E3: UK coronavirus live: Raab gives daily Downing Street briefing as death toll rises by 759

Today’s rise takes UK hospital death toll to 18,100, as health secretary says 15 social care staff are among those to die with Covid-19

Raab says there have been problems.

But he says he has been on the phone every day pursuing PPE deliveries from abroad.

Raab pays tribute to the work of the armed forces.

He says people used to joke in this country that the UK could never build a hospital as quickly as the Chinese built theirs.

Raab summarises the government’s strategy.

It has been tough going, he says, for businesses, for families and for vulnerable people.

Raab starts by reading out the latest testing and mortality figures.

Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state, is holding the daily government press conference. He is appearing with Prof Chris Whitty, the government’s chief medical adviser, and Gen Sir Nick Carter, the chief of the defence staff (ie, the head of the armed forces).

It is the first time Carter has appeared at one of these press conferences.

An increasing number of Premier League clubs are actively discussing the possibility of bringing the season to an early end, with concerns growing over the feasibility of a return even behind closed doors.

The league is suspended indefinitely and, last week, a meeting of the 20 clubs reaffirmed the intention to complete the season when it is “safe and appropriate”.

Related: Premier League clubs discussing early end to season amid growing concerns

During PMQs (see 12.30pm) the Labour MP Barry Gardiner (who briefly considered standing for the leadership) said the government’s scientific advisory group for emergencies (Sage) recommended an urgent lockdown to save lives on 26 February. But the government did not implement that for another three and a half weeks, he said. He said that showed the government was not following scientific advice - a claim Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state rejected.

Gardiner was referring to this paper (pdf), one of several Sage papers published in a batch when the government was under pressure to reveal the scientific advice it was getting.

In the event of a pandemic, without action, the NHS will be unable to meet all demands placed on it. Demand on beds is likely to overtake supply well before the peak is reached. Any interventions that could delay the peak, and/or reduce the size of the peak, whilst increasing the duration of the pandemic, are likely to be helpful, provided the pandemic is not extended into the late autumn/winter.

Any of the measures listed below could potentially flatten the peak of the epidemic and extend it to some extent. A combination of measures would be expected to have a greater impact, but the impacts are not strictly additive. SPI-M-O [the scientific pandemic influenza group on modelling] believes that combining all four measures, as a long-term policy, might have a similar impact to that seen in Hong Kong or mainland China - reducing the reproduction number to around 1. However, this would result in a large second epidemic once measures were lifted. Implementing a subset of measures (eg, the first three) would be expected to have a more moderate impact - still substantially reducing peak incidence, while making a second wave of infection in autumn less likely. This might be the preferred outcome for the NHS.

Buckingham Palace has announced the postponement of investitures due to be held in June and that the annual Garter Day service at Windsor Castle has been cancelled.

In a statement, the palace said this was “for practical reasons in the current circumstances”. It added:

Events of this nature often involve considerable planning for attendees. Mindful of current government advice, we have taken this decision to eliminate any uncertainty for guests due to attend.

There have been a further eight deaths of patients in Northern Ireland who tested positive for Covid-19, the Public Health Agency has said.

The eight, along with a number of other deaths in previous days that have now been added to the official record, brings the total who have died with coronavirus in the region to 250, the agency added.

DAILY UPDATE

The number of Covid-19 related deaths recorded by HSC Trusts in NI has sadly risen to 250.https://t.co/YRDhgGbdMO pic.twitter.com/yh4Vm9hduq

Labour says it has been approached by 36 British companies who say they have offered to help the government with the supply of PPE (personal protective equipment) and who say they have not had a reply. According to Labour, the 36 include:

Issa Exchange Ltd in Birmingham that told Labour it offered a quarter of a million aprons and masks.

Network Medical Products in Ripon, which says it can provide 100,000 face visors per week.

You and your officials and those at the Department for Health and Social Care will be best placed to validate what capability and capacity these firms have, but as they have not received a reply after contacting the government, I wanted to ensure that the Cabinet Office was aware of them.

Of these firms, if just one, five or 10 were able to contribute to the national effort of ensuring that our NHS and care workers – and indeed anybody who needs to use some form of personal protective equipment and clothing – could be better protected, or just one hospital or care home were able to access adequate supplies of the PPE they need, I know you will agree that that would go a long way and make a big difference.

Prince Charles has urged the world to reshape and reset towards a “green recovery” and more sustainable future once the coronavirus crisis has passed.

In a message to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, he said the slowdown of human and industrial activity during the pandemic showed how quickly the Earth could heal itself, highlighting improved air quality in some of the world’s major cities and the return of wildlife to communities and waterways.

Read HRH’s message in full here ⬇https://t.co/8ZCrXsNC90 pic.twitter.com/N3PgJzZc01

I can only hope that as this current crisis passes we are able to reflect on, and shape, the type of world we want for ourselves and for future generations.

Together, I am confident that we can use this crisis to reset our course by putting people and planet first.

Hundreds of people have become homeless during the coronavirus lockdown, the mayor of Greater Manchester has said.

Speaking at a weekly briefing on the region’s response to the pandemic on Wednesday, Andy Burnham said 344 people had been recorded as newly homeless and requiring accommodation since the strict restrictions were implemented.

There are people coming on to the streets through this who perhaps are finding their arrangements, possibly a sofa-surfing arrangement, has broken down.

But also, frustratingly for us, on the latest figures we are still seeing people released from prison to no fixed address and that is adding to the problem.

There should be a positive legacy for homelessness coming out of this but if the government sticks to the position that it’s in, that will become more and more difficult to achieve.

In the latest episode of our Science Weekly podcast, the Guardian’s health editor, Sarah Boseley, speaks to Dr Dipesh Patel about the effects of Covid-19 on people with diabetes, including the role that glucose levels and a high BMI might play. Have a listen here.

Related: Covid-19: how vulnerable are people with diabetes? – podcast

Downing Street has rejected suggestions that Sir Simon McDonald, the head of the Foreign Office, was pressurised into withdrawing his statement to a select committee yesterday saying the government took a political decision not to participate in the EU’s ventilator procurement scheme. Asked who put pressure on McDonald, the prime minister’s spokesman said: “Nobody.”

Asked to explain McDonald’s surprise decision to issue a statement saying that his original evidence had been based on a “misunderstanding” (see 9.37am), the spokesman said:

There was obviously quite a lot of pickup of what he had said by the time he had left that committee [hearing] and it’s important that select committees are given accurate information and that’s why he corrected what he said.

Related: EU turns up pressure on Matt Hancock over Covid-19 PPE scheme

The health of construction workers is being “threatened by watered-down advice” on physical distancing on building sites, Unite has said.

The union said the latest guidance being given to building workers – issued to coincide with a return to work at a large number of sites this week, particularly in the London area – was unsafe and placed them at unnecessary risk.

We sincerely hope that this is not a case of the economy being put before the health of construction workers and their families.

Unite’s position remains unchanged: no site should be working unless it can do so safely and that means two-metre social distancing must be maintained at all times.

We've warned the government that the latest guidance on how construction sites should operate during the #COVID19 pandemic, is unsafe and places construction workers at unnecessary risk.#Social_Distancing https://t.co/cSMTwFLtdW

Liz Truss, the women and equalities minister (and international trade secretary), has dismissed concerns over the number of female ministers leading the daily Downing Street coronavirus press conference as “tokenism”. At a committee hearing this morning, Truss said “excessive focus” on the gender of the politician leading the televised briefing “does a disservice to women”. Our colleague Frances Perraudin has the full story.

Related: Truss dismisses concerns over lack of women leading No 10 briefings

There have now been 309,000 applications for the government to pay the wages of furloughed staff through its coronavirus job retention scheme, Downing Street has said. That means 2.2m workers could benefit, it says. The scheme opened on Monday.

Hundreds of asylum seekers in Glasgow have been given less than an hour’s notice to pack up their flats before being moved into city centre hotels, where they claim social distancing is “impossible”, our colleague Libby Brooks reports.

Related: Glasgow asylum seekers moved into hotels where distancing is 'impossible'

The day after announcing limited prisoner release to ease pressure in Scotland’s jails, the justice secretary, Humza Yousaf, has been challenged on emergency amendments that extend 24-hour-a-day detention and lift requirements for clean clothes.

The head of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, Judith Robertson, and the Scottish prisons inspector, Wendy Sinclair, met Yousaf earlier today to raise significant human rights concerns about the amendments to prison rules.

According to the new rules, prisoners who are self-isolating in their cells are there 24 hours a day, for up to 14 days, potentially more if they are sharing a cell with someone who becomes symptomatic. That 24-hours-a-day detention excludes exercise or use of telephone or shower. The amendments also lift the requirement to provide nutritious food and drink to meet religious needs or to provide clean socks and underwear daily and clean clothes as often as is necessary.

We are particularly concerned that the guidance to governors does not include the statement that these changes should only be applied in extreme circumstances.

The Department for Health and Social Care has just published the latest daily UK coronavirus hospital death figures. There have been 759 new deaths, taking the total to 18,100.

The full details are here.

As of 9am 22 April, 559,935 tests have concluded, with 22,814 tests on 21 April.

411,192 people have been tested of which 133,495 tested positive.

As of 5pm on 21 April, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 18,100 have sadly died. pic.twitter.com/gFFpwZe1gl

The Guardian’s latest Politics Weekly podcast is out. Jonathan Freedland and guests discuss a historic week in parliament, as prime minister’s questions goes “virtual”, and Larry Elliott speaks to the Enlightened Economist, Diane Coyle, about the potential for economic reform post-pandemic.

Related: Virtual PMQs without a prime minister: Politics Weekly podcast

NHS England has announced 665 further deaths of people who tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 16,272. The full figures are here (pdf).

Of the 665 new deaths announced today:
- 119 occurred on 21 April
- 254 occurred on 20 April
- 108 occurred on 19 April

Public Health Wales has announced another 15 people have died in Wales after testing positive for Covid-19, bringing the total there to 624.

A further 274 cases were confirmed, bringing the total number to 8,124. A total of 28,088 tests have now been carried out.

The latest number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus in wales have been updated.

Data dashboard:

https://t.co/RwgHDufHE7

https://t.co/P6UF1MTOwc

Find out how we are working with our partners to respond to the spread of the virus here: https://t.co/1Lza9meaTL pic.twitter.com/8Q7gJBEwwm

Thank you so much to everybody who has been in touch so far today with tips and suggestions for the live blog. If you have any ideas or stories, do feel free to message me via the usual channels (below) and apologies if I cannot reply to you all individually.

Email: lucy.campbell@theguardian.com
Twitter: @lucy_campbell_

During PMQs Sir Ed Davey, the acting Lib Dem leader, called for a judge-led inquiry into the government’s handling of coronavirus. Dominic Raab said he did not agree, saying people would expect the government to be focusing now on handling the crisis. Raab told MPs:

I have to say I won’t take up his offer of committing to a public inquiry.

I think that there are definitely lessons to be learned and when we get through this crisis it will be important that we take stock and we come together to understand with an unprecedented challenge on an international scale what can be done to avoid it happening again.

Keir has said that he believes serious mistakes have been made in the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and ministers do need to be held accountable for those mistakes. The priority now has got to be on how the government fixes the current mistakes it is making.

Ken Clarke, the former Tory chancellor, said he expects it will take several years for the UK economy to recover from the pandemic – and even then it won’t “bounce back” to where it was. He told BBC Radio 4’s World at One today:

I think we are going to find it a huge blow to the GDP during the crisis and we won’t just bounce back. Of course there will be a recovery, but I fear it won’t bounce back to where we were.

My own expectation is once we come out of lockdown, probably for the next two to three years, we will be struggling constantly with the effort to get economies back to something like the healthy state we would have liked to have seen them in before we started.

Labour’s Maria Eagle asks if there is a link between Liverpool having a higher than average incidence of coronavirus and the government’s decision to allow the Liverpool v Atlético Madrid match to go ahead on 11 March. The government’s deputy chief scientific adviser has said there might be a link. Does the government think there is a connection?

Hancock says that is a question for the scientists.

The UK has signed an agreement with Greece to clamp down on migrant crossings in the east Mediterranean, the Home Office has announced.

A significant proportion of undocumented migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa who seek to reach the UK first pass through Greece on their journey across Europe.

Illegal migration is facilitated by dangerous, malicious, criminals, taking advantage of the desperate situations that many people find themselves in. They do not care about the safety of the people involved.

The joint action plan will deliver on our commitment to keep our borders secure and will discourage those considering making the dangerous and illegal journey into Greece, through Europe, and in many cases to the UK.

This is from the Labour MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan

Disappointing response from @MattHancock on why the UK is following different self-isolation advice.

To say we are “guided by the science... science recommends the seven day rule" is baffling. How is the UK science different to the rest of world?

Still no adequate answer.

Labour’s Barry Sheerman, appearing via Zoom, tells Hancock that the “management and leadership of this present crisis has been shambolic”. He says the UK has lagged behind Germany and that a death toll of around 800 people (the daily figure at certain points) is equivalent to two jumbo jets crashing.

I believe it is a shambles of leadership and management. I believe we are letting down NHS staff, and they have been let down.

Many of us do not believe [Hancock] is telling the truth to the people of this country.

This is what Matt Hancock said in his opening statement about the UK being at the peak of the pandemic. He said:

We are at the peak. But before we relax any social distancing rules or make changes to them we have set out the five tests that have to be met.

Labour’s Hilary Benn asks if the government will provide free masks to people if it advises that they should be worn.

Hancock says the government will follow the expert advice. He says giving out free masks would be extraordinary. He says the government does not want to do anything that could lead to the NHS missing out.

Hancock says home testing through the post will become available. He says this will be particularly useful for people living in rural areas.

Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, says the director general of the World Health Organization said “test, test, test” was the way to address this problem. But that did not happen. Will it happen now?

Hancock says testing has been developed “at pace”. The UK was one of the first countries in the world to develop a test, he says. He says the government has had “its foot on the gas” the whole time.

Coronavirus-related deaths in care homes could be double the number already reported, the government has said.

The Department of Health and Social Care also feared a “significant rise” in deaths not involving Covid-19 among residents, it said on Wednesday.

Comparing total deaths registered by place of occurrence between week 11 (when first COVID-19 deaths were registered) and week 15, shows a 99.4% increase in care home deaths, 72.4% increase in hospitals, and 51.1% increase in private homes https://t.co/2k84MlihB9 #coronavirus

It is anticipated that the number of deaths in care homes relating to Covid-19 reported by providers between April 11 and April 15 could be double the number of care home deaths reported yesterday.

In common with the ONS, CQC’s preliminary analysis also indicates there may be a significant rise in non-Covid-19 deaths.

The proportion of deaths might drop in hospitals but the proportion of deaths may go up overall in nursing homes.

Particularly in the frail and the vulnerable and the elderly, this will be a debilitating disease.

Greg Clark, the Conservative former business secretary who now chairs the Commons science committee, asks if Sage, the scientific advisory group for emergencies, backed the target of having 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month.

Hancock says there was scientific input into that decision, although he says he cannot remember whether it directly came from Sage.

Jeremy Hunt, the Conservative former health secretary, says that to ease the lockdown, the government has to be able to track and trace every new case. Will this be in place in two weeks, he asks. And will the government appoint a “big hitter” to take charge of this?

Hancock says the government is ramping up its capacity for contact tracing “in a matter of weeks”.

We are ramping up our testing capacity and our capacity for contact-tracing in a matter of weeks, and we’ll have it ready to make sure that we can use that as and when the incidence of transmission comes down.

It isn’t as tied to the specific decision that we’re required by law to take in just over two weeks time [the review of the lockdown].

Hancock is now responding to some questions from Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary. Hancock is in the chamber, but Ashworth asked his questions by Zoom.

Labour’s @JonAshworth asks @MattHancock for a *lot* of info incl:
-Care worker death stats.
-Minutes from SAGE meetings.
-Explanation on self-isolation advice being 7 days.
-Explanation why UK missed first stages of EU PPE scheme.
-Number of empty general and acute NHS beds.

.@MattHancock just told @JonAshworth something very puzzling which is that the « nature of those who first caught the disease » in Germany contributes meaningfully to why Germany’s #COVID19 mortality rate lower than in UK. Anyone know what he means?

Young (healthy) Germans coming back from ski resorts

Matt Hancock, the health secretary, is now making a Commons statement on coronavirus.

Here are some lines from his opening statement.

There are now more than 3000 spare critical care beds says @MattHancock

Matt Hancock again says that demand for testing has been "lower than expected" - that makes it sound like NHS staff / care workers haven't wanted to get tested - point is that they haven't been able to because sites so far away etc

Large scale contact tracing will be introduced as the number of #coronavirus cases are brought down - says Matt Hancock

Health Sec adds that a new NHS app is in development

Hancock in the Commons finally says what the numbers have been suggesting for a few days - we are at the peak of the #covid19 epidemic

As he thanks the public for observing the social distancing rules he adds this: "It is making a difference we are at the peak"

Health Secretary Matt Hancock says the government is “actively engaged with over 1,000 companies who buy [PPE] from abroad and working with 159 potential UK manufacturers”, adding “not all offers have been credible” https://t.co/YorHpy1dCZ pic.twitter.com/pyq2jvk780

That was Sir Keir Starmer’s first outing as Labour leader at PMQs, but just as importantly this marked the debut for a whole new way of running this question session: a “hybrid” system, with most MPs participating by Zoom. Both probably amount to a distinct improvement on what came before.

First, the process. On a technical level it mostly worked well. One MP did not manage to dial in in time, and another got cut off early. But overall it went smoothly.

A total of 1,062 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for Covid-19, up by 77 from 985 on Tuesday, the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said.

The figures are lower than the 1,616 deaths given earlier by the National Records of Scotland (see 12.22pm) as they do not include suspected and probable coronavirus infections.

James Sunderland, a Conservative, asks Raab what are the ingredients that will take the country through this.

Raab says the critical ingredient is for the country to come together. He says people understand how important key workers are. We can and will rise to the challenge as one United Kingdom, he says.

Labour’s Stephen Kinnock asks about Port Talbot steel works. He says the government help to Tata steel is only one-tenth of what it needs.

Raab says he understands the point Kinnock makes. The chancellor is looking carefully at the needs of the steel sector, he says.

Matt Vickers, a Conservative, asks if the government will consider the case for putting more money into the NHS.

Raab says the government is already putting record sums into the NHS.

Labour’s Naz Shah, who is in the chamber, asks if the government will compensate councils for the costs they are incurring as a result of coronavirus.

Raab pays tribute to councils. An extra £1.6bn has already been announced, he says.

The Conservative MP Nick Fletcher asks what is being done to ensure NHS staff get enough PPE.

Raab says 1bn items have been delivered already. The government will ramp up its capacity to deliver it, he says.

Labour’s Barry Gardiner says Sage, the scientific advisory group on emergencies, recommended a lockdown at the end of February. The government claims it has followed scientific advice. But it hasn’t, has it?

Raab says the government has followed scientific advice at all times. It will continue to do that, he says.

The Conservative MP Sally-Ann Hart asks what can be done to help tourism.

Raab says the government knows tourism is being affected. Unprecedented support for businesses and workers is on offer, he says.

Labour’s Lucy Powell asks what the government will do to help the hospitality sector.

Raab says a whole range of measures have been introduced. He offers to look at what more can be done to help particular businesses.

The Tory MP Peter Bone says the banks are offering savers a pathetic interest rate. When will they act in the national interest?

Bone gets disconnected before he can finish.

The Speaker says David Mundell was “unable to connect” and so he goes to the next person on the list, Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, who is asking a question remotely. He says many workers are getting no support. The SNP is leading a call for a universal basic income. Can Raab say whether or not he supports this proposal?

Raab says he does not agree with a universal basic income. The government has announced a range of measures to support workers, unrivalled in the world. He says a universal income would not be targeted.

Almost 80% more deaths were recorded in Scotland in the week to 19 April than the average, according to new figures published by National Records of Scotland this morning.

The total number of deaths registered in Scotland between 13 and to 19 April stood at 1,911 which is 79% higher than the average number of deaths registered in the same week over the last five years.

Our aim is to ensure that our statistical publication provides information that is as useful as possible and adds value to the understanding of how the virus is spreading throughout the country. We will continue to review and develop these statistics.

Here are the National Records of Scotland graphics on escalating #covid19 mortalities and where people are dying #coronavirusuk pic.twitter.com/3przkuG9cv

pic.twitter.com/CM4Twgl3NJ

Starmer pays his own tribute to frontline workers. And he says it has been “incredible” to see how the capacity of the NHS has been ramped up.

He says he accepts that this is not easy.

Starmer says he is disappointed there is no answer for care workers. He says he will ask the same question again next week. He expects an answer then.

Turning to PPE, he quotes a worker saying she is “scared”. Half of nursing staff feel under pressure, he says. This has been a stress test of our resilience. When will frontline workers finally get the equipment they need?

Starmer asks about an A&E consultant who died on Monday. He was the first Sikh consultant, but one of many NHS workers to have died. How many NHS workers have died and how many social care workers?

Raab says he entirely agrees with the broader point Starmer is making about the need to support NHS staff. He says he thinks 69 people have died in the NHS. He says he does not have a figure for care workers, because that is harder to obtain.

Starmer says the demand for testing is there. If a care worker has symptoms, they have to self-isolate. To get a test, they have to travel to a test centre, miles away. For example, people in Leicester are being told to go to one on the edge of Nottingham. But some care workers don’t have a car. And they cannot use public transport. So this is not a good plan.

What reassurance can Raab give to care workers that things will improve for them, and fast?

Starmer says he did not need correcting. He talked about tests, not capacity. He says Raab’s comment about capacity highlights the gap between tests carried out and the number that could be carried out.

Why isn’t the government using all the tests available every day?

We will deliver. And those tests will be crucial, not just in controlling the virus, but in moving to the next stage.

Sir Keir Starmer starts by thanking the Speaker and the Commons staff for allowing the Commons to meet like this. He sends his best wishes to the PM for a full recovery. And he expresses his condolences to those who have lost loved ones, and his thanks to NHS staff.

Starmer says he promised constructive opposition. He will support the government when it is right. But he will challenge it when it is wrong.

Dominic Raab says the PM is making a good recovery, and is in good spirits.

The government continues to take the right steps at the right time, guided by the experts, he says.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, says he will run these exchanges for 45 minutes.

Raab now here. 17 Tories in total

PMQs is about to start.

Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state, is standing in for Boris Johnson, who is still recovering from his illness.

This is from the Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, who has been getting ready to ask a question at PMQs from home.

Suited, booted and getting ready for Prime Minister’s Questions #PMQs Always good to have a shoe box and a pair of Stan Smiths handy pic.twitter.com/K828qpH8Kq

In the Commons, Simon Hart, the Welsh secretary, is taking questions – via video conferencing. There are a few MPs in the chamber, but Hart is responding by Zoom.

It seems to be working OK.

This is beautiful. From Sky’s Kay Burley.

I’m not crying. There’s something in my eye.

Please may I share this rare moment of joy from Northwick Park Hospital this afternoon.

Retired now returned nurse on piano and consultant on the violin serenading A&E sister being discharged after close call with #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/jdSB5F5pWY

Nando’s has reopened the kitchens in some of its restaurants to help feed NHS workers.

The chain said seven of its city centre restaurants reopened their kitchens on Monday, after closing all its sites in the face of the pandemic on 23 March.

The European commission has said the UK was well aware of its coronavirus procurement initiative when it decided not to participate. Its account contradicts the UK government claim that a “misunderstanding” was to blame for the UK not getting involved. (See 9.37am.) These are from the Sun’s Brussels correspondent Nick Gutteridge.

EU Commission: "Commission announced Jan 31 it could help Member States with organisation of Joint Procurement. Joint Procurement and reporting on the state of medical supplies of Member States was a recurring topic of the agenda of the Health and Security Committee meetings...

...so the UK was as all other members of the HSC aware of the work that was ongoing and had ample opportunity to express its wish to participate in a Joint Procurement if it wanted to do so. As to why it did not participate this is obviously something on which we cannot comment.'

Almost 300 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed in Northern Ireland’s nursing and residential homes, the Public Health Agency (PHA) said.

Due to understaffing, NHS workers have been drafted in to bolster numbers and the tally of cases is expected to grow, other Stormont health officials added.

When the PHA receives a notification of an issue of acute respiratory infection in a care home, the agency’s health protection team investigates and supports the provider in managing the outbreak.

A comprehensive risk assessment is completed of the incident, which includes an assessment of each individual resident and the environment, and an ongoing assessment of the severity, spread and context of the incident.

The Welsh government has announced that disadvantaged children will receive free “school meals” throughout the summer holidays, the first UK country to do so.

Kirsty Williams, the education minister for Wales, said the government in Cardiff was extending funding for local authorities to provide free school meals for eligible pupils until the start of the next school year in September. Williams said:

We will continue to support local authorities, both financially and through revised guidance, to deliver local solutions while schools remain closed.

I can confirm we will provide £33m to enable local authorities to continue free school meal provision until schools re-open or up to the end of August.

Four men have been given fines totalling £240 after travelling 25 miles to get a takeaway.

Derbyshire police said the friends, who do not live together, were approached in a parked car in Normanton, Derby, on Monday evening. They had made a round trip to Burton-upon-Trent to pick up burgers, chips and soft drinks, and were parked up eating the meal, the force added.

A senior West Midlands police officer who contracted coronavirus has left hospital after spending 13 days on a ventilator.

Ch Supt Phil Dolby fell ill in late March and was later taken to hospital in an ambulance after experiencing symptoms including “breathlessness and dizziness”.

After 26 days, I have been discharged from @WorcsAcuteNHS & am at home with my family! A lovely send off from the amazing hospital staff. Emotional reunion with my wife, kids & Labrador. Long road to recovery ahead. Slow & steady. Thanks for all your support! #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/QND7GCnjYZ

The BBC’s Jessica Parker has more on the row about the UK’s non-involvement in the EU’s coronavirus procurement schemes.

EU sources - who say that UK had “ample opportunity” to take part in procurement scheme - point to this meeting on Feb 4th

“Medical countermeasures” & PPE were discussed

But Govt sources say the projects weren’t officially on the agenda & our eligibility was not made clear pic.twitter.com/dydAsjpSQc

Scottish stars including Annie Lennox, Irvine Welsh, Janey Godley, Judy Murray, James McAvoy and Lorne Balfe are taking part in a livestream fundraiser, For the Love of Scotland, organised by broadcaster Edith Bowman.

The event, which will include music, literature, poetry and chats, aims to raise urgent funds for Masks for Scotland, a crowdfunding initiative set up by Prof Jill Belch of the University of Dundee, in response to the desperate need for PPE for community frontline medical teams across the country.

According to the BBC’s Norman Smith, a survey by the National Care Forum, which represents care homes, has found that 75% of care home staff who want a coronavirus test have not been able to get one. The survey found that one problem was that people who do get offered a test have to make a round-trip of 62 miles on average to get to the nearest drive-through centre where the testing takes place.

75% of care home staff with suspected Covid have still not been tested according to survey by @NcfForum

Care home staff having to make average 62 mile round trip to access Govt drive thru testing cites say @NcfForum

Less than one in ten of care home staff visiting famiily homes - and who have suspected Covid - have been tested say @NcfForum

In his Good Morning Britain interview Tony Blair also said it was important not to have “a void of decision-making” in government. While Boris Johnson continued to recover from his own coronavirus infection, Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state who is deputising for him, should have the authority to take decisions, Blair said.

I think in a situation where every day matters and where every day decisions have to be taken, I think the person who is the acting prime minister along with what is essentially the war cabinet - the top four ministers that are meeting together - that person has got to be taking those decisions. You can’t have a void of decision-making.

The former Labour prime minister Tony Blair has restated his call for the government to change the way it operates as it addresses the coronavirus crisis. He believes the government needs to bring in outsiders with the right expertise and experience to take charge of the various specific challenges ahead. Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Blair said this is one of the lessons he learnt from handling the foot-and-mouth crisis. He explained:

To be frank about it, for the first few weeks we were behind the curve, but what I learnt is that you just have to set aside all the normal rules and bureaucracy and just reposition the government differently ...

All of us know people who are serious people with capabilities to offer who have been trying to fight their way into the system to offer them - and that is what makes me think we are not yet organised in the right way for the scale of this thing so that every possible avenue is being explored.

The mayor of London has called on the UK government to ban evictions over arrears built up by renters as a result of the coronavirus emergency, with millions facing falling into debt with their landlords because of lost work and high rents.

In an announcement today, Sadiq Khan also called for an increase to housing benefits, and an undertaking that the government would cover, for the duration of the crisis, any shortfall in payments by private renters, including those with no recourse to public funds. Demanding a “triple lock” protection for renters, Khan said:

With millions of low-paid renters in London now facing increased financial uncertainty we face a ticking time bomb of debt, arrears and widespread evictions once the suspension in court proceedings is lifted.

Failing to bring in more support for renters will not only result in widespread financial hardship, but risks increasing the public health crisis, as renters may feel forced to return to work too soon, with increasing debt and arrears hanging over their heads.

Lots of people feel they have no choice but to break social distancing guidelines and go out to work, in many cases becoming seriously ill. People must be able to prioritise their safety, health and paying for food and other essentials over rent.

We’re glad to see that Sadiq is listening to what we and other organisations in the renters movement are saying and joining us in calling for protections for renters who get in to rent debt during the coronavirus pandemic. The government must immediately suspend all rent payments and introduce measures that waive rent debt.

Chris Bryant, the Labour MP whose question about the EU’s ventilator procurement scheme led to Sir Simon McDonald, the head of the Foreign Office, telling the foreign affairs committee that the UK’s decision not to get involved was a “political decision”, is now saying the committee should investigate exactly what happened. As reported earlier (see 8.31am), Bryant has already said that he does not find the retraction issued by McDonald a few hours after the hearing at all credible.

It’s not a clarification. It’s a denial of what he said previously. The committee should ask for a point by point calendar of events because others who were at cobra meetings have different accounts https://t.co/EuPNTyo0MA

Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, I inadvertently and wrongly told the committee that ministers were briefed by UKMIS [the UK mission in Brussels] on the EU’s joint procurement agreement scheme and took a political decision not to participate in it. This is incorrect. Ministers were not briefed by our mission in Brussels about the scheme and a political decision was not taken on whether or not to participate.

The facts of the situation are as previously set out. Owing to an initial communication problem, the UK did not receive an invitation in time to join in four joint Covid EU procurement schemes. As those four initial schemes had already gone out to tender we were unable to take part.

Earlier Helen Whately, the care minister, said that the confirmed number of NHS staff who have died from coronavirus was 61. (See 8.22am.)

According to the Nursing Notes website, which is compiling an online memorial, 111 health and social care workers have died from coronavirus.

Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking over from Matthew Weaver.

Here is a timetable for the main events coming up today.

Labour’s Chris Bryant was one of the MPs who quizzed Sir Simon McDonald on why the UK opted out of the EU’s procurement scheme. Bryant says he does not believe McDonald’s retraction of his claim that the decision was political.

I don’t believe a word of this. And I’m told COBRA discussed the delicate question of whether to take part with Hancock in the chair. https://t.co/nYuvWq5oa8

Whately told BBC Breakfast that 61 NHS staff were known to have died after becoming infected with the coronavirus.

She said:

We know that 61 NHS workers have died and for care workers I have a figure of 15, but we are working to get more comprehensive data on that because it is important for us to know the number of people in health and care who are dying of this.

The Guardian’s Brussels correspondent, Jennifer Rankin, points out that EU officials have not confirmed Matt Hancock’s claim that the UK has joined the latest EU medical equipment procurement round.

"The UK has now joined the latest EU procurement round which will initially involve treatments and therapies," reports @BBCr4today

But no new round confirmed in Brussels. Officials say discussions ongoing. That doesn't mean UK hasn't said yes, but things may be less advanced.

The FT estimates that the true number of those who have died from coronavirus in the UK is 41,000 - more than double the current official total.

Chris Giles, the FT’s economics editor, has explained the calculation.

The article explaining the calculations is here

2/https://t.co/YPPhk6f4ms

It is easily checked and every week, when the ONS data is published, will be a test to see whether it is on track or not.

So far, it has proved remarkably accurate and we haven't published until now so we could check it was not giving a false steer

4/

The England and Wales chart, compared with the previous 50 years shows this is not a normal seasonal flu

Carl Henegan, professor of evidence based medicine at Oxford university, says: "I don’t think we’ve ever seen such a sharp upturn in deaths at that rate" pic.twitter.com/Wg18u9Oxcy

So, this is where the 41,000 figure comes from.

- 17,000 excess deaths so far but that is out of date and the following two weeks had stable and high levels of hospital deaths pic.twitter.com/e6I7Nem65r

The care minister, Helen Whately, has confirmed that some PPE supplies from Turkey have arrived at RAF Brize Norton. She also insisted the initial decision to opt out of an EU procurement scheme was not political.

Speaking to Sky News she said:

The plane has now arrived bringing really vital PPE with it. The consignment is being checked. What we know with these deliveries is that they do not always have exactly what you expect.

There do seem some misunderstandings about the EU scheme. I am assured there was no political decision about the involvement in it

The reason we weren’t involved in the initial scheme was to do with a communications error. We are now participating in one EU scheme and ready to participate in future schemes.

Stephen Hawking’s ventilator has been donated to the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge to help treat patients with coronavirus.

Our father received brilliant, dedicated and compassionate medical care from both Royal Papworth and Addenbrooke’s Hospitals in Cambridge.

As a ventilated patient, Royal Papworth was incredibly important to my father and helped him through some very difficult times.

Welcome to our UK coronavirus live blog.

Ministers’ claims about efforts to procure vital medical equipment appear to be unravelling amid fresh evidence of failures to secure supplies.

There is something either falling in the gaps between the sentences or being cloaked by the definitions (eg Scheme) used, but that is not the natural way for a civil servant to make such a "clarification"

That wording has been negotiated to the point of strangulation

To take one example

Why write
"Ministers were not briefed by our mission in Brussels about the scheme"

Instead of
"Ministers were not briefed about the scheme"

Or even
"Ministers were not aware of the scheme"

Longer sentences do not happen by accident in such formal documents

A similar approach can be employed for almost every proposition in the letter

And that is odd: for a skilled wordsmith like a senior civil servant would usually make such a forensic approach difficult

Something is up here

It's like a coded cry for help from someone kidnapped

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