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UK coronavirus live: country facing 'severe recession likes of which we haven't seen', says Rishi Sunak UK coronavirus live: country facing 'severe recession likes of which we haven't seen', says Rishi Sunak
(32 minutes later)
Overall deaths in England and Wales in week up to 8 May were down for the third week in a row, at 12,657Overall deaths in England and Wales in week up to 8 May were down for the third week in a row, at 12,657
At the Lords economic affairs committee Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, has just been engaged in a minor spat with Lord Forsyth, the committee chair, about social care. Forsyth said there was a consensus about adult social care needing much higher funding. Sunak affected surprise, and said that if there was a consensus, he would like to hear about it (implying that he thought no such consensus existed). Forsyth said that his committee published a report last summer saying the sector needed another £15bn. The report said the money should come from general taxation, but it did not make specific recommendations as to which taxes should go up. Sunak said he thought the plans would require income tax rising by either 2p or 3p in the pound. He implied that he thought it would be hard to get consensus support for tax increases on that scale.
David Henig, a former civil servant and trade specialist who now heads the UK Trade Policy Project for the European Centre for International Political Economy, has been looking at the UK government’s draft text for a proposed trade deal with the EU. He has posted a detailed Twitter thread on it starting here.
And here are his conclusions.
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has published some new research today suggesting the people with chronic medical conditions, like obesity, hypertension and lung disease, have been disproportionately likely to reduce the amount of exercise they take during the lockdown. Dr Nina Rogers, the lead author of the study, said:
Harriet Harman, the chair of parliament’s joint committee on human rights (JCHR), has called for MPs to be allowed to vote on a data protection bill safeguarding widespread use of the government’s contact-tracing app.
The Labour MP and her committee have produced what is effectively a private member’s bill – a proposed law submitted by a backbencher – aimed at improving privacy standards and boosting public confidence in the novel system.
In a briefing on Wednesday, Harman said she had sent the digital contact tracing (data protection) bill to the health secretary, Matt Hancock, and to Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the Commons.
Specific legislation, she urged, is required rather than the existing “mishmash” of standards involving the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), case law, the European convention on human rights and the Data Protection Act because the contact-tracing app is more ambitious than anything previously envisaged.
The JCHR bill would prevent data being used for other purposes, stop anybody not authorised gaining access to it, delete the data after the pandemic and establish a contact-tracing human rights commissioner.
Harman said she would personally download the app, which is already being piloted on the Isle of Wight, but her committee’s view was that it should not go ahead without new privacy protections.
Those protections should apply whether or not the government continued with its existing centralised model or whether it eventually opted for the type of “decentralised” app being used more widely on the continent.
Only Australia, she had acknowledged, has so far passed data protection legislation specifically applying to a contact-tracing app. “I have asked Jacob Rees-Mogg to make time in parliament to bring [the bill] forward,“ Harman said. “If not they should allow parliament to say whether [should have a vote on it.]”
Asked whether safeguards should be relaxed during an emergency, Harman said it was a matter of balancing the right to life with privacy protections.
Back in the Lords economic affairs committee, asked if he agrees that promoting growth should take precedence over addressing debt after the crisis is over, Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, says that of course he wants to promote growth.Back in the Lords economic affairs committee, asked if he agrees that promoting growth should take precedence over addressing debt after the crisis is over, Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, says that of course he wants to promote growth.
Welcome news for Italian food lovers as Pizza Express becomes the latest restaurant chain to cautiously reopen restaurants to offer home delivery across the capital.Welcome news for Italian food lovers as Pizza Express becomes the latest restaurant chain to cautiously reopen restaurants to offer home delivery across the capital.
The firm will start delivering from 13 sites in London over the next 10 days, offering a limited menu to ensure staff can work safely in kitchens and prep areas.The firm will start delivering from 13 sites in London over the next 10 days, offering a limited menu to ensure staff can work safely in kitchens and prep areas.
It follows an earlier announcement from Wagamama, which is expanding delivery across the nation, and comes in the wake of KFC, McDonald’s, Greggs and Subway all making similar plans or starting trading again after shutting due to the Covid-19It follows an earlier announcement from Wagamama, which is expanding delivery across the nation, and comes in the wake of KFC, McDonald’s, Greggs and Subway all making similar plans or starting trading again after shutting due to the Covid-19
Zoe Bowley, the managing director of Pizza Express in the UK and Ireland, said the chain would offer an edited menu from restaurants in “London villages”, including Notting Hill, Balham and Fulham, where demand is highest.Zoe Bowley, the managing director of Pizza Express in the UK and Ireland, said the chain would offer an edited menu from restaurants in “London villages”, including Notting Hill, Balham and Fulham, where demand is highest.
Writing in industry newsletter Propel, she said: “We will do this to test and learn, and then it will enable us to programme the roll-out and ultimately pave the way for dine in the future.”Writing in industry newsletter Propel, she said: “We will do this to test and learn, and then it will enable us to programme the roll-out and ultimately pave the way for dine in the future.”
Restaurants and bars have been allowed to remain open for takeaways and deliveries under government rules but many larger chains chose to shut completely, to protect staff from travelling to work.Restaurants and bars have been allowed to remain open for takeaways and deliveries under government rules but many larger chains chose to shut completely, to protect staff from travelling to work.
Bowley added in the piece: “There has been huge rigour around all the right safety protocols so our teams feel comfortable, and then we can really demonstrate to customers how we are looking after the teams and ensure they trust the quality of the pizza they receive.”Bowley added in the piece: “There has been huge rigour around all the right safety protocols so our teams feel comfortable, and then we can really demonstrate to customers how we are looking after the teams and ensure they trust the quality of the pizza they receive.”
Meanwhile, service station business Moto said it will reopen seven Costa drive-throughs and have 27 Burger Kings open for takeaway to the public by Thursday.Meanwhile, service station business Moto said it will reopen seven Costa drive-throughs and have 27 Burger Kings open for takeaway to the public by Thursday.
Michael Russell, the Scottish government’s constitution secretary, has issued this statement following the publication of the UK government’s draft text of a proposed free trade treaty with the EU. (See 3.08pm.) He said:Michael Russell, the Scottish government’s constitution secretary, has issued this statement following the publication of the UK government’s draft text of a proposed free trade treaty with the EU. (See 3.08pm.) He said:
In the Lords committee Lord Forsyth, the former Conservative cabinet minister who chairs the committee, says the reproduction number, R, is lower in London. So, given that London is the motor of the economy, would it make sense to lift the lockdown in London first?In the Lords committee Lord Forsyth, the former Conservative cabinet minister who chairs the committee, says the reproduction number, R, is lower in London. So, given that London is the motor of the economy, would it make sense to lift the lockdown in London first?
Sunak says his understanding is that that is not what the scientists are advising at the moment.Sunak says his understanding is that that is not what the scientists are advising at the moment.
Q: Why won’t you tell employers what percentage of the furlough scheme they will have to pay from August? And why didn’t you take a sectoral approach?Q: Why won’t you tell employers what percentage of the furlough scheme they will have to pay from August? And why didn’t you take a sectoral approach?
Sunak says the change will come into effect in August. He says he will publish his plans by the end of this month. That will give employers ample time to prepare, he says.Sunak says the change will come into effect in August. He says he will publish his plans by the end of this month. That will give employers ample time to prepare, he says.
And he says he looked at adopting a sectoral approach to the furlough scheme. But he decided it would be very difficult to enforce, particularly taking into account supply chains. So he went for a wider, more generous approach, he says.And he says he looked at adopting a sectoral approach to the furlough scheme. But he decided it would be very difficult to enforce, particularly taking into account supply chains. So he went for a wider, more generous approach, he says.
At the Lords committee hearing Sunak said that the longer the recession went on, the more likely there was to be “scarring” (ie, people suffering a permanent to their wages or income).At the Lords committee hearing Sunak said that the longer the recession went on, the more likely there was to be “scarring” (ie, people suffering a permanent to their wages or income).
In the Lords committee Sunak says it is not obvious that there will be an immediate bounce back. Asked about the likely shape of the recovery, he said:In the Lords committee Sunak says it is not obvious that there will be an immediate bounce back. Asked about the likely shape of the recovery, he said:
Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, has just started giving evidence to the Lords economic affairs committee.Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, has just started giving evidence to the Lords economic affairs committee.
He said that by the end of the year he expected unemployment to be in double figures.He said that by the end of the year he expected unemployment to be in double figures.
He also said Britain was facing “a severe recession the likes of which we haven’t seen”. He told the peers:He also said Britain was facing “a severe recession the likes of which we haven’t seen”. He told the peers:
The UK has published its terms for a free trade agreement with the European Union as it looks to ramp up pressure on Brussels to back down over its demands. Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, told MPs in response to an urgent question earlier that the government had decided to make public the UK’s draft legal texts, with a 291-page draft comprehensive free trade agreement among the 12 documents to be published this afternoon.The UK has published its terms for a free trade agreement with the European Union as it looks to ramp up pressure on Brussels to back down over its demands. Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, told MPs in response to an urgent question earlier that the government had decided to make public the UK’s draft legal texts, with a 291-page draft comprehensive free trade agreement among the 12 documents to be published this afternoon.
The draft treaty is here (pdf). And the rest of the documents being published today (mostly related draft treaty agreements) are here.The draft treaty is here (pdf). And the rest of the documents being published today (mostly related draft treaty agreements) are here.
And the health department in Northern Ireland has recorded a further seven deaths, taking the total to 489. The details are here.
Public Health Wales has recorded a further 17 deaths, taking the total to 1,224.
More than 2m households have applied for universal credit, the UK’s main social security benefit, since the coronavirus lock down started to hit the economy in mid-March, latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show.
Between 16 March, when social distancing guidance came into effect, and 12 May, there were 2,042,560 “declarations” – where people signed up for universal credit help because they had lost their job or had taken a big cut in pay.
Since 23 March, when lockdown was formally announced, there have been 1,771,910 household applications. Not all will be followed through or successful – either because claimants move back into work, or they are ineligible because they have more than £16,000 in savings.
Universal credit applications reached a daily peak on 27 March of 103,310. Although volumes have dipped – there were 23,680 on 12 May – they remain significantly higher than pre-crisis levels. On 1 March there were just 4,090 applications.
The government heralded the record figures as proof that the digital universal credit system was holding up under pressure.
However, the DWP has come under fire after reports that new claimants were worse off after applying for universal credit because the application automatically triggered the cancellation of existing in-work benefits.
When claimants realised they were ineligible for universal credit because their savings levels were too high, they found that DWP rules prevented their tax credit award being reinstated, leaving them hundreds of pounds out of pocket, the BBC reported.
A child of seven was among 174 new Covid-19 deaths, NHS England has said.
The new fatalities bring the number of people who have died in hospitals in England after testing positive for coronavirus – or where Covid-19 is documented as a cause of death – to 24,913. The full details are here (pdf).
NHS England said six patients – aged 45 to 90 – of the 174 who died had no known underlying health conditions, suggesting the seven-year-old who died had some form of existing medical issue.
Yesterday, the Department of Health and Social Care released figures saying the UK’s Covid-19 death toll, including fatalities in the community, was 34,796.
Children as young as 11 could be recruited in “large numbers” by county lines drugs gangs if secondary schools do not fully reopen until September, a police and crime commissioner has said.
The West Midlands’ Labour commissioner David Jamieson, who is also a former teacher, said children aged 11-14 could be “swept up” by criminals because they were not in lessons during the Covid-19 lockdown.
It comes as the government has announced it wants some primary school pupils to be back in lessons “at the earliest” by 1 June, and “face-to-face support” for older secondary pupils with upcoming exams. But local authorities have instructed schools not to reopen because of safety concerns.
Jamieson, speaking at the region’s strategic policing and crime board, said he was also concerned about boys who may find themselves out of work after furlough ends, falling into crime. Commenting on the reopening of some schools in England from June, he said:
And here are two of the main lines from the Downing Street lobby briefing.
The prime minister’s spokesman rejected claims that care homes were forced to take coronavirus patients without proper support. The spokesman said:
The allegation that care homes were forced to take patients with coronavirus being discharged from hospital, who then spread the infection, has been made repeatedly. Two articles have put the case particularly powerful. In this one (paywall) in the Sunday Times this weekend an anonymous care home boss said:
And in this Telegraph column (paywall) cited by Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs last week Ambrose Evans-Pritchard wrote:
The spokesman confirmed that ministers are ultimately responsible for government decisions. This was promoted by a question about Thérèse Coffey’s comment this morning suggesting scientists were to blame for bad government decisions. (See 9.32am.) The spokesman said:
This will be seen as an attempt to persuade government scientists that they are not being lined as the scapegoats for the widely-anticipated inquiry into the UK’s handling of this crisis. Whether the scientists will feel reassured or not is another matter.
Access to places of worship will have to be “supervised” when they reopen as the country eases out of the Covid-19 lockdown, according to the head of the Catholic church in England and Wales.
Speaking on a Zoom panel about the safe reopening of places of worship, Cardinal Vincent Nichols suggested different sections of churches could be closed off each day to allow cleaning to take place. Acknowledging that supervision will be required, he explained that “it’s not as if the church doors will be flung open and say: ‘come in when you want.’”
Places of worship come under step three of the government’s recovery strategy, meaning they cannot open until 4 July at the earliest.
Nichols, the archbishop of Westminster, said: “I think one thing is very clear, access to a church in the foreseeable future will be supervised, so it’s not as if the church doors will be flung open and say: come in when you want. There will have to be people there, the whole process will have to be supervised.”
He added: “Each day a different section of the church might be made available, it doesn’t have to be the whole church, the whole time.
“So you could have the right hand back part for one day, and then the next day it will be the next session, so that would enable a cleaning routine to be more feasible, and it would leave parts of the church unused for maybe three days, which would help in terms of the hygiene.”
Nichols said last week that Catholic churches should be allowed to reopen before Pentecostal churches, or mosques owing to their different styles of worship.
At at Commons committee this morning Ros Pritchard, the director general of the British Holiday and Home Park Association, said “vigilante” members of the public had been reporting people staying in holiday homes - not knowing they were key workers, not holidaymakers.
Asked about a nervousness among communities at the prospect of visitors, she said:
Pritchard also said that seasonal tourism businesses were effectively looking at “three winters in a row” and that, while businesses were “hanging in there”, some could start “going to the wall” in October without ongoing support.
At the Lords science committee this morning (see 12.19pm) Prof John Edmunds, professor of infectious disease modelling at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a member of the governments’ Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said the study of other coronaviruses suggested “potentially bad news” for hopes that humans could develop a long-term immunity from Covid-19. He explained:
Here are some of the main points from Nicola Sturgeon’s press conference in Edinburgh.
Sturgeon rejected suggestions that the Scottish government was engaged in a cover-up when it failed to notify people who might have been infected with coronavirus at the Nike conference in Edinburgh in February. At least 25 people at the conference contracted coronavirus, but people who may have been in contact with them at the venue were not told. Sturgeon said that an incident management team was in charge, and that it acted independently. She said other people were not alerted out of concerns for patient confidentiality. She said that to have publicised the incident at that stage could have led to individuals being identified. This was not a “deliberate attempt to cover up”, she said. She said she could understand why people thought that had been the wrong decision. But she would not go as far as saying herself that it had been the wrong decision given the circumstances at the time.
Dr Gregor Smith, the interim chief medical officer for Scotland, said he was not aware of any active cases in Scotland of children having a serious condition like Kawasaki disease, that may be related to coronavirus.
Sturgeon insisted that there had been “good cooperation between the different nations of the UK” in handling coronavirus.
She defended the decision to discharge patients into Scottish care homes when there was not a proper testing regime in place. She said at the time it was vital to free up hospital capacity.