This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2020/nov/24/uk-coronavirus-live-christmas-rules-tiers-covid-boris-johnson-latest-updates

The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
UK coronavirus live: Johnson criticised for missing four-nation Christmas talks; 1 in 10 pupils missing school over Covid UK coronavirus live: Johnson criticised for missing four-nation Christmas talks; 1 in 10 pupils missing school over Covid
(32 minutes later)
Latest updates: No 10 unable to say whether agreement could be reached today; more than 870,000 children not in school last ThursdayLatest updates: No 10 unable to say whether agreement could be reached today; more than 870,000 children not in school last Thursday
Scotland has recorded 771 further coronavirus cases. That is down from 949 yesterday and down from 1,248 a week ago today.
There are 1,197 coronavirus patients in hospital - down from 1,208 yesterday and down from 1,249 a week ago today.
And there have been 41 further deaths - up from 37 a week ago today.
According to Newsnight’s Katie Razzall, although the government is offering everyone in Liverpool a coronavirus test under its mass testing pilot, in some of the poorer areas of the city only 4% of people have had a test. She has summarised her report in a Twitter thread starting here.
Dan Carden, the Labour MP for Liverpool Walton, said:
NHS England has recorded 353 further coronavirus hospital deaths. There were 101 in the Midlands, 80 in the north-east and Yorkshire, 71 in the north-west, 35 in in the south-east, 24 in the south-west, 21 in London and 21 in the east of England. The details are here.
This is the second highest daily figure for coronavirus hospital deaths in England this month, passed only by the total for 11 November (361). Yesterday the figure was 178 and a week ago today the figure was 330.
Some of the “gains” made in Wales during its 17-day firebreak are already being reversed, the first minister, Mark Drakeford, has warned.Some of the “gains” made in Wales during its 17-day firebreak are already being reversed, the first minister, Mark Drakeford, has warned.
After the Welsh firebreak lockdown, the all-Wales coronavirus figures fell for two weeks but Drakeford said there had now been three days in a row where the numbers have risen.After the Welsh firebreak lockdown, the all-Wales coronavirus figures fell for two weeks but Drakeford said there had now been three days in a row where the numbers have risen.
He said 17 of the 22 local authorities have reported rises in infections in the under-25 age range – while it was the falling in the over-60s. The first minister said rapid rises in September and the start of October began in young people before spreading to older men and women.He said 17 of the 22 local authorities have reported rises in infections in the under-25 age range – while it was the falling in the over-60s. The first minister said rapid rises in September and the start of October began in young people before spreading to older men and women.
Conservative MPs are openly arguing with each other on Twitter about the case for Covid restrictions. Yesterday Steve Baker, deputy chair of the lockdown-sceptic Covid Recovery Group, posted this.Conservative MPs are openly arguing with each other on Twitter about the case for Covid restrictions. Yesterday Steve Baker, deputy chair of the lockdown-sceptic Covid Recovery Group, posted this.
His Tory colleague Neil O’Brien has this afternoon posted a chart on Twitter that he says shows Baker to be “just wrong”.His Tory colleague Neil O’Brien has this afternoon posted a chart on Twitter that he says shows Baker to be “just wrong”.
Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed to MSPs that a four-nations Christmas framework should be agreed later today, with potential differences in what constitutes a household across the UK.Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed to MSPs that a four-nations Christmas framework should be agreed later today, with potential differences in what constitutes a household across the UK.
As she announced the weekly review of Scotland’s five-level tier system of Covid controls, with only one change, East Lothian moving into level two, she told the Holyrood chamber:As she announced the weekly review of Scotland’s five-level tier system of Covid controls, with only one change, East Lothian moving into level two, she told the Holyrood chamber:
She added that these concerns were “especially acute when we know we might be within weeks of being able to vaccinate a significant proportion of the population”.She added that these concerns were “especially acute when we know we might be within weeks of being able to vaccinate a significant proportion of the population”.
This is from the New Statesman’s George Eaton, picking up on what Matt Hancock told a joint health/science committee hearing this morning. (See 12.24pm.)This is from the New Statesman’s George Eaton, picking up on what Matt Hancock told a joint health/science committee hearing this morning. (See 12.24pm.)
The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, has expressed frustration that Boris Johnson will not attend this afternoon’s Cobra meeting on a four-nation approach to Christmas.The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, has expressed frustration that Boris Johnson will not attend this afternoon’s Cobra meeting on a four-nation approach to Christmas.
Addressing the Welsh parliament, he said:Addressing the Welsh parliament, he said:
Drakeford warned that an easing of rules at Christmas was bound to lead to an increase in the spread of Covid.Drakeford warned that an easing of rules at Christmas was bound to lead to an increase in the spread of Covid.
He called for a four-nation approach not just for Christmas but for before and after. Drakeford said:He called for a four-nation approach not just for Christmas but for before and after. Drakeford said:
Here are two more lines from the Downing Street lobby briefing.Here are two more lines from the Downing Street lobby briefing.
The prime minister’s spokesman said that councils in England will be given new powers to close businesses for up to a week if they fail to make their premises Covid-secure. He explained:The prime minister’s spokesman said that councils in England will be given new powers to close businesses for up to a week if they fail to make their premises Covid-secure. He explained:
The spokesman said premises will be fined £2,000 for breaching an improvement notice and £4,000 for breaching a restriction notice. The new powers will become law through secondary legislation being introduced next week. Councils have been asking for the ability to use measures like this for some time.The spokesman said premises will be fined £2,000 for breaching an improvement notice and £4,000 for breaching a restriction notice. The new powers will become law through secondary legislation being introduced next week. Councils have been asking for the ability to use measures like this for some time.
The prime minister’s spokesman said the joint biosecurity centre would make recommendations to the government as to which areas of England should be in which of the new tiers.The prime minister’s spokesman said the joint biosecurity centre would make recommendations to the government as to which areas of England should be in which of the new tiers.
Around one in 10 children were absent from state schools in England last week for Covid-related reasons, according to official statistics which revealed yet another jump in the number of children sent home to self-isolate.Around one in 10 children were absent from state schools in England last week for Covid-related reasons, according to official statistics which revealed yet another jump in the number of children sent home to self-isolate.
More than 870,000 children were not in school last Thursday, with secondary schools the most severely affected. Nearly three-quarters (73%) reported at least one pupil off self-isolating - up from 64% a week earlier - and more than one in five secondary pupils were absent (22%).More than 870,000 children were not in school last Thursday, with secondary schools the most severely affected. Nearly three-quarters (73%) reported at least one pupil off self-isolating - up from 64% a week earlier - and more than one in five secondary pupils were absent (22%).
Figures published by the Department for Education showed that 82.9% of pupils were at school last week, down from 86.5% a week earlier. The impact on primary schools is also growing, with three in every 10 (29%) sending children home to self-isolate, up from 22% a week earlier.Figures published by the Department for Education showed that 82.9% of pupils were at school last week, down from 86.5% a week earlier. The impact on primary schools is also growing, with three in every 10 (29%) sending children home to self-isolate, up from 22% a week earlier.
More than a third of schools (36%) now have one or more children self isolating - up from 29% last week - and the impact on affected schools is growing, with a quarter reporting more than 30 pupils off isolating, up from 9% at the start of the month.More than a third of schools (36%) now have one or more children self isolating - up from 29% last week - and the impact on affected schools is growing, with a quarter reporting more than 30 pupils off isolating, up from 9% at the start of the month.
While the number of schools forced to close remains relatively small, numbers have doubled in the space of a week.While the number of schools forced to close remains relatively small, numbers have doubled in the space of a week.
The National Education Union said the collapse in school attendance was the direct result of government negligence. Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said:The National Education Union said the collapse in school attendance was the direct result of government negligence. Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said:
A Department for Education spokesperson said that it remained a national priority to keep education settings open full-time and that “at least 99% of schools have been open each week since the start of term”.A Department for Education spokesperson said that it remained a national priority to keep education settings open full-time and that “at least 99% of schools have been open each week since the start of term”.
Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, is due to hold a meeting with representatives of the devolved administrations this afternoon to try to reach agreement on a joint approach to Christmas.
On Sunday the UK government briefed that an agreement was already more or less in the bag. But that seems to have been premature, and at the Downing Street lobby briefing the prime minister’s spokesman conceded that a four-nation consensus had not yet been reached. The spokesman said:
Cobra, the government’s emergency committee, is considering the matter because this is the mechanism used by the UK government for Covid decisions involving Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
No 10 conceded that no agreement has yet been reached, and was not able to say whether or not there would be a decision by the end of the day.
Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, has just told Radio 4’s the World at One that, although he does not yet know exactly what form the Commons vote on the new three-tier system of restrictions for England will take, “my inclination would be to oppose it”.
He explained:
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.
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.
But he says that was not the case with all areas.
Q: Are you talking about Greater Manchester?
Not just them, says Hancock.
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.
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.