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| UK coronavirus live: No 10 has no plans to review NHS surcharge as row over fee deepens | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Tory MPs call for end to ‘immoral’ surcharge; official UK death toll rises to 35,704; Scotland to reopen schools in August | |
| Nicola Sturgeon has revealed her four-point plan for easing the Covid-19 lockdown in Scotland, but she warned stricter measures may be put in place if progress in tackling the virus falters. | |
| People living in Scotland will be allowed to meet people from one other household, sunbathe and take part in some non-contact sports from the end of next week. | |
| All schools will reopen on 11 August, but to ensure social distancing in class children will return to a “blended model of part-time in-school and part-time at-home learning”. | |
| But the First Minister said: “I cannot stand here and rule out to the people of Scotland that at some point over the next few months we might have to go back the way, because this virus is unpredictable. | |
| “For all our progress, the virus has not gone away. It continues to pose a significant threat to health. And if we move too quickly or without proper care, it could run out of control again very quickly.” | |
| Sturgeon told Holyrood the first phase could begin on 28 May, but “not every phase one measure will necessarily be introduced immediately”. | |
| The initial changes, outlined in a Scottish Government document, include the gradual reopening of drive-through food outlets as well as garden centres and plant nurseries. | |
| The second phase could see Scots allowed to meet larger groups of family and friends outside, and also meet people from another household indoors with physical distancing and hygiene measures in place. | |
| At that point pubs and restaurants can also open outdoor spaces such as beer gardens, again with physical distancing and increased hygiene routines. | |
| By phase three, things will “begin to feel closer to normal”. That will see pubs and restaurants open indoor spaces and “personal retail services” including hairdressers begin to trade again - but all with appropriate distancing and hygiene measures in place. | |
| Phase four will be reached when “the virus remains suppressed to very low levels and is no longer considered a significant threat to public health” - but the document warns the public will have to remain “safety conscious”. | |
| This final phase will see mass gatherings resume, schools and childcare provision “operating with any necessary precautions”, and while working from home and flexible working will still be encouraged “all types of workplaces would be open in line with public health advice”. | |
| The latest figures reveal that 36,042 people had died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Wednesday, up by 338 from 35,704 the day before. | |
| In the 24-hour period up to 9am on Thursday, 128,340 tests were carried out or dispatched, with a total of 67,681 people tested with 2,615 positive results. | |
| Overall a total of 3,090,566 tests have been carried out, and 250,908 cases have been confirmed positive. | |
| The Downing Street lobby briefing is over. Here are the main points. | The Downing Street lobby briefing is over. Here are the main points. |
| The prime minister’s spokesman effectively confirmed that the contact-tracing app will not be ready when the government launches its national test and trace scheme for 1 June. The spokesman said the app would be ready in the “coming weeks”. He went on: | |
| Asked why the app, which is being piloted on the Isle of Wight, would not be ready for national rollout by the end of May, as originally planned, the spokesman said: | Asked why the app, which is being piloted on the Isle of Wight, would not be ready for national rollout by the end of May, as originally planned, the spokesman said: |
| The spokesman said there were no plans to review the NHS surcharge for migrants and that the planned increase, from £400 to £624, would go ahead in October. | |
| The spokesman said the government would publish its scientific advice tomorrow on the safety of schools opening. The latest estimate of R, the reproduction number, will be published too. | |
| Matt Hancock, the health and social care secretary, is due to give details at the daily press conference this afternoon about the rollout of coronavirus antibody tests, which follows negotiations between the government and the pharmaceutical firm Roche, the spokesman said. NHS and care workers will be prioritised for the free tests, the spokesman said. | |
| The spokesman said Boris Johnson would consider travel advice before deciding whether or not to attend an in-person G7 summit that Donald Trump is reportedly planning. | |
| The number of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Northern Ireland has risen to 501, after seven more deaths were reported by the Department of Health. | |
| Public Health Wales said a further nine people had died there after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of deaths in Wales to 1,247. Another 166 people had tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 12,846. | |
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| In the Scottish parliament Nicola Sturgeon has now finished taking questions on the Scottish government’s routemap for easing the lockdown (pdf). She said that 100,000 people had already tried to download it, with the result that the Scottish government’s website had been having problems. She urged people to be patient. They would be able to download it later if they could not now, she said. | In the Scottish parliament Nicola Sturgeon has now finished taking questions on the Scottish government’s routemap for easing the lockdown (pdf). She said that 100,000 people had already tried to download it, with the result that the Scottish government’s website had been having problems. She urged people to be patient. They would be able to download it later if they could not now, she said. |
| A frontbench peer has apologised for furloughing himself while also claiming a Lords £162 daily attendance allowance. | |
| Christopher Fox was forced to issue the apology after it was revealed that he had furloughed himself despite claiming the daily House of Lords allowance during lockdown. | |
| Fox said: “I recognise my error in judgment and I apologise. I have already begun to repay the money I received as part of the furlough scheme and intend to repay the full amount.” | Fox said: “I recognise my error in judgment and I apologise. I have already begun to repay the money I received as part of the furlough scheme and intend to repay the full amount.” |
| The Conservative backbenchers Henry Smith has outraged opposition parliamentarians by saying that the objection to MPs returning to the House of Commons after next week’s recess (when the current, largely-virtual proceedings will end) has come from the “lazy left” and from “workshy” Labour and nationalist politicians. | The Conservative backbenchers Henry Smith has outraged opposition parliamentarians by saying that the objection to MPs returning to the House of Commons after next week’s recess (when the current, largely-virtual proceedings will end) has come from the “lazy left” and from “workshy” Labour and nationalist politicians. |
| Labour’s Jess Phillips was one of the MPs who condemned Smith on Twitter. | Labour’s Jess Phillips was one of the MPs who condemned Smith on Twitter. |
| And a Labour party spokesperson said: | And a Labour party spokesperson said: |
| Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, told the London assembly this morning that he is considering banning passengers from buses and tube trains in the capital if they are not wearing a face covering. He said that he was hoping to persuade the UK government, which is currently just advising people to wear face coverings on public transport, to toughen its stance. He told the assembly: | Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, told the London assembly this morning that he is considering banning passengers from buses and tube trains in the capital if they are not wearing a face covering. He said that he was hoping to persuade the UK government, which is currently just advising people to wear face coverings on public transport, to toughen its stance. He told the assembly: |
| He said that he was hoping to persuade the government “to do the right thing”. But, if that did not happen, he said next week he would consider using the powers he has as mayor to make the wearing of face coverings compulsory on Transport for London tubes and buses. | He said that he was hoping to persuade the government “to do the right thing”. But, if that did not happen, he said next week he would consider using the powers he has as mayor to make the wearing of face coverings compulsory on Transport for London tubes and buses. |
| The Conservative peer Chris Patten (see 11.53am) and the public administration committee chair William Wragg (see 8.33am) are not the only Tories calling for migrant care workers to be exempt from the NHS surcharge. In the Evening Standard Joe Murphy and Nicholas Cecil have rounded up some more rebels on this issue, including Bob Neill, the justice committee chair, Robert Halfon, the education committee chair, and Sir Roger Gale, a former party vice chairman. Gale said that not waiving the surcharge would “rightly be perceived as mean-spirited, doctrinaire and petty”. | The Conservative peer Chris Patten (see 11.53am) and the public administration committee chair William Wragg (see 8.33am) are not the only Tories calling for migrant care workers to be exempt from the NHS surcharge. In the Evening Standard Joe Murphy and Nicholas Cecil have rounded up some more rebels on this issue, including Bob Neill, the justice committee chair, Robert Halfon, the education committee chair, and Sir Roger Gale, a former party vice chairman. Gale said that not waiving the surcharge would “rightly be perceived as mean-spirited, doctrinaire and petty”. |
| The number of people moving to the UK long term from non-EU countries has hit a new record high, according to the latest estimates. As PA Media reports, last year immigration from non-EU countries rose to 404,000, the highest it has ever been since records began in 1975 when it was 93,000, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows. | The number of people moving to the UK long term from non-EU countries has hit a new record high, according to the latest estimates. As PA Media reports, last year immigration from non-EU countries rose to 404,000, the highest it has ever been since records began in 1975 when it was 93,000, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows. |
| Net migration from outside the EU, the balance between the number of people entering and leaving the country, is also at its highest level (282,000) since citizenship information was first collected in 1975 (40,000). Both figures have continued to rise since 2013. | Net migration from outside the EU, the balance between the number of people entering and leaving the country, is also at its highest level (282,000) since citizenship information was first collected in 1975 (40,000). Both figures have continued to rise since 2013. |
| Meanwhile, EU net migration fell to 49,000, down from 75,000 recorded a year earlier and after hitting peaks of more than 200,000 in 2015. | Meanwhile, EU net migration fell to 49,000, down from 75,000 recorded a year earlier and after hitting peaks of more than 200,000 in 2015. |
| Downing Street has described the complaint about Boris Johnson to the Independent Office for Police Conduct as a waste of police time. Responding to the news that the IOPC is not launching a criminal inquiry (see 11.45am), a spokesman for the prime minister said: | Downing Street has described the complaint about Boris Johnson to the Independent Office for Police Conduct as a waste of police time. Responding to the news that the IOPC is not launching a criminal inquiry (see 11.45am), a spokesman for the prime minister said: |
| Sturgeon says universities and colleges should have a phased return next term. | Sturgeon says universities and colleges should have a phased return next term. |
| On schools, she says today she has published a report from the education recovery group. | On schools, she says today she has published a report from the education recovery group. |
| All schools in Scotland will re-open from 11 August, Sturgeon says. Pupils will get “a blended model of part time in-school and part time at-home learning”. | All schools in Scotland will re-open from 11 August, Sturgeon says. Pupils will get “a blended model of part time in-school and part time at-home learning”. |
| Sturgeon says that the Scottish government will produce new guidance for the extremely clinically vulnerable people who have been told to shield (ie, not leave home). This will be out by 18 June, she says. | Sturgeon says that the Scottish government will produce new guidance for the extremely clinically vulnerable people who have been told to shield (ie, not leave home). This will be out by 18 June, she says. |
| Sturgeon gives details of what will be allowed from 28 May. | Sturgeon gives details of what will be allowed from 28 May. |
| In her speech Sturgeon says that she expects the phase one measures to come in from 28 May. | In her speech Sturgeon says that she expects the phase one measures to come in from 28 May. |
| But not every phase 1 measure will come in on that day, she says. | But not every phase 1 measure will come in on that day, she says. |
| Here is a chart from the document (pdf) explaining the four phases. | Here is a chart from the document (pdf) explaining the four phases. |
| And here is a chart showing how the rules on meeting people and travel will change as Scotland moves into the next phases. | And here is a chart showing how the rules on meeting people and travel will change as Scotland moves into the next phases. |
| These are two of the nine charts in the annex to the document explaining in detail what will be allowed at different stages. | These are two of the nine charts in the annex to the document explaining in detail what will be allowed at different stages. |
| Sturgeon says there are now an estimated 25,000 infected people in Scotland. But there has been a significant and sustained reduction, she says. | Sturgeon says there are now an estimated 25,000 infected people in Scotland. But there has been a significant and sustained reduction, she says. |
| She says the government now estimates the R number (the reproduction number, the rate at which the virus is spreading) at between 0.7 and 1. | She says the government now estimates the R number (the reproduction number, the rate at which the virus is spreading) at between 0.7 and 1. |
| She says in March it was thought to be above four. | She says in March it was thought to be above four. |
| But now it is thought to have been below 1 for three weeks, which means she feels able to set out the next steps for easing the lockdown, she says. | But now it is thought to have been below 1 for three weeks, which means she feels able to set out the next steps for easing the lockdown, she says. |
| Sturgeon is now setting out the latest daily figures. | Sturgeon is now setting out the latest daily figures. |
| She says 51 people were in intensive care last night with coronavirus. | She says 51 people were in intensive care last night with coronavirus. |
| There have been a further 37 deaths, she says, taking the total to 2,221. | There have been a further 37 deaths, she says, taking the total to 2,221. |