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UK coronavirus live: hospital deaths up by 823; MPs told of 'political decision' not to join EU ventilator scheme UK coronavirus live: Hancock gives briefing after foreign office chief tells of 'political decision' not to join EU ventilator scheme
(30 minutes later)
MPs vote for virtual parliament sessions; Boris Johnson to speak to Trump and the Queen UK hospital deaths up by 823 to 17,337; MPs vote for virtual parliament sessions; Boris Johnson speaks to Trump
A health board has pledged to look into the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at its hospitals after staff appealed for help sourcing supplies, writes my colleague Ben Quinn. A post on a Facebook group, which has been widely shared, carried an image of a mask described as an Easimask Duckbill, and claimed that University Hospital of Wales (UHW) no longer had stocks.
It said:
Contacted about the claims, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said in a statement that it was aware of concerns raised by some staff in the media regarding the availability and or inaccessibility of PPE.It added:
It said that it had enough PPE equipment available and in stock, if the right level of PPE was used in the right circumstances.
As the mystery of the missing consignment of PPE from Turkey continues, the Guardian’s defence and security editor writes that supplies are edging closer to the plane that will transport them back to the UK:
At last, some of the PPE bought by the NHS from Turkey is clearing customs at Istanbul airport, defence sources report. It’s not clear long it will take to get the single waiting RAF A400M transport plane, or whether it includes of all the 400,000 protective gowns badly needed by the NHS. But after days of delay and broken promises it is possible some PPE will be brought back from Turkey overnight.
Another nine people have died with Covid-19 in Northern Ireland in the last 24 hours, Stormont deputy fist minister Michelle O’Neill said.
She said the projected worst case scenario of 1,500 deaths in the first 20 weeks was still “shocking and harrowing” but that had been significantly reduced.“The reduction is because of you and your actions have saved thousands of lives,” she said.
First Minister Arlene Foster said the ministerial executive at Stormont would have more discussions about whether to reopen cemeteries during the coronavirus lockdown. She said visiting could be allowed over limited hours and making sure social distancing was in place, admitting other colleagues had “justifiable concerns”.
Downing Street has just released the read-out of the telephone call that Boris Johnson had with President Trump earlier. Here it is in full. A No 10 spokesperson said:
At the lunchtime Downing Street briefing the prime minister’s spokesman claimed that Johnson was still recuperating and that he was not “formally doing government work”. This is now sounding more and more like the sort of lie many of us tell our GPs (“definitely no more than 20 units a week, doctor”). If discussing a global crisis with the president of the US does not count as government work, it is hard to know what does.
The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has published a paper today saying how a programme of mass testing could be used to help the UK exit from the lockdown. Daniel Sleat, one of its co-authors, said:
Jeremy Hunt, the Conservative former health secretary, is also a prominent advocate of this sort of approach.
This is from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.This is from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.
UK ministers took a political decision not to be involved in an EU ventilator scheme, Sir Simon McDonald, the Foreign Office permanent under-secretary said today, so challenging previous claims that the UK did not take part due to missed emails.UK ministers took a political decision not to be involved in an EU ventilator scheme, Sir Simon McDonald, the Foreign Office permanent under-secretary said today, so challenging previous claims that the UK did not take part due to missed emails.
McDonald was asked by a Labour MP, Chris Bryant, at the foreign affairs select committee whether the ventilator scheme was put to ministers. He said:McDonald was asked by a Labour MP, Chris Bryant, at the foreign affairs select committee whether the ventilator scheme was put to ministers. He said:
His remarks appear to blow a hole in the case originally made most prominently by the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove.His remarks appear to blow a hole in the case originally made most prominently by the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove.
McDonald also said the prime minister will consider in the next few weeks whether to go for an extension of the deadline for EU withdrawal date beyond December. He said he was stressing the theoretical possibilities, and added he believed the prime minister will confirm the existing timetable.McDonald also said the prime minister will consider in the next few weeks whether to go for an extension of the deadline for EU withdrawal date beyond December. He said he was stressing the theoretical possibilities, and added he believed the prime minister will confirm the existing timetable.
The Department for Health and Social Care has published the latest UK hospital death figures. There are 823 new deaths, taking the total to 17,337.The Department for Health and Social Care has published the latest UK hospital death figures. There are 823 new deaths, taking the total to 17,337.
The Commons has now adjourned for the day.The Commons has now adjourned for the day.
In the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, has just been asked to justify why the owners of second homes can qualify for £10,000 grants under the scheme to help small businesses affected by coronavirus. (See 3.09pm.) Rees-Mogg said, as he understood it, this money was only available if the second home was genuinely being run as a business. He said that seemed reasonable to him.In the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, has just been asked to justify why the owners of second homes can qualify for £10,000 grants under the scheme to help small businesses affected by coronavirus. (See 3.09pm.) Rees-Mogg said, as he understood it, this money was only available if the second home was genuinely being run as a business. He said that seemed reasonable to him.
Sir Keir Starmer will lead for Labour at PMQs tomorrow even though he will be up against Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state, not Boris Johnson. In recent years, when the PM is absent and someone else is deputising at PMQs, the leader of the opposition has normally nominated a stand-in too. But Starmer has never had a PMQs as Labour leader, and Johnson may be away for some time. There is no rule saying he cannot appear himself, and it seems sensible for him to ensure that no one else gets the limelight tomorrow.Sir Keir Starmer will lead for Labour at PMQs tomorrow even though he will be up against Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state, not Boris Johnson. In recent years, when the PM is absent and someone else is deputising at PMQs, the leader of the opposition has normally nominated a stand-in too. But Starmer has never had a PMQs as Labour leader, and Johnson may be away for some time. There is no rule saying he cannot appear himself, and it seems sensible for him to ensure that no one else gets the limelight tomorrow.
Smaller juries with as few as seven people could be in Scottish courts as part of attempts to restart criminal trials during the lockdown, writes the Guardian’s Scotland editor, Severin Carrell.Smaller juries with as few as seven people could be in Scottish courts as part of attempts to restart criminal trials during the lockdown, writes the Guardian’s Scotland editor, Severin Carrell.
Scotland’s justice secretary, Humza Yousaf, told a reduced number of MSPs on Tuesday, spaced out in Holyrood’s chamber for their sole weekly session, the Scottish government was focusing on proposals to cut jury sizes, speed up trials and giving sheriffs enhanced powers to allow trials to take place.Scotland’s justice secretary, Humza Yousaf, told a reduced number of MSPs on Tuesday, spaced out in Holyrood’s chamber for their sole weekly session, the Scottish government was focusing on proposals to cut jury sizes, speed up trials and giving sheriffs enhanced powers to allow trials to take place.
His proposals mark a significant reversal in policy after the Scottish government tried initially to temporarily scrap trial by jury to avoid a significant backlog in trials, suspended following the start of social distancing and then the lockdown last month.His proposals mark a significant reversal in policy after the Scottish government tried initially to temporarily scrap trial by jury to avoid a significant backlog in trials, suspended following the start of social distancing and then the lockdown last month.
Suspending jury trials was backed by Lord Carloway, Scotland’s most senior judge, and the lord advocate, James Wolffe QC, but encountered a storm of protest from the legal profession, opposition parties and civil rights groups.Suspending jury trials was backed by Lord Carloway, Scotland’s most senior judge, and the lord advocate, James Wolffe QC, but encountered a storm of protest from the legal profession, opposition parties and civil rights groups.
The proposals were dropped, an emergency powers bill hastily redrafted and Yousaf instead promised far wider consultation with the legal profession and victims groups, including Rape Crisis Scotland and Victim Support.The proposals were dropped, an emergency powers bill hastily redrafted and Yousaf instead promised far wider consultation with the legal profession and victims groups, including Rape Crisis Scotland and Victim Support.
He told MSPs those victims groups were worried that trials which relied on juries could start and be abandoned if jurors fell ill, causing “extreme distress to victims”. But he added: “Let me be clear, the Scottish government is absolutely committed to the principle of trial by jury.”He told MSPs those victims groups were worried that trials which relied on juries could start and be abandoned if jurors fell ill, causing “extreme distress to victims”. But he added: “Let me be clear, the Scottish government is absolutely committed to the principle of trial by jury.”
Here is Damian Carrington, the Guardian’s environment editor, on the research featured earlier showing a link between higher levels of air pollution and deaths from Covid-19 in England. (See 12.44pm.)Here is Damian Carrington, the Guardian’s environment editor, on the research featured earlier showing a link between higher levels of air pollution and deaths from Covid-19 in England. (See 12.44pm.)
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, has just made a short statement on the Commons business for next week. He confirms that the second reading of the immigration bill has been shelved for the moment. Next week MPs will debate the finance bill, the domestic abuse bill and the fire safety bill.
Scotland’s justice secretary has announced that there will be limited release of prisoners in order to ease the pressures of coronavirus on the prison service, some weeks after equivalent moves in England and Wales.
Humza Yousaf told the socially distanced sitting at Holyrood: “After careful consideration, I will be asking the Scottish Prison Service to consider the release of a limited number of short term prisoners towards the end of their time in custody.” Describing it as a “necessary and proportionate response to the current situation”, he confirmed that around 450 prisoners with less than three months to serve would be eligible. Early release will not be considered for those convicted of sexual offences, terrorism offences, domestic abuse offences or Covid-19 related offences, nor will anyone with a non-harassment order be eligible.
Yousaf added that he had been speaking to local authorities to ensure that those eligible will have adequate housing and access to other support services on release. He added that he was looking into the possibilities of compassionate release for pregnant prisoners.
It is estimated that the current prison population will have to come down to around 6,500 to allow all prisoners to have a single cell, much preferred for implementing social distancing. The population, which has been vastly overcrowded over the past year, had already come down to about 7,200 because of court inactivity, so a further 450 releases will take the figure nearer this target.
Serious concerns remain for those still incarcerated, with out-of-cell activities at the very bare minimum and visiting suspended. The Scottish government announced last week that prisoners would be given access to mobile phones, with some security restrictions, in their cells to allow family contact.
Back in the Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, is winding up the debate. Responding to Sir Desmond Swayne (see 3.36pm), Rees-Mogg says he wants MPs to be able to contribute to debates. He says that if an MP were unable to enter the chamber because the 50-person limit had been reached, he would leave the chamber himself to allow them in. He says MPs have had the right to attend parliament unimpeded since 1340. He does not want to to be the leader of the house who brings that to an end, he says.
MPs then pass the two motions by acclamation, without opposition.
A consortium of British textile firms is aiming to make millions of protective gowns to help the NHS.
Kate Hills said manufacturers had come together to form the British Textile Consortium in order to make vital personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers.
Hills, founder of Make it British, said that gowns produced by a number of consortium members were currently being tested before they could be supplied to the NHS.
Hills told the PA Media news agency that consortium members will potentially be able to produce millions of gowns a month to provide protective equipment to the health service.
Oxford has become the latest UK university to announce a raft of cost-cutting measures in response to the damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown.
They include a 12-month recruitment freeze and a pilot furlough scheme initially in six departments, which will then be rolled out across the university, using the government’s coronavirus job retention scheme.
Oxford is one of the wealthiest institutions in the country but the lockdown has already resulted in “significant losses” of university income, which are likely to continue into 2021.
The UK higher education sector is expected to be one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. Imperial College London has already warned its staff of similar measures and universities up and down the land are frantically drawing up survival plans for the coming year.
Prof Anne Trefethen, Oxford University’s pro-vice-chancellor for people, said:
Back in the Commons chamber the Conservative MP Sir Desmond Swayne said told MPs that he was particularly worried by paragraph six of the motion (pdf) being voted on this afternoon. It says:
Swayne said it was not right to put the Speaker in the situation where he might have to decide who is and isn’t admitted to the Commons chamber. He said he knew this was just a temporary measure. But it was setting a precedent, he said. He went on:
Barclays is introducing temporary interest-free buffers of £750 on pre-agreed overdrafts from the start of May.
This is more generous than the £500 interest-free overdraft buffer that many providers are offering to help borrowers cope with the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, PA Media reports.
Measures put in place from 27 March mean Barclays is currently waiving all interest automatically until the end of April, meaning no charges for customers on their personal arranged overdraft.
The new £750 interest-free buffer will be in place from 1 May and will run until the end of 9 July.
The peak in the number of coronavirus deaths in England and Wales happened on April 8, according to scientists. As PA Media reports, commenting on the death data released by the Office of National Statistics today, a panel convened by the Science Media Centre said the death rate had been consistent for the last 13 days. Prof Carl Heneghan, director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford, said:
But Heneghan warned there could be a lag in the number of deaths in nursing homes where figures could continue to rise, even if deaths in hospitals start to decrease. “The proportion of deaths in nursing homes could have a considerable lag going forward,” he said.
Tim Farron, the former Lib Dem leader, is urging the Treasury to stop people with second homes who rent them out being able to claim £10,000 from the fund set up to help small businesses affected by coronavirus.
Rapid coronavirus antibody home tests cannot currently be relied on to provide reliable results, a new study suggests.
But researchers said a laboratory test called Elisa showed promising results when indicating whether someone had developed Covid-19 antibodies.
The investigations were led by the National Covid Testing Scientific Advisory Panel. The authors write that there is an urgent need for robust antibody detection approaches to support diagnostics, vaccine development, safe individual release from quarantine and population lockdown exit strategies.
However, the early promise of lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) devices - the fingerprick-type home tests - has been questioned following concerns about sensitivity and specificity.
In their pre-print study, the researchers tested samples from 40 people. The Elisa test detected both Covid-19 antibodies in 34 of the 40 patients, with the diagnosis confirmed with a separate test.