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UK coronavirus live: Hancock keen to end 'work when ill' culture and urges people to get tested UK coronavirus live: Hancock keen to end 'work when ill' culture and urges people to get tested
(32 minutes later)
Latest updates: health secretary questioned by MPs; Covid now accounts for more than 20% of deaths in England and Wales; Christmas statement held up Latest updates: health secretary questioned by MPs; Covid now accounts for more than 20% of deaths in England and Wales
More than 30,000 extra deaths not linked to Covid-19 have now taken place in private homes in England and Wales since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, PA Media is reporting.
Extra deaths - known as “excess deaths” - are the number of deaths that are above the average for the corresponding period in the previous five years.
A total of 30,785 excess deaths in homes in England and Wales that did not involve Covid-19 were registered between March 7 and November 13, according to a PA analysis of data published by the Office for National Statistics.
Previous analysis by the ONS found that deaths in private homes in England for males from heart disease, from the start of the coronavirus pandemic through to early September, were 26% higher than the five-year average, while prostate cancer deaths had increased 53%.
For women, deaths in private homes from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease had increased 75%, while deaths from breast cancer were up 47%.
Here is the chart from today’s ONS report showing excess deaths in England and Wales this year, by place of death.
Jeremy Hunt, the health committee chair, wraps up the hearing with Matt Hancock by thanking him for his time.
Dawn Butler (Lab) goes next.
She asks why at an earlier hearing he did not answer a question about a meeting his department had with a PR company, Topham Guerin. Did they get a contract because they worked on the 2019 Conservative election campaign?
Hancock says Topham Guerin is an excellent organisation. He says all contracts are properly signed off.
Q: That is not what the NAO said.
Hancock disagrees. He says the NAO said, even though contracts were awarded quickly, they were signed off properly. And he says the fact that the NAO could then audit these contracts showed there was transparency.
Q: How will we know you are not just taking arbitrary decisions?
Hancock says the information behind those decisions about tiers will be published.
Q: Will you publish a cost-benefit analysis for every region?
Hancock says he plans to publish all the data informing the decisions about particular regions going into particular tiers.
Labour’s Graham Stringer goes next.Labour’s Graham Stringer goes next.
Q: When imposing tiers on area, why are you not negotiating with locally elected representatives? Q: When imposing tiers on areas, why are you not negotiating with locally elected representatives?
Hancock says, before the lockdown, in most cases the government had good discussions with local leaders. He mentions as an example Joe Anderson, the Liverpool city mayor. Anderson has texted him during the hearing, he says.Hancock says, before the lockdown, in most cases the government had good discussions with local leaders. He mentions as an example Joe Anderson, the Liverpool city mayor. Anderson has texted him during the hearing, he says.
But he says that was not the case with all areas.But he says that was not the case with all areas.
Q: Are you talking about Greater Manchester?Q: Are you talking about Greater Manchester?
Not just them, says Hancock.Not just them, says Hancock.
He says the councils that delayed decisions to go into a higher tier led to case numbers going up.He says the councils that delayed decisions to go into a higher tier led to case numbers going up.
Hancock tells the committee that more than 20m people have now downloaded the NHS Covid-19 app.Hancock tells the committee that more than 20m people have now downloaded the NHS Covid-19 app.
Back in the committee Matt Hancock told MPs that he was asking the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation to consider whether people with learning disabilities should be prioritised for the coronavirus vaccine.Back in the committee Matt Hancock told MPs that he was asking the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation to consider whether people with learning disabilities should be prioritised for the coronavirus vaccine.
A recent report from Public Health England found that people with learning disabilities are dying of coronavirus at more than six times the rate of the general population.A recent report from Public Health England found that people with learning disabilities are dying of coronavirus at more than six times the rate of the general population.
Jeremy Hunt, the chair of the Commons health committee, has posted this on Twitter. It is a clip from Prof Devi Sridhar, professor of global public health at Edinburgh University, who was giving evidence to the committee this morning (before Matt Hancock).Jeremy Hunt, the chair of the Commons health committee, has posted this on Twitter. It is a clip from Prof Devi Sridhar, professor of global public health at Edinburgh University, who was giving evidence to the committee this morning (before Matt Hancock).
In it, she gives a crisp summary of why she thinks the UK has had such a high Covid death rate, arguing that the key mistake was made at the start when it was assumed it was a flu-like epidemic that could not be stopped.In it, she gives a crisp summary of why she thinks the UK has had such a high Covid death rate, arguing that the key mistake was made at the start when it was assumed it was a flu-like epidemic that could not be stopped.
Barbara Keeley (Lab) is asking the questions now.Barbara Keeley (Lab) is asking the questions now.
Q: If relatives are not allowed to visit care homes, who is checking on the quality of care. We all know there are concerns in this area.Q: If relatives are not allowed to visit care homes, who is checking on the quality of care. We all know there are concerns in this area.
Hancock says the Care Quality Commission is responsible for supervising care homes. But he says family visits are recommencing, and relatives can check on the quality of the care given.Hancock says the Care Quality Commission is responsible for supervising care homes. But he says family visits are recommencing, and relatives can check on the quality of the care given.
Greg Clark, the chair of the Commons science committee, is asking the questions now.Greg Clark, the chair of the Commons science committee, is asking the questions now.
Q: Did you question whether Sir Patrick Vallance should present the chart at a No 10 press conference suggesting 4,000 people could die from a second wave?Q: Did you question whether Sir Patrick Vallance should present the chart at a No 10 press conference suggesting 4,000 people could die from a second wave?
Hancock says he thought it was reasonable for Vallance to make the decision to show that chart.Hancock says he thought it was reasonable for Vallance to make the decision to show that chart.
Here is the full quote from Matt Hancock, the health secretary, when he told the committee earlier that after the pandemic was over he wanted to use the UK’s new testing capacity to end the British “working when ill” culture. (See 11.46am.)Here is the full quote from Matt Hancock, the health secretary, when he told the committee earlier that after the pandemic was over he wanted to use the UK’s new testing capacity to end the British “working when ill” culture. (See 11.46am.)
Britain had built a “global-scale diagnostics capability”, he said. He went on:Britain had built a “global-scale diagnostics capability”, he said. He went on:
Q: Are you confident that death certificates mentioning coronavirus are an accurate measure of the impact of the disease? I have heard anecdotal evidence that doctors are including coronavirus on death certificates on a precautionary basis.Q: Are you confident that death certificates mentioning coronavirus are an accurate measure of the impact of the disease? I have heard anecdotal evidence that doctors are including coronavirus on death certificates on a precautionary basis.
Hancock says that is a fair question. But he says the chief medical officer would say the best measure of the impact of coronavirus on mortality would be the all-cause excess mortality figures.Hancock says that is a fair question. But he says the chief medical officer would say the best measure of the impact of coronavirus on mortality would be the all-cause excess mortality figures.
Paul Bristow (Con) goes next.Paul Bristow (Con) goes next.
Q: Has an economic impact [assessment] been made of the coronavirus restrictions?Q: Has an economic impact [assessment] been made of the coronavirus restrictions?
Hancock says that is a matter for the Treasury.Hancock says that is a matter for the Treasury.
Q: So are you confident these measures are justified?Q: So are you confident these measures are justified?
Hancock says he is.Hancock says he is.
He says ministers know that restrictions have an impact on the economy. But they have to strike a balance.He says ministers know that restrictions have an impact on the economy. But they have to strike a balance.
He says the tiering system has been devised to take into account the economic impact.He says the tiering system has been devised to take into account the economic impact.
Q: Are deaths averted, and quality of life years saved, the only factors? Or do other factors count, like basic freedom?Q: Are deaths averted, and quality of life years saved, the only factors? Or do other factors count, like basic freedom?
Hancock says he agrees. He says decisions to impinge on people’s freedom weigh heavily on him, and on the prime minister.Hancock says he agrees. He says decisions to impinge on people’s freedom weigh heavily on him, and on the prime minister.
He says he came into politics to improve people’s economic chances.He says he came into politics to improve people’s economic chances.
If R is above 1, cases will rise exponentially, he says. He says that will lead to tougher restrictions, which will have an even bigger economic impact.If R is above 1, cases will rise exponentially, he says. He says that will lead to tougher restrictions, which will have an even bigger economic impact.
Asked about the revelation that his department spent almost £50,000 on takeaway food for staff at the Department of Health and Social Care, Hancock says he will “defend to the death” this spending. He says feeding staff who were working late on coronavirus was good value for money.Asked about the revelation that his department spent almost £50,000 on takeaway food for staff at the Department of Health and Social Care, Hancock says he will “defend to the death” this spending. He says feeding staff who were working late on coronavirus was good value for money.
Q: Do you think Eat Out to Help Out was a mistake?Q: Do you think Eat Out to Help Out was a mistake?
Hancock says government has to balance different priorities.Hancock says government has to balance different priorities.
It is important to help hospitality, he says. And he says in the summer the number of cases was very low.It is important to help hospitality, he says. And he says in the summer the number of cases was very low.
Hancock says more than 100 rapid lateral flow tests have been assessed by the government at its Porton Down laboratory.Hancock says more than 100 rapid lateral flow tests have been assessed by the government at its Porton Down laboratory.
But only a handful have been approved, he says.But only a handful have been approved, he says.
Hancock says, having built a huge diagnostic capacity for coronavirus, he wants to ensure that it continues to get used after the pandemic is over.Hancock says, having built a huge diagnostic capacity for coronavirus, he wants to ensure that it continues to get used after the pandemic is over.
He says he would like ‘if in doubt, get a test’ to become a much more normal approach.He says he would like ‘if in doubt, get a test’ to become a much more normal approach.
He say it is is normal for Britons to go into work if they feel a bit ill. But he suggests that that is wrong, and that it should change. In other countries it is different, he suggests.He say it is is normal for Britons to go into work if they feel a bit ill. But he suggests that that is wrong, and that it should change. In other countries it is different, he suggests.
He says in future, if people have flu-like symptoms, he would like people to be able to go and get a test so that they find out what’s wrong.He says in future, if people have flu-like symptoms, he would like people to be able to go and get a test so that they find out what’s wrong.
UPDATE: Here are further quotes from the exchange.UPDATE: Here are further quotes from the exchange.
See 12.24pm for the full quotes.See 12.24pm for the full quotes.