | The first batch dated from 2004 and 2005 and showed Charles petitioning ministers on a colourful range of subjects from the Iraq war to alternative therapies and from Antarctic huts to Patagonian toothfish. |
| Today, we can expect to see more of the same as the latest round is thought to include correspondence between the prince and several government ministers about issues including health, rural affairs and architecture. | Today, we can expect to see more of the same as the latest round is thought to include correspondence between the prince and several government ministers about issues including health, rural affairs and architecture. |
| The government’s decision to release the second tranche of letters cuts short what was set to be yet another legal battle. A freedom of information tribunal was due to hold a hearing later this year on whether the Guardian should be given access to this batch. | The government’s decision to release the second tranche of letters cuts short what was set to be yet another legal battle. A freedom of information tribunal was due to hold a hearing later this year on whether the Guardian should be given access to this batch. |
| The government’s failed attempt to block publication of the first letters cost more than £400,000 in legal expenses. | The government’s failed attempt to block publication of the first letters cost more than £400,000 in legal expenses. |
| So stay with us for the most comprehensive breakdown of the latest letters, and analysis from our team of specialist correspondents. | So stay with us for the most comprehensive breakdown of the latest letters, and analysis from our team of specialist correspondents. |