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UK coronavirus live: Sunak extends furlough job retention scheme until end of October UK coronavirus live: Sunak extends furlough job retention scheme until end of October
(31 minutes later)
UK coronavirus death toll passes 40,000, official figures say; Health secretary dodges questions over people’s legal right to refuse return to work; further lockdowns inevitable without stronger plan, scientists warnUK coronavirus death toll passes 40,000, official figures say; Health secretary dodges questions over people’s legal right to refuse return to work; further lockdowns inevitable without stronger plan, scientists warn
Just 55 prisoners have been released early under plans to alleviate the Covid-19 crisis in jails in England and Wales for which up to 4,000 prisoners are eligible, a minister has revealed.
Luzy Frazer, the justice minister, told the justice select committee that as of 11 May, 21 pregnant women had been released from jail, five prisoners had been freed under the early release scheme and five inmates released on compassionate release.
The Ministry of Justice announced on 4 April that up to 4,000 prisoners who were within two months of their release date and had passed a risk assessment would be released.
Since the announcement, Public Health England PHE modelling has shown the spread of infection and rate of deaths in prison has been much lower than expected. But the containment of the outbreak in prisons has been driven by a highly restrictive regime, which involves increased time in cells, segregation and a ban on all visits, a regime that PHE has said would need to remain in place until April next year.
Penal reform campaigners have warned this approach is not sustainable in the long term and further releases are required.
Justice committee member, Andy Slaughter MP, said the low number of early releases represented a “missed opportunity”.
Here is the official Labour response to the Treasury’s furlough scheme announcement. It’s from the shadow chancellor, Anneliese Dodds.
Rishi Sunak implied in his statement to MPs that firms would start having to make a contribution from August, but the Treasury has not given details. However, sources have been briefing journalists that, even when businesses do start having to make a contribution, the government will continue to meet more than 50% of the cost.
These are from the Press Association’s Ian Jones.
Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow education secretary, has been looking at the government guidance for physical distancing in schools (see 10.30am) and she is not impressed. In a statement she said:
The DUP has put out a statement saying, among other things, that the furlough scheme shows the importance of Northern Ireland remaining in the United Kingdom. This is from the DUP MP Sammy Wilson.
Until recently the DUP might not have felt the need to make a point like this, but since Brexit Irish reunification has become more of a salient issue than it used to be.
The SNP has not been making the same argument. It has welcomed the furlough announcement too, but in a statement Alison Thewliss, the SNP Treasury spokesperson at Westminster, said the UK government should maintain the scheme as long as it is needed in Scotland. She said:
Grant Shapps said TfL will only be able to take 15% of usual commuter levels if 100% of services are running and urged everybody to look for “alternative means of transport”.Grant Shapps said TfL will only be able to take 15% of usual commuter levels if 100% of services are running and urged everybody to look for “alternative means of transport”.
The Tory MP and former transport minister Stephen Hammond said many Londoners who need to get to work will still need to use the tube and rail network. He asked the transport secretary:The Tory MP and former transport minister Stephen Hammond said many Londoners who need to get to work will still need to use the tube and rail network. He asked the transport secretary:
Shapps replied that ridership on TfL was up by 8% yesterday and urged people to look for alternative means of travelling. He said:Shapps replied that ridership on TfL was up by 8% yesterday and urged people to look for alternative means of travelling. He said:
A further 627 people have died in the UK across all settings, up from 32,065 yesterday, the DHSC said.A further 627 people have died in the UK across all settings, up from 32,065 yesterday, the DHSC said.
This is significantly lower than the figures released earlier today by the ONS, which confirmed the official death toll has surpassed 40,000. This is significantly lower than the figures released earlier today by the ONS, which suggested the official death toll has surpassed 40,000.
Paul Johnson, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, says the eventual cost of the Treasury’s coronavirus job retention scheme, which pays firms to furlough workers, could be close to £100bn.Paul Johnson, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, says the eventual cost of the Treasury’s coronavirus job retention scheme, which pays firms to furlough workers, could be close to £100bn.
The Treasury has refused to say what it expects the final cost to be, although insiders have dismissed claims that it will cost £13bn a month as an over-estimate.The Treasury has refused to say what it expects the final cost to be, although insiders have dismissed claims that it will cost £13bn a month as an over-estimate.
Another 16 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19 in Wales, taking the death toll there to 1,132, Public Health Wales said.Another 16 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19 in Wales, taking the death toll there to 1,132, Public Health Wales said.
A further 105 positive cases were also reported, bringing that total to 11,573.A further 105 positive cases were also reported, bringing that total to 11,573.
Northern Rail is to use the collapse in demand for rail travel caused by the Covid-19 pandemic to finally retire its entire fleet of Pacer trains.Northern Rail is to use the collapse in demand for rail travel caused by the Covid-19 pandemic to finally retire its entire fleet of Pacer trains.
These much-maligned “buses on rails” have become a leaking, squeaking symbol of the underinvestment in northern England in recent years as Northern Rail missed successive deadlines to send them to the railway knacker’s yard.But at a virtual meeting of the Rail North Committee on Tuesday, politicians including Greater Manchester’s mayor Andy Burnham were told that no pacers will be on the Northern network from this Saturday (18 May).These much-maligned “buses on rails” have become a leaking, squeaking symbol of the underinvestment in northern England in recent years as Northern Rail missed successive deadlines to send them to the railway knacker’s yard.But at a virtual meeting of the Rail North Committee on Tuesday, politicians including Greater Manchester’s mayor Andy Burnham were told that no pacers will be on the Northern network from this Saturday (18 May).
Not all will go to train heaven, however: a few will be kept for “contingency”. One has already been sent to the National Railway Museum in York and three others were “won” by charities and community groups, which will see the rusty old carriages turned into a men’s cooking school, a science lab for a Bradford primary and a non-clinical space for patients at Airedale general hospital.Not all will go to train heaven, however: a few will be kept for “contingency”. One has already been sent to the National Railway Museum in York and three others were “won” by charities and community groups, which will see the rusty old carriages turned into a men’s cooking school, a science lab for a Bradford primary and a non-clinical space for patients at Airedale general hospital.
This weekend the operator (run by the state since March after a disastrous few years in the private sector) looks to increase services from 45% to 63% of normal services.The meeting heard that physical distancing is currently possible on services run by Northern and Transpennine Express as passenger numbers remained at 5% of their normal levels.This weekend the operator (run by the state since March after a disastrous few years in the private sector) looks to increase services from 45% to 63% of normal services.The meeting heard that physical distancing is currently possible on services run by Northern and Transpennine Express as passenger numbers remained at 5% of their normal levels.
This is from Water UK, the trade body representing the major water companies in the UK.This is from Water UK, the trade body representing the major water companies in the UK.
The prime minister told MPs on Monday it might be possible to track local “flare ups” of coronavirus by testing “the water supply”, which confused and scared many.The prime minister told MPs on Monday it might be possible to track local “flare ups” of coronavirus by testing “the water supply”, which confused and scared many.
No 10 quickly issued a clarification that he was referring to sewage or waste water, not the fresh water that comes out of our taps.No 10 quickly issued a clarification that he was referring to sewage or waste water, not the fresh water that comes out of our taps.
A total of 42 Transport for London workers have died with Covid-19, the transport secretary said. On Network Rail, including the train operating companies, the number is 10, Shapps told the Commons. He added that it isn’t currently known if this was “through their jobs”.A total of 42 Transport for London workers have died with Covid-19, the transport secretary said. On Network Rail, including the train operating companies, the number is 10, Shapps told the Commons. He added that it isn’t currently known if this was “through their jobs”.
As a precautionary measure, people should wear face coverings on public transport, Shapps said, urging people to think about the needs of others. He told the Commons:As a precautionary measure, people should wear face coverings on public transport, Shapps said, urging people to think about the needs of others. He told the Commons:
In his statement to the Commons, Grant Shapps said it was crucial that those who can’t do their jobs from home should travel to work by walking or cycling if possible, or even by car if necessary, in order to avoid public transport.
Shapps said:
Shapps referred to the government’s £2bn investment related to walking and cycling, adding the first stage worth £250m would include pop-up bike lines, wider pavements and cycling and bus-only corridors.
He added:
An attempt to overturn the judiciary’s freeze preventing evictions and home repossessions during the pandemic has been rejected by the court of appeal.
Lawyers for an insolvency firm had lodged an emergency application over the alleged failure to pay mortgages on two houses in Hertfordshire which were already the subject of a legal dispute.
They challenged an emergency ‘practice direction’, made by the master of the rolls, Sir Terence Etherton, who is head of the civil judiciary in England and Wales, which ensured that no one would lose their homes during the outbreak or be the subject of legal action that could result in them being made homeless.
In the hearing last week, Philip Rainey QC, acting for Mehmet Arkin, an insolvency practitioner, argued that the rules were ‘ultra vires’ - having not been made in accordance with the law.
But Sir Geoffrey Vos, chancellor of the high court, dismissed the appeal. Giving the court’s reason on Monday, he said:
He added:
Transport is undoubtedly going to “play a very central role” in the UK’s “gradual” recovery from the pandemic, the transport secretary Grant Shapps has told MPs.
Making a statement in the Commons on Covid-19 guidance for transport users and operators, he said:
Outlining the two new pieces of guidance, he added:
There have been a further nine deaths of patients who tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health said, bringing the total related fatalities there to 447.
In a Commons statement earlier this afternoon, the business secretary Alok Sharma said he believed “consensus” had been reached in developing guidance on how firms should safely reopen.
He told MPs:
This includes ensuring people work from home if they can, but he added:
On the use of face masks, Sharma said it is an “option” for workers but is “not required by law in the workplace”.
The owners of Hampstead Heath have ruled out reopening bathing ponds in the park despite Boris Johnson’s pledge to allow outdoor swimming. But a return to bathing in Hyde Park’s Serpentine lake is being considered. The Corporation of London, which runs the north London park, said it could not reopen its three swimming ponds or its Lido and maintain physical distancing rules.
The Royal Parks, which runs Hyde Park, said it is reviewing whether it can reopen the park’s Serpentine lake for swimming in a way that is safe and allows for physical distancing.
The prime minister was challenged in the Commons on Monday to say more about swimming by the Tory MP Desmond Swayne, a well-known wild swimmer who regularly bathes in the Serpentine. Johnson said:
But there is no mention of swimming in the government’s road map on easing the lockdown. And it said ticketed outdoor venues will remain closed. It says: “
Screening hospital workers for Covid-19 is crucial researchers have stressed after a study in a Cambridge hospital found 3% of more than 1,000 staff without symptoms and who turned up for work had the virus. (See 1.03pm.)
The study, published in the journal e-Life, reports how healthcare workers at Addenbrookes hospital were tested over the course of April for the disease, revealing 3% of those reporting for duty tested positive, with 17 of the 30 truly asymptomatic or showing very few, mild symptoms. Others who tested positive had symptoms more than a week before the test, during which most had self-isolated.
The team behind the study, which includes researchers at Public Health England, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, the National Institutes for Health Research and the University of Cambridge, said the work suggests up to 15,000 NHS workers across the UK could have been working while infected during April - possibly more due to PPE shortages.
Prof Daniel Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London who was not involved in the research, said the study showed why more testing is necessary. He said:
Prof Charles Swanton of the Crick Institute in London, who has previously spoken out on the need for testing in hospitals, agreed, noting many studies have shown the coronavirus can be transmitted by both infected individuals before symptoms occur and by asymptomatic infected individuals. The new study, he said, suggested that in each hospital there could a significant number of healthcare workers who could be transmitting the virus to both their colleagues and to patients.
“There is really a very clear mandate based on this study and several other studies over the last two, three months to initiate healthcare worker testing at scale to keep hospitals Covid protected,” he told the Guardian.
The Downing Street lobby briefing has just finished. Here are the main points.
The prime minister’s spokesman refused to confirm that the government remained committed to publishing its usual daily slides, including the global deaths comparison chart. The government did publish slides yesterday, but not the usual ones including a slide showing a global deaths and another showing transport use. The spokesman said he could not say whether these slides would be used again. The government would be showing slides about the roadmap to recovery, he said. The transport use slide was moderately awkward for the government because last week it showed a small but steady increase in people travelling at a time when that was not being encouraged. Here is the one from Saturday last week.
But ministers were particularly embarrassed by the global deaths comparison chart. Even though it compares countries that compile their figures in different ways, and it gives total deaths not deaths per head, it looked damning because it showed the UK as having the worst death rate in Europe - and, as the days went on, this became more prominent. Here is the chart from Saturday.
The spokesman backed what Matt Hancock said this morning about how foreign holidays this summer might not be possible. He said that the current advice was against travelling abroad apart from for essential reasons. Those reasons did not include holidays, he said.
The spokesman confirmed that the government was committed to having 18,000 contact tracers in place by the week commencing 18 May. Expanding on what the PM said about this target in the Commons yesterday, the spokesman said:
The spokesman said that work was ongoing to look at how sewage could be used to map the spread of coronavirus through the country. Asked to elaborate on what Boris Johnson said about this yesterday, the spokesman said that water companies are working with universities in mapping the spread of coronavirus by examining sewage. He said Water UK had issued a statement on this, saying that non-infectious traces of coronavirus can remain in sewage.
NHS England has announced 350 new deaths of people who tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 23,709. The full details are here (pdf).
Of the 350 new deaths announced today, 44 occurred on 11 May, 90 occurred on 10 May and 44 occurred on 9 May.