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| Ebola screening for UK arrivals ruled out for now - Osborne | Ebola screening for UK arrivals ruled out for now - Osborne |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| George Osborne has ruled out screening for Ebola in the UK but says that could change depending on medical advice. | George Osborne has ruled out screening for Ebola in the UK but says that could change depending on medical advice. |
| Medical experts have questioned the effectiveness of screening after a Commons select committee chairman urged tests at British transport hubs. | Medical experts have questioned the effectiveness of screening after a Commons select committee chairman urged tests at British transport hubs. |
| The chancellor said the government would do nothing that "puts the British population at risk". | The chancellor said the government would do nothing that "puts the British population at risk". |
| Earlier this week a Spanish nurse became the first person to contract the deadly virus outside of West Africa. | Earlier this week a Spanish nurse became the first person to contract the deadly virus outside of West Africa. |
| The outbreak has already killed more than 3,000 people and infected more than 7,200 - mostly in that region. | The outbreak has already killed more than 3,000 people and infected more than 7,200 - mostly in that region. |
| Ministers have so far resisted calls to screen for Ebola at UK airports, with Defence Secretary Michael Fallon pointing out that government policy was in line with advice from the World Health Organisation. | |
| The Department of Health has also ruled out such tests, with a statement on its website saying: "The overall risk of Ebola to the UK remains low. | |
| "Entry screening in the UK is not recommended by the World Health Organisation, and there are no plans to introduce entry screening for Ebola in the UK." | |
| Earlier Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, had urged the UK to look to the US, which is screening at some airports. | |
| Labour MP Mr Vaz said: "Our immediate response should be to tighten regulation and introduce measures such as screenings at airports, train stations and ferry ports to ensure that this deadly disease cannot take more lives." | Labour MP Mr Vaz said: "Our immediate response should be to tighten regulation and introduce measures such as screenings at airports, train stations and ferry ports to ensure that this deadly disease cannot take more lives." |
| 'Better protection' | 'Better protection' |
| But the chancellor said there were already controls at the UK's airports, telling BBC News: "If the medical advice is we need to screen, and it might well be, then we will absolutely take that action. | But the chancellor said there were already controls at the UK's airports, telling BBC News: "If the medical advice is we need to screen, and it might well be, then we will absolutely take that action. |
| "We're not going to do anything that puts the British population at risk, indeed quite the opposite. | "We're not going to do anything that puts the British population at risk, indeed quite the opposite. |
| "The steps we've taken over several months now have all been designed to better protect Britain from this awful disease." | "The steps we've taken over several months now have all been designed to better protect Britain from this awful disease." |
| Chairman of Public Health England Prof David Heymann said similar attempts to combat the life-threatening Sars virus in 2003 had been ineffective. | Chairman of Public Health England Prof David Heymann said similar attempts to combat the life-threatening Sars virus in 2003 had been ineffective. |
| "Very few people were actually found who were infected," he added. | "Very few people were actually found who were infected," he added. |
| "In fact, there's no record of anybody in most countries having been shown to be infected with Sars when they crossed the border." | "In fact, there's no record of anybody in most countries having been shown to be infected with Sars when they crossed the border." |
| BBC political correspondent Ben Wright said Downing Street planned to make an announcement on screening. | |
| He said there appeared to be "conflicting messages" coming from within government. | |
| "It may be that the government feels it does have to move a bit on this to respond to public concern on Ebola," our correspondent added. |