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UK Covid: Matt Hancock says more than 4m people have now had first dose of vaccine — as it happened | |
(32 minutes later) | |
Health secretary says NHS under ‘significant pressure’ with record number of Covid patients in hospitals; UK records 599 further Covid deaths | Health secretary says NHS under ‘significant pressure’ with record number of Covid patients in hospitals; UK records 599 further Covid deaths |
That’s it from the UK blog team. You can continue to follow our global coronavirus coverage here - | |
The Treasury is considering a partial climbdown over plans to end the boost to universal credit amid pressure from the work and pensions secretary, Thérèse Coffey, and a slew of Tory MPs bruised by the school meals row. | |
Speaking on Monday, Boris Johnson himself hinted at a rethink over the £20-a-week uplift, which is due to end in April, saying the government wanted to ensure “people don’t suffer as a result of the economic consequences of the pandemic”. | |
Following the vote, shadow work and pensions secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, said: “It is disappointing that the Conservative government refused to vote with Labour to provide families with certainty and secure our economy. | |
Labour’s motion pressing the government to maintain a £20 weekly universal credit rise in April and beyond was approved by 278 votes to zero, majority 278. | |
The prime minister, Boris Johnson, had ordered Conservative MPs to abstain on the non-binding motion. | |
The universal credit debate is currently taking place in the Commons. | |
The vote is expected to be around 7.15pm on the Labour motion of keeping the uplift. | The vote is expected to be around 7.15pm on the Labour motion of keeping the uplift. |
Dido Harding, the head of the NHS’s much-criticised test and trace system, has defended paying at least 900 management consultants a daily rate of around £1,000 a day.The Conservative peer told the Commons’ public accounts committee she felt it was “appropriate” to bring in external help in “extreme emergency circumstances” such as that faced by the country during the coronavirus crisis. | Dido Harding, the head of the NHS’s much-criticised test and trace system, has defended paying at least 900 management consultants a daily rate of around £1,000 a day.The Conservative peer told the Commons’ public accounts committee she felt it was “appropriate” to bring in external help in “extreme emergency circumstances” such as that faced by the country during the coronavirus crisis. |
“I think it is appropriate to build a service in extreme emergency circumstances using short-term contingent labour and consultants for some of those roles.“I think they’ve done very important work alongside the public servants, the military, the healthcare professionals and members of the private sector who have come and joined us as well,” she said.Her comments came after David Williams, the second permanent secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care said there were 900 Deloitte consultants working on test and trace. “The average cost across our consultancy support, I imagine is about the same for Deloitte, is around £1,000 a day,” he said. | |
Asked if he was confident that there were no “super-profits” being made out of test and trace, Williams said he was “as confident as I can be”. “In terms of profiteering, as it were... I see no evidence that causes me concern on that,” he said. | Asked if he was confident that there were no “super-profits” being made out of test and trace, Williams said he was “as confident as I can be”. “In terms of profiteering, as it were... I see no evidence that causes me concern on that,” he said. |
Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has told a No 10 press conference that more than 4 million people in the UK have now had at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. The figures are on the government’s dashboard, which also shows that new UK cases (37,535 today) continue to fall week-on-week, but deaths (599 today) continue to rise. Hancock said that UK Covid hospital numbers, at 37,475, are at an all-time high. But the latest figures also show UK hospital admissions up just 7% on the previous week. Yesterday the week-on-week increase was 14%. | |
MPs seem certain to vote later tonight for a motion telling the government to abandon the cut in universal credit planned for April to “give certainty” for the families for whom it is worth £1,000 a year. The government tabled an amendment, but that will not be put to a vote because Conservative MPs have been told to abstain, meaning the Labour motion should pass by a three-figure majority. (See 4.55pm.) Opposition day motions like this are not binding on the government, and Theresa May’s government ignored them, but at the start of the debate Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow work and pensions secretary, said that all majority governments in the past had accepted that, if they could not win a vote on policy in the Commons, they should change the policy. Responding for the government, Will Quince, a welfare minister, said that although he had “some sympathy” with the argument that claimants needed certainty, the government was not ready to make a commitment now. He said: | MPs seem certain to vote later tonight for a motion telling the government to abandon the cut in universal credit planned for April to “give certainty” for the families for whom it is worth £1,000 a year. The government tabled an amendment, but that will not be put to a vote because Conservative MPs have been told to abstain, meaning the Labour motion should pass by a three-figure majority. (See 4.55pm.) Opposition day motions like this are not binding on the government, and Theresa May’s government ignored them, but at the start of the debate Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow work and pensions secretary, said that all majority governments in the past had accepted that, if they could not win a vote on policy in the Commons, they should change the policy. Responding for the government, Will Quince, a welfare minister, said that although he had “some sympathy” with the argument that claimants needed certainty, the government was not ready to make a commitment now. He said: |
The £20-per-week uplift in universal credit was only supposed to be temporary when the Treasury announced it as a measure to help families through the pandemic. Making it permanent would cost around £6bn a year. The government has said it will announce some form of replacement in the budget in March. MPs are due to vote at 7.15pm and, with many Tories said to be sympathetic to the Labour argument for the need for the uplift to continue, it is thought a handful may vote with the opposition. | The £20-per-week uplift in universal credit was only supposed to be temporary when the Treasury announced it as a measure to help families through the pandemic. Making it permanent would cost around £6bn a year. The government has said it will announce some form of replacement in the budget in March. MPs are due to vote at 7.15pm and, with many Tories said to be sympathetic to the Labour argument for the need for the uplift to continue, it is thought a handful may vote with the opposition. |
Nearly a third of people who were discharged from hospitals in England after being treated for Covid-19 were readmitted within five months – and almost one in eight died, a study suggests. | Nearly a third of people who were discharged from hospitals in England after being treated for Covid-19 were readmitted within five months – and almost one in eight died, a study suggests. |
The Covid vaccination programme in Wales has been heavily criticised after the first minister, Mark Drakeford, said the deployment of tens of thousands of Pfizer/BioNTech jabs was being staggered to avoid staff sitting around with nothing to do once the country gets through its current supply. | The Covid vaccination programme in Wales has been heavily criticised after the first minister, Mark Drakeford, said the deployment of tens of thousands of Pfizer/BioNTech jabs was being staggered to avoid staff sitting around with nothing to do once the country gets through its current supply. |
The first 24-hour vaccination centres will be piloted in London before the end of January, the UK’s vaccines minister has said. | The first 24-hour vaccination centres will be piloted in London before the end of January, the UK’s vaccines minister has said. |
People in high-risk minority ethnic groups must be prioritised for Covid immunisations, alongside a targeted publicity campaign, experts and politicians have said amid growing concerns over vaccine scepticism. | People in high-risk minority ethnic groups must be prioritised for Covid immunisations, alongside a targeted publicity campaign, experts and politicians have said amid growing concerns over vaccine scepticism. |
Hundreds of thousands of small businesses that were forced to close during the Covid-19 pandemic are expected to receive payouts on insurance claims worth more than £1bn after what was described as a “historic victory” at the supreme court. | Hundreds of thousands of small businesses that were forced to close during the Covid-19 pandemic are expected to receive payouts on insurance claims worth more than £1bn after what was described as a “historic victory” at the supreme court. |
Film and TV crew are no longer exempt from coronavirus restrictions related to job travel, it has emerged. | Film and TV crew are no longer exempt from coronavirus restrictions related to job travel, it has emerged. |
Scottish and Devon fishing trucks descended on Westminster on Monday to stage a protest against the Brexit red tape they say is either delaying or ruining exports of their fresh shellfish to the EU. | Scottish and Devon fishing trucks descended on Westminster on Monday to stage a protest against the Brexit red tape they say is either delaying or ruining exports of their fresh shellfish to the EU. |
That is all from me for tonight. But a colleague will top up the blog later with the result from the vote. | That is all from me for tonight. But a colleague will top up the blog later with the result from the vote. |
Our Covid coverage continues on our global coroanvirus live blog. It’s here. | Our Covid coverage continues on our global coroanvirus live blog. It’s here. |
Nurseries and other early years providers who close or seek to limit numbers to protect staff and children and stem the spread of Covid are likely to lose vital funding, according to Green MP Caroline Lucas. | Nurseries and other early years providers who close or seek to limit numbers to protect staff and children and stem the spread of Covid are likely to lose vital funding, according to Green MP Caroline Lucas. |
She has criticised government plans to press ahead with a census this week, in the midst of national lockdown, to count the number of children in attendance in early years which will determine free-places funding. | She has criticised government plans to press ahead with a census this week, in the midst of national lockdown, to count the number of children in attendance in early years which will determine free-places funding. |
The Department for Education issued new guidance last week which said that children who are registered but temporarily absent for the census because of Covid reasons including illness and self-isolating can still be counted. | The Department for Education issued new guidance last week which said that children who are registered but temporarily absent for the census because of Covid reasons including illness and self-isolating can still be counted. |
Critics, however, highlighted a change in the guidance, which means that where early years providers and nurseries decide to limit numbers for safety reasons, for example just to children of key workers or vulnerable pupils in line with wider schools policy, they could lose funding. Others will lose out because of a drop in demand. | Critics, however, highlighted a change in the guidance, which means that where early years providers and nurseries decide to limit numbers for safety reasons, for example just to children of key workers or vulnerable pupils in line with wider schools policy, they could lose funding. Others will lose out because of a drop in demand. |
Caroline Lucas, the MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: | Caroline Lucas, the MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: |
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, called for the capital to get a “fair share” of the covid vaccines after regional figures released earlier today showed that London had the lowest number of people vaccinated of all English regions at 417,225. The mayor had a crisis meeting with Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccine deployment minister, last Thursday given the high number of cases in the capital. City Hall sources said the mayor was promised that distribution issues would be fixed by the end of this week. | Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, called for the capital to get a “fair share” of the covid vaccines after regional figures released earlier today showed that London had the lowest number of people vaccinated of all English regions at 417,225. The mayor had a crisis meeting with Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccine deployment minister, last Thursday given the high number of cases in the capital. City Hall sources said the mayor was promised that distribution issues would be fixed by the end of this week. |
Leading regions such as the Midlands, and the north-east and Yorkshire, had provided a first dose of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca jabs to 746,687 and 681,317 people respectively. | Leading regions such as the Midlands, and the north-east and Yorkshire, had provided a first dose of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca jabs to 746,687 and 681,317 people respectively. |
The mayor also raised concern that this could disproportionately affect BAME communities, who may be more hesitant about receiving the vaccine.“I have been calling for a fair share of vaccine supply in London,” Khan said, arguing that following his meeting with the minister, the government was now listening. He went on: | The mayor also raised concern that this could disproportionately affect BAME communities, who may be more hesitant about receiving the vaccine.“I have been calling for a fair share of vaccine supply in London,” Khan said, arguing that following his meeting with the minister, the government was now listening. He went on: |
Q: Will you change the law to protect doctors from being prosecuted for unlawful killing because the pressure on resources means they cannot look after patients properly? | Q: Will you change the law to protect doctors from being prosecuted for unlawful killing because the pressure on resources means they cannot look after patients properly? |
Hancock says we are not in the situation where doctors have to chose which patients will be treated and which will not because resources are so limited. He says the advice he has been given is that there is no need to change the law to give them indemnity if they have to take decisions that put lives at risk, he says. | Hancock says we are not in the situation where doctors have to chose which patients will be treated and which will not because resources are so limited. He says the advice he has been given is that there is no need to change the law to give them indemnity if they have to take decisions that put lives at risk, he says. |
He ends the press conference by saying the fact that this question was asked, by a journalist from the BMJ, highlights how much pressure the NHS is facing. | He ends the press conference by saying the fact that this question was asked, by a journalist from the BMJ, highlights how much pressure the NHS is facing. |
And that’s it. | And that’s it. |