1.   A USA embassy spokesman dismissed the claim as baseless.

2.   But a regional health authority spokesman dismissed the document as pure speculation.

3.   A Scottish Office spokesman dismissed recent reports that private organisations were preparing plans for private prisons as pure speculation.

4.   American Family spokesman Fetherston dismissed the complaints as isolated violations of company policy by managers who have since been fired.

5.   At the White House, a national security spokesman dismissed safety concerns about the way the missiles were shipped.

6.   A Jinro Group spokesman dismissed comparisons with Hanbo or Sammi.

7.   A spokesman for Whitman dismissed the demand as a political attack.

8.   A spokesman for Gore dismissed the poll as relatively meaningless.

9.   A spokesman for Pataki dismissed the speech as inaccurate and misleading.