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Coronavirus UK live news: calls for urgent help for self-employed as tighter lockdown could come in future Coronavirus UK live news: calls for urgent help for self-employed as tighter lockdown could come in future
(32 minutes later)
Rolling coverage of the latest UK developments in the coronavirus crisisRolling coverage of the latest UK developments in the coronavirus crisis
Earlier Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, answered an urgent question in the Commons about Britons who are stranded abroad. The Conservative Caroline Nokes, who tabled the UQ, was scathing about the performance of the Foreign Office. Describing the experience of those abroad, she said:
Raab replied:
Glastonbury festival has donated thousands of litres of hand sanitiser, gloves and face masks to frontline emergency services responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
The supplies were due to be used during the now-postponed 50th anniversary of the music festival, which was scheduled to take place in June.
Avon and Somerset police tweeted images of a forklift loading supplies into a van, as well as a police vehicle being loaded with boxes of medical-grade gloves.
The festival announced on 18 March that its 50th anniversary event would have to be postponed until 2021.
Nadine Dorries, the health minister, is in the Commons chamber alongside Matt Hancock for today’s statement. She had coronavirus but has recovered.
In the Commons David Davis, a former Conservative cabinet minister, asked for clarification about the line in the government guidelines saying people should be able to leave home to provide care or help for a vulnerable person. Davis said this should not just cover professional carers.
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said that volunteer carers were included too. But wherever possible they should try to observe the two-metre rule, he said.
Volunteer carers are covered by the rules saying they do not need to stay at home as well as professionals, Hancock says.
Opticians and dentists are being told to suspend routine appointments as part of stricter measures to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
Guidance issued by health authorities and industry bodies to optical practices advises them to focus on essential or urgent care only during the outbreak, particularly for key workers. Meanwhile, the British Dental Association is advocating that dental professionals treat emergency cases only.
Specsavers said it would be suspending all routine testing “for the foreseeable future”. Chief executive, John Perkins, said:
A spokeswoman for Boots said:
In the Commons Matt Hancock, the health secretary, is making a Commons statement about the new restrictions. In his opening remarks he summarised what the PM announced last night.
Jeremy Hunt, Hancock’s predecessor, has just asked a question. He wanted to know when routine coronavirus testing in the community would resume.
Hancock said he could not give a date for that, because he did not know when the new test kits would arrive. But millions were coming within the next few days and weeks, he said.
University staff in the UK will be relieved to hear that the Research Excellence Framework (Ref) 2021 has officially been put on hold, to take pressure off academic staff.
The announcement ends uncertainty over the massive exercise that was to get under way this year. The quadrennial exercise is used to rank departments on the quality and impact of their research and is a crucial component of determining research funding.
The announcement from the REF management states:
Further details can be found here.
Here are the main points from the Downing Street lobby briefing. For the second day, it was conducted entirely by conference call.
The prime minister’s spokesman said the police would be given the power to impose fines on people who do not comply with the rules announced yesterday. The fines would initially be set at £30, but the level could increase “significantly”, he said. He said that the power to impose these fines would be in place by Thursday, and that they would be used in particular to stop gatherings of more than two people in public. This power would be introduced by regulation in England under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act, he said. He said Wales would bring in its own regulations, and that Scotland and Northern Ireland would get the power to act under the coronavirus bill.
The spokesman said further guidance on how the new restrictions apply would be issued, probably later today.
The spokesman says 5,605 people were tested for coronavirus yesterday. Over the last week, 39,840 tests have been carried out, he said. And he said the total number of tests carried out is 83,945.
The spokesman defended the government’s decision to write to research institutes at the weekend asking for equipment that could be used to help carry out tests (see 11.20am), saying it was “no secret that we are rapidly scaling up our efforts to boost testing capacity”. A government source also questioned the Politico Europe report, saying Sunday was not the first time that the private sector and others had been asked for help. The source said this has been going on for weeks.
The spokesman dismissed the suggestion from Jeremy Hunt that the government may have left it too late to avoid the UK following Italy. (See 9.50am.) Asked about this, the spokesman said the government’s policy had been based on the advice of the medical and scientific experts
The spokesman was unable to say what protection was available for workers being told to go to work when they think their job is not essential. Asked about workers in this situation, the spokesman said that the government had produced a list of businesses that should close and that it expected employers to comply. When pressed further, the spokesman said this was “a direct instruction from the government and we would expect employers to adhere to it”
The spokesman said the government was in favour of construction work continuing in England in certain circumstances. Asked about this, he said:
The spokesman indicated that further advice might be given to explain what people should do if they lived apart from their boyfriend or girlfriend, particularly if one partner lived in a shared house. The spokesman said he he thought the guidance was clear, and that people should “follow the rules ... in a commons sense way”. but he acknowledged that some further clarification might be helpful.
The spokesman said that only around 10% of pupils went to schools in England. Those were pupils allowed to go to school because they were deemed vulnerable, or because their parents are key workers.
The spokesman said there were no plans to restrict public transport to key workers.
The spokesman said Boris Johnson has raised concerns with Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, about too many people using the underground in London. This is from HuffPost’s Paul Waugh.
The spokesman said prisons had stopped visits today to comply with social distancing rules.
Sports Direct employees have told the PA news agency they feel their lives are “undervalued” because they are still being made to work despite stores being closed to the public.
The retailer said on Tuesday that it would shut stores in a major U-turn after initially saying its high-street shops would continue to sell sports and fitness equipment in the face of coronavirus.
However, the company said its factories and warehouses would remain open and deliveries to customers would continue, all with physical distancing in place.
An anonymous employee told PA that Sports Direct full-time shop staff were also being told they had to work in-store despite the closures in order to receive their wages, “doing tasks they deem as essential such as valuations for stock and web orders”. They said:
Another worker, who also wished to remain anonymous, said they have been with Sports Direct since they were 16, adding that their partner was also employed by the company. They told PA:
The worker added that the company has not provided protective equipment and only recently heeded physical distancing advice.
Factory worker Leonnie Foster, from Worksop, Nottinghamshire, told PA she would have to continue in her role despite the announcement.
Nicola Sturgeon has updated the Holyrood parliament this afternoon, as the Scottish government’s health secretary announced a quadrupling of intensive care beds.
Speaking in the chamber, where chairs have been removed to ensure that members sit a safe distance apart, Sturgeon set out further guidance for businesses, saying it was employers who should make decisions about who was going into work, rather than leaving it to employees to worry about this.
The first minister said if staff could work from home, employers should allow them to.
If staff cannot work from home, employers should ask whether they are contributing to fighting the coronavirus, and ask if they can operate their business in line with safe social distancing practices.
The health secretary, Jeane Freeman, then announced that NHS Scotland was making good progress on doubling ICU capacity, and beds were being freed up “so we are planning to quadruple ICU beds to over 700”.
She added that the health service would continue to prioritise testing in hospitals and to ensure staff could get back to work as quickly as possible. She added that the government was working to secure personal protective equipment required for frontline healthcare staff.
Staff in the Houses of Parliament are becoming increasingly concerned that they are facing unnecessary health risks because they are required to attend Westminster so that MPs can pursue non-urgent business which is unrelated to the coronavirus outbreak. The FDA union, which represents senior clerks, has written to John Benger, the clerk of the house, to protest about non-coronavirus business still being pursued in parliament this week, the Guardian has learned. The letter comes amid a swirl of rumours that parliament could be asked to shut down early following Boris Johnson’s decision on Tuesday to impose unprecedented restrictions on the movement on UK citizens. Amy Leversidge, the FDA’s assistant general secretary, said the union’s members who include senior clerks are being exposed to unnecessary risks:Staff in the Houses of Parliament are becoming increasingly concerned that they are facing unnecessary health risks because they are required to attend Westminster so that MPs can pursue non-urgent business which is unrelated to the coronavirus outbreak. The FDA union, which represents senior clerks, has written to John Benger, the clerk of the house, to protest about non-coronavirus business still being pursued in parliament this week, the Guardian has learned. The letter comes amid a swirl of rumours that parliament could be asked to shut down early following Boris Johnson’s decision on Tuesday to impose unprecedented restrictions on the movement on UK citizens. Amy Leversidge, the FDA’s assistant general secretary, said the union’s members who include senior clerks are being exposed to unnecessary risks:
The Conservative MP Peter Bone told the Guardian he would be withdrawing his two private member’s bills – the parliamentary constituencies (amendment) bill and the hospitals (parking charges and business rates) bill. He said:The Conservative MP Peter Bone told the Guardian he would be withdrawing his two private member’s bills – the parliamentary constituencies (amendment) bill and the hospitals (parking charges and business rates) bill. He said:
The House of Commons media team was approached for comment.The House of Commons media team was approached for comment.
With many people planning to use the coming weeks to do home improvements and gardening, the British Society for Surgery of the Hand is urging people to take extra care to avoid gardening accidents and injuries that could place unnecessary pressure on the NHS.With many people planning to use the coming weeks to do home improvements and gardening, the British Society for Surgery of the Hand is urging people to take extra care to avoid gardening accidents and injuries that could place unnecessary pressure on the NHS.
Hand surgeons are concerned that an increase in the number of people using power tools, lawn mowers and hedge trimmers could lead to a rise in serious injuries, putting strain on an already overburdened health service.Hand surgeons are concerned that an increase in the number of people using power tools, lawn mowers and hedge trimmers could lead to a rise in serious injuries, putting strain on an already overburdened health service.
Kingfisher, which owns B&Q and Screwfix, reported a 37% increase in like-for-like sales last week, following growth of almost 9% the week before.Kingfisher, which owns B&Q and Screwfix, reported a 37% increase in like-for-like sales last week, following growth of almost 9% the week before.
Data released by NHS Digital in 2019 showed there were almost 4,800 admissions to hospital for injuries caused by drills and other power tools in just 12 months, with common injuries including fingers that have been chopped off by a lawnmower or power tool, as well as deep cuts caused by hedge trimmers, and infections following people pricking their skin on thorns.Data released by NHS Digital in 2019 showed there were almost 4,800 admissions to hospital for injuries caused by drills and other power tools in just 12 months, with common injuries including fingers that have been chopped off by a lawnmower or power tool, as well as deep cuts caused by hedge trimmers, and infections following people pricking their skin on thorns.
You can find more advice on the BSSH website.You can find more advice on the BSSH website.
The Co-op is the latest supermarket to introduce new measures as part of efforts to ensure physical distancing is adhered to during the coronavirus outbreak.
Floor markers will define a one-metre distance in front of payment kiosks and a two-metre spacing for customers in queues. Its stores will also limit the number of customers in the store at any one time, while the number of tills open will be reduced to allow greater distance between customers.
The changes will apply to all its 2,600 shops in the UK which, as convenience outlets, tend to be relatively small with narrow aisles.
Both Waitrose and Lidl announced strategies today to help protect both staff and customers, which include installing screens at checkout areas.
A Co-op spokesperson said:
The government lockdown announced on Monday included the closure of all “non-essential” stores. The new rules stipulate that retailers remaining open, such as supermarkets, must ensure there is physical distancing between customers and staff and that shoppers enter in small groups, so that spaces do not become crowded.
The Downing Street lobby briefing has just finished. The prime minister’s spokesman said the police would be given the power to fine people who break the rule about holding gatherings of more than two people in public. The fines will initially be set at £30, but the level could increase “significantly” if there is widespread evidence of people refusing to comply with the rules, the spokesman said.
I will post a full summary of the briefing shortly.
Two more people in Scotland have died after testing positive for Covid-19, the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has said, taking the total to 16.
Hospitals are being sent the wrong personal protective equipment to guard against Covid-19, forcing doctors and nurses to take time away from the frontline to get refitted and learn how to use it, our colleagues Denis Campbell and Sarah Marsh report.
Hospital bosses have voiced frustration that they are receiving different sorts of face masks to the ones they usually use and for which have been tested. The masks are vital protection for medical staff as they repel moisture droplets from infected patients.
Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, has highlighted the problem as a flaw in the government and NHS’s drive to tackle shortages of PPE among frontline staff.
One intensive care nurse at a hospital in Yorkshire told the Guardian how she had had to spend £100 of her own money to buy a full FFP3 respirator mask online. In her unit on Monday, there were no masks or surgical gowns, another vital piece of PPE kit which has also been in short supply. Some staff have resorted to making makeshift PPE , sometimes with clinical waste bags.
You can read the full exclusive story here.
Wetherspoons founder Tim Martin has told staff to “go work at Tesco” instead as the pub firm warned staff they could face delays over pay.
As PA Media reports, the company, which employs 40,000 people, shut all its pubs on Friday after Boris Johnson ordered sites to shut until further notice in response to coronavirus.
In a video message to staff, Martin said the firm will pay staff for all work done until the shutdown, when its pubs last opened, but will not make any further payments to staff until the government fulfils its promise to cover 80% of the wages of workers impacted by the virus. He urged people to consider working for a supermarket instead. He said:
The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) described Martin’s approach as “completely unacceptable”. Ian Hodson, the BFAWU president, said:
Lorry drivers in the frontline of maintaining vital food and other supplies are continuing to be ostracised and denied access to toilet and hand-washing facilities at hubs servicing major UK companies around the country - despite an intervention by Public Health England.Amid reports of drivers turning up at distribution centres to find that social distancing measures in communal waiting areas are lax or non existent, the government is now being asked by hauliers’ representatives to make a public statement urging companies to impose safer practices.Since the Guardian first reported on the issue last week, drivers have been sending the Guardian photos of notices telling them that they can’t use onsite facilities.They included a letter by Thomas Tunnock Ltd telling drivers that changes had been implemented at its factory in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, and that they would not be allowed to enter or use any facilities at Tunnock’s.
The company appeared to do a U-turn after it was approached by the Guardian, saying that drivers delivering goods and materials to its factory would continue to have access to toilets and wash hand basins.Other reports suggest that notices banning drivers from toilets and washrooms continued to be an issue. They include facilities at service stations and situations where businesses have erected porta cabins but without hand washing.
“Anecdotally we’ve heard that some firms have done the right thing in response but we’re still hearing about drivers being denied access even now,” said a spokesperson for the Road Haulage Association.
The courts in England and Wales are gradually moving towards a position where only “urgent” cases will be heard during the health crisis. The Ministry of Justice admits the situation remains “fluid”.As many as 35 crown court trials which have already started and are moving towards the jury retiring for their verdicts are being completed where possible.
The Crown Prosecution Service has issued guidance saying it will only participate in “urgent” magistrate court hearings, including overnight custody cases, breach of bail as well as interim custody and bail applications. It hopes that many will be conducted via remote video links.
Barristers have been advised by the Bar Council not to attend in person unless they are in a part-heard trial or an urgent case.
Some lawyers who did turn up found judges absent or somewhat bewildered court staff. One barrister, Joe Rarbet, tweeted:
Steven Littlewood, national officer for the FDA union, which represents CPS prosecutors, welcomed the restrictions on physical hearings but said:
Grimsby fish market, the UK’s second largest wholesale fish auction, is to close temporarily on Thursday after the government tightened restrictions on social distancing.
Martyn Boyers, the chief executive, said it was difficult to maintain distancing in the traditional auction and business was tough after a collapse in the price of fish. He said: “A lot of fish and chip shops have closed and the supermarkets have shut their fresh fish counters.”
He said the market would continue to accept and distribute fish but was working on ways that this could be presold after the final auction on Thursday. “When you have testing circumstances you have to start coming up with ideas,” he said.
The government’s regular coronavirus press conference will take place virtually later today, Downing Street said.
The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, and the deputy chief medical officer, Dr Jenny Harries, will host the virtual press conference.