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| No 10 says '8m hospitalised' is planning assumption, not what government expects - UK politics live | No 10 says '8m hospitalised' is planning assumption, not what government expects - UK politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen | Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen |
| Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, says the Scottish government and the UK government (which doubles up as the English government for health policy purposes) are not giving different advice to elderly people. | |
| As explained early, the impression that Edinburgh and London are giving conflicting advice has been created largely by news reports and Matt Hancock using the term “self-isolate” in a loose, general sense, rather than a narrow, specific sense. (See 9.56am.) | |
| Here are the main points from the Downing Street lobby briefing. | |
| The prime minister’s spokesman said the government does not expect 8m people to be hospitalised because of coronavirus. Asked about a Guardian story quoting a confidential Public Health England briefing saying “as many as 80% of the population are expected to be infected with Covid-19 in the next 12 months”, the spokesman said: | |
| The spokesman said Boris Johnson has asked Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, to chair a cabinet committee to consider the impact on business of coronavirus. See 11.46am. | |
| The spokesman defended the government’s coronavirus testing policy. Last week it said it would prioritise testing people admitted to hospital, instead of testing those with milder symptoms. There has been particular concern about NHS workers not being tested. But the spokesman said key workers such as NHS staff were an “important focus” for the coronavirus testing regime. He added: | |
| The spokesman said George Eustice, the environment secretary, will hold conference call with food suppliers and supermarkets early this afternoon. | |
| The spokesman said there was no need for shoppers to panic buy. He said: | |
| Asked if Johnson believed some shoppers were being selfish, the spokesman said: | |
| The FTSE was 100 down 7.2% at noon, my colleague Graeme Wearden reports on his business live blog. At 4976 points it’s at its lowest point since late 2011, and down from 7404 points just over three weeks ago. | The FTSE was 100 down 7.2% at noon, my colleague Graeme Wearden reports on his business live blog. At 4976 points it’s at its lowest point since late 2011, and down from 7404 points just over three weeks ago. |
| Surveillance testing for coronavirus will be significantly expanded to GP practices covering a total of 1.2m people to give a clearer picture of the spread of the disease, authorities have announced. According to the Press Association write-up of the briefing mentioned earlier (see 12.39am), the number of GP practices taking part in the “sentinel” surveillance system will be expanded from 41, covering 240,000 people, to 200 around the country this week to help experts track how the situation is developing. | Surveillance testing for coronavirus will be significantly expanded to GP practices covering a total of 1.2m people to give a clearer picture of the spread of the disease, authorities have announced. According to the Press Association write-up of the briefing mentioned earlier (see 12.39am), the number of GP practices taking part in the “sentinel” surveillance system will be expanded from 41, covering 240,000 people, to 200 around the country this week to help experts track how the situation is developing. |
| The Scottish Government announced at the weekend that people showing coronavirus symptoms will no longer be routinely tested for the infection, PA reports. Only those admitted to hospital with flu-like symptoms and breathing difficulties, NHS staff and “key workers” will be routinely tested for Covid-19 as part of the updated testing policy. | The Scottish Government announced at the weekend that people showing coronavirus symptoms will no longer be routinely tested for the infection, PA reports. Only those admitted to hospital with flu-like symptoms and breathing difficulties, NHS staff and “key workers” will be routinely tested for Covid-19 as part of the updated testing policy. |
| Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, said: | Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, said: |
| In fact, we should get the Matt Hancock statement at around 5.30pm, the leader of the Commons’ Twitter account says. | In fact, we should get the Matt Hancock statement at around 5.30pm, the leader of the Commons’ Twitter account says. |
| According to Labour whips, the Matt Hancock statement may come later than 3.30pm, to allow him to update MPs on the conclusion of the Cobra meeting, which will start at 3.15pm. | According to Labour whips, the Matt Hancock statement may come later than 3.30pm, to allow him to update MPs on the conclusion of the Cobra meeting, which will start at 3.15pm. |
| Matt Hancock, the health secretary, will make a statement to MPs about coronavirus. It is due at 3.30pm. | Matt Hancock, the health secretary, will make a statement to MPs about coronavirus. It is due at 3.30pm. |
| Here are the latest coronavirus figures from Public Health Wales. | Here are the latest coronavirus figures from Public Health Wales. |
| The BBC’s Lorna Gordon has a good Twitter thread starting here giving details of what was said at Nicola Sturgeon’s off-camera coronavirus briefing this morning. Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, was speaking, alongside Jeane Freeman, the Scottish health secretary, and Catherine Calderwood, the Scottish chief medical officer. It starts here. | |
| And here are some of the main points. | And here are some of the main points. |
| At the briefing Sturgeon said that, like Boris Johnson, she will now schedule daily government on-camera briefings. She will do her first this afternoon, after the Cobra meeting. | At the briefing Sturgeon said that, like Boris Johnson, she will now schedule daily government on-camera briefings. She will do her first this afternoon, after the Cobra meeting. |
| The BBC was due to end free TV licences for all over-75s at the end of May. After that, pensioners on pension credit were going to still qualify, but other pensions were going to have to pay. | The BBC was due to end free TV licences for all over-75s at the end of May. After that, pensioners on pension credit were going to still qualify, but other pensions were going to have to pay. |
| Now, in the light of coronavirus, the BBC has delayed the end of free TV licences for all pensioners by at least two months. It says the current plan is to bring in the new system on 1 August, but that this will be kept under review. | Now, in the light of coronavirus, the BBC has delayed the end of free TV licences for all pensioners by at least two months. It says the current plan is to bring in the new system on 1 August, but that this will be kept under review. |
| With the government soon to advise the over-70s that they will have to stay mostly at home to avoid the risk of getting coronavirus, the case for over-75s being able to have free access to TV has become stronger than ever. | With the government soon to advise the over-70s that they will have to stay mostly at home to avoid the risk of getting coronavirus, the case for over-75s being able to have free access to TV has become stronger than ever. |
| Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, said in response: | Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, said in response: |
| Q: Is the PM chairing this G7 call? | Q: Is the PM chairing this G7 call? |
| The spokesman says the US is in the lead, as chair of the G7 this year. | The spokesman says the US is in the lead, as chair of the G7 this year. |
| Q: Will oil prices come up in the G7 call? | Q: Will oil prices come up in the G7 call? |
| The spokesman says he can discuss this further after the call. | The spokesman says he can discuss this further after the call. |
| And that’s it. The briefing is over. | And that’s it. The briefing is over. |
| Q: Are there any plans to change the way cabinet meets to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission? | Q: Are there any plans to change the way cabinet meets to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission? |
| The spokesman says it is important for cabinet to continue to meet. | The spokesman says it is important for cabinet to continue to meet. |
| Q: What will the PM be saying in his G7 call? | Q: What will the PM be saying in his G7 call? |
| The spokesman says the PM has already spoken to all G7 leaders individually in recent days. | The spokesman says the PM has already spoken to all G7 leaders individually in recent days. |
| He says bringing together leaders in this way is supposed to bring leaders together. It will coordinate a global health response, and a global economic response. | He says bringing together leaders in this way is supposed to bring leaders together. It will coordinate a global health response, and a global economic response. |
| And it will look at measures to promote economic stability. | And it will look at measures to promote economic stability. |
| And it will discuss coordination with the IMF, the World Bank and the World Health Organisation? | And it will discuss coordination with the IMF, the World Bank and the World Health Organisation? |
| Q: Isn’t there a contradiction between wanting to promote economic stability and closing borders? | Q: Isn’t there a contradiction between wanting to promote economic stability and closing borders? |
| The spokesman says border policy is a matter for individual countries. | The spokesman says border policy is a matter for individual countries. |
| Q: Why did we not have more ventilators in the first place? | Q: Why did we not have more ventilators in the first place? |
| The spokesman says we are facing an unprecedented situation. | The spokesman says we are facing an unprecedented situation. |
| Q: On ventilators, is there a national standard design? | Q: On ventilators, is there a national standard design? |
| The spokesman says there has been a very strong response from industry. Further details will be discussed in the call this afternoon. | The spokesman says there has been a very strong response from industry. Further details will be discussed in the call this afternoon. |
| Q: What does the PM think of the US banning travel from the UK? What will he say to Trump about it? | Q: What does the PM think of the US banning travel from the UK? What will he say to Trump about it? |
| The spokesman says the PM spoke to the president at the weekend. Ultimately this is a matter for the US, he says. | The spokesman says the PM spoke to the president at the weekend. Ultimately this is a matter for the US, he says. |
| Q: Will there be an inner war cabinet? | Q: Will there be an inner war cabinet? |
| The spokesman says he would not use that term. | The spokesman says he would not use that term. |
| Q: What about the new business response committee mentioned by Grant Shapps this morning? (See 9.20am.) | Q: What about the new business response committee mentioned by Grant Shapps this morning? (See 9.20am.) |
| The PM has asked the chancellor [Rishi Sunak] to chair and economic and business response committee. The business secretary will be the deputy chair. It will consider the business impact of coronavirus. | The PM has asked the chancellor [Rishi Sunak] to chair and economic and business response committee. The business secretary will be the deputy chair. It will consider the business impact of coronavirus. |
| Q: Will it consider bail outs? | Q: Will it consider bail outs? |
| The spokesman says more details of what it is looking out will be set out shorlty. | The spokesman says more details of what it is looking out will be set out shorlty. |