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PMQs: Sir Keir Starmer presses Boris Johnson on test and trace | PMQs: Sir Keir Starmer presses Boris Johnson on test and trace |
(32 minutes later) | |
Sir Keir Starmer has pressed Boris Johnson on the effectiveness of the NHS test and trace system in England, during Prime Minister's Questions. | Sir Keir Starmer has pressed Boris Johnson on the effectiveness of the NHS test and trace system in England, during Prime Minister's Questions. |
The Labour leader said it was a "big problem" that just over 10,000 people with coronavirus had been reached, despite estimates of 33,000 cases. | The Labour leader said it was a "big problem" that just over 10,000 people with coronavirus had been reached, despite estimates of 33,000 cases. |
But Mr Johnson criticised Sir Keir for not supporting government actions. | But Mr Johnson criticised Sir Keir for not supporting government actions. |
The PM also dismissed questions about the tracking app for those who come into contact with the virus. | The PM also dismissed questions about the tracking app for those who come into contact with the virus. |
Sir Keir began his questioning by saying Labour supported the government's announcement on Tuesday to ease more lockdown restrictions in England from 4 July. | Sir Keir began his questioning by saying Labour supported the government's announcement on Tuesday to ease more lockdown restrictions in England from 4 July. |
But he said for it to work safely "we need an effective track, trace and isolate system". | But he said for it to work safely "we need an effective track, trace and isolate system". |
He added: "The prime minister promised a world-beating system would be in place by 1 June. | He added: "The prime minister promised a world-beating system would be in place by 1 June. |
"I do recognise the hard work that has gone into this, but if two thirds of those with Covid-19 are not being reached and asked to provide contact details, there is a big problem, isn't there?" | "I do recognise the hard work that has gone into this, but if two thirds of those with Covid-19 are not being reached and asked to provide contact details, there is a big problem, isn't there?" |
Mr Johnson claimed Sir Keir had been "stunned by the success of the test and trace operation", adding: "Contrary to his prognostications of gloom, it has got up and running much faster than doubters expected." | Mr Johnson claimed Sir Keir had been "stunned by the success of the test and trace operation", adding: "Contrary to his prognostications of gloom, it has got up and running much faster than doubters expected." |
He said 87,000 contacts of those who tested positive for coronavirus had been reached, and called for his counterpart to "pay tribute" to the team working on the system. | He said 87,000 contacts of those who tested positive for coronavirus had been reached, and called for his counterpart to "pay tribute" to the team working on the system. |
But Sir Keir accused the prime minister of "not addressing the question". | But Sir Keir accused the prime minister of "not addressing the question". |
The Labour leader said the number of people who weren't reached meant a "big gap" was in the system, adding: "The prime minister risks making the mistakes he made at the beginning of the pandemic - brushing aside challenge, dashing forward and not estimating properly the risk." | The Labour leader said the number of people who weren't reached meant a "big gap" was in the system, adding: "The prime minister risks making the mistakes he made at the beginning of the pandemic - brushing aside challenge, dashing forward and not estimating properly the risk." |
Mr Johnson accused Sir Keir of "inadvertently giving a false impression of what test and trace is doing", claiming it is contacting "the vast majority of those who test positive and their own contacts and getting them to isolate". | Mr Johnson accused Sir Keir of "inadvertently giving a false impression of what test and trace is doing", claiming it is contacting "the vast majority of those who test positive and their own contacts and getting them to isolate". |
He called it a "formidable achievement", and said Labour was "yo-yoing back into a position of opposition". | He called it a "formidable achievement", and said Labour was "yo-yoing back into a position of opposition". |
Sir Keir reiterated his support for lockdown easing, but said the PM was "wrong to reject challenge", adding: "65,000 people have lost their lives because of Covid-19. The prime minister should welcome challenge that could save lives rather than complaining about it." | Sir Keir reiterated his support for lockdown easing, but said the PM was "wrong to reject challenge", adding: "65,000 people have lost their lives because of Covid-19. The prime minister should welcome challenge that could save lives rather than complaining about it." |
How is the tracing scheme going? | |
The NHS test and trace scheme - which the prime minister claimed would be "world-beating" - was launched on 28 May. | |
According to figures released on 18 June: | |
The 33,000 figure referenced by Sir Keir Starmer comes from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It's reached by testing a sample of people and working out what percentage of them are infected and then applying that to the population as a whole. | |
It's an estimate but not a figure for actual people who have been tested, so tracers would not be able to contact them all. | |
The Labour leader also questioned the PM about when a mobile phone app to track people who had been in contact with others carrying the virus would be up and running. | |
He said it was the "only way of tracking unknown contacts", such as people on beaches or in a park, who had been in close contact with one another. | He said it was the "only way of tracking unknown contacts", such as people on beaches or in a park, who had been in close contact with one another. |
The Labour leader quoted Health Secretary Matt Hancock - who called the app "critical" in May, but later said it was "only ever additional support" - asking the PM, "Which is it?" | The Labour leader quoted Health Secretary Matt Hancock - who called the app "critical" in May, but later said it was "only ever additional support" - asking the PM, "Which is it?" |
Mr Johnson said there was "not a single country in the world that has a functional contract tracing app", but England's test and tracing system was working. | Mr Johnson said there was "not a single country in the world that has a functional contract tracing app", but England's test and tracing system was working. |
Sir Keir said Germany had a working app with 12 million downloads, before pushing the prime minister on a number of delays to the app and its cost of £12m. | Sir Keir said Germany had a working app with 12 million downloads, before pushing the prime minister on a number of delays to the app and its cost of £12m. |
"Other countries are ahead of us," he said. "When are we going to have a working app?" | "Other countries are ahead of us," he said. "When are we going to have a working app?" |
The PM said his opposite number was "completely wrong" about Germany, and said the government had "always been completely clear that the app was the icing on the cake". | The PM said his opposite number was "completely wrong" about Germany, and said the government had "always been completely clear that the app was the icing on the cake". |
He concluded: "What we do have is a fantastic NHS test and trace operation that is already up and running, that is going to get better and better, and will be indispensable to our future success." | He concluded: "What we do have is a fantastic NHS test and trace operation that is already up and running, that is going to get better and better, and will be indispensable to our future success." |
In the last couple of weeks, we have seen both men starting to be able to get under each other's skin and starting to lock horns. | |
In those early exchanges, Boris Johnson looked off his game when Sir Keir Starmer pushed him on details. | |
In the last couple of weeks, Johnson has been turning up the political heat on Starmer, putting questions back to him. | |
Today, they both came with their ammo loaded, prepared for the approach the other was going to take. | |
We saw Johnson jibing at Starmer for being like a lawyer, and Starmer pushing back saying: "I am a lawyer, here is the evidence, I rest my case." |