Good afternoon and welcome to viewers on bbc one and the bbc news channel, ahead of todays daily Coronavirus Briefing from downing street. Thatll be taking place at five oclock, with the housing minister robertjenrick leading proceedings. First, though, borisjohnson has held his first Prime Ministers questions since recovering from coronavirus, where he faced criticism from the labour leader sir keir starmer over the governments response to the pandemic. Speaking in the commons, mrjohnson said he bitterly regretted the epidemic which has swept through care homes, after labour accused him of failing to get to grips with the number of deaths there. The Prime Minister also said he hoped there would be an easing of lockdown measures from monday, although he did not give details on what those might be. And he set a new goal of doubling Testing Capacity to 200,000 by the end of the month. Testing capacity to 200,000 this afternoon nhs england announced a further 331 people had died in hospitals in england after testing positive for covid 19. A further 83 have died in scotland, 21 in wales, and another 1a deaths have been recorded in Northern Ireland. This report is from our Political Correspondent, nick eardley. Not much feels normaljust now, not at westminster, not around the country. Here, though, scrutiny of the governments strategy goes on, and questions are being asked, after the uks death toll overtook italys to become the highest in europe so far. After a six week absence during which he had coronavirus, the Prime Minister heading back to parliament to face some of those questions, for the first time from new labour leader sir keir starmer. Oh, im looking forward to it and im glad to see hes back in parliament. I would like to welcome the prime minster back to his rightful place in the chamber. His government was accused of acting too slowly at the start of the crisis. At least 29,427 people in the uk have now lost their lives to this dreadful virus. Thats now the highest number in europe. Its the second highest in the world. That is not success, or apparent success, so can the Prime Minister tell us how on earth did it come to this. How on earth did it come to this . The government has argued it is too early for International Comparisons, but defends its strategy. At every stage, as we took the decisions that we did, we were governed by one overriding principle and aim, and that was to save lives and to protect our nhs. Mrjohnson also said he wanted testing increased again, up to 200,000 per day, but he faced pressure too on the situation in care homes. Whilst, happily, in hospitals it looks as though deaths are falling, deaths in care homes continue to go up. He is absolutely right to say there is an epidemic going on in care homes, which is something i bitterly regret and we have been working very hard for weeks to get it down. The Prime Minister will reveal the next stage of the Government Strategy on sunday. Its possible there could be changes as soon as monday. But while there is pressure here to get the economy moving again, few think doing that will be quick or easy. As the lockdown continues, though, this man, neil ferguson, one of the most prominent scientists advising the government, resigned after the Daily Telegraph reported his married lover had visited his home against the governments own advice. When it comes, normal might look quite different. Lifting restrictions is likely to be gradual. Scenes like this wont disappear overnight. Nick eardley, bbc news, westminster. The Health Secretary has again defended the governments testing strategy. Matt hancock denied that the government had left people in care homes more vulnerable to the virus, by prioritising hospitals. 0ur Health Correspondent Anna Collinson reports. 100,000 daily tests by the end of april was the promise. And last friday the government said the deadline had been met. I can announce we have met our goal. The number of tests yesterday, on the last day of april, was 122,310. But over the past three days, the government has failed to hit its target, most recently reaching around 85,000. Testing capacity has increased in recent weeks with kits available to order online and testing sites popping up all over the uk. But the government and its advisers admit it should have happened sooner and faster. This morning the Health Secretary for england spoke to sky news. It would have been wonderful if we had gone into this crisis with a global scale diagnostics industry, yes. But, you know, in the way that for instance germany did. But we went in more like other countries like france, which similarly have had to build testing capability almost from scratch. The Health Secretary also dismissed claims that the elderly had been sacrificed so the nhs wasnt overwhelmed. Prime minister Boris Johnson says he bitterly regrets the epidemic in care homes. His ambition is now to reach 200,000 daily tests by the end of this month. Although that refers to lab capacity rather than individual tests. The uk now has the highest number of coronavirus deaths in europe, a development described as a massive tragedy. As this graph shows, cases in italy were reported earlier in march, but the uk saw a steeper curve at the end of the month and has now surpassed italy. More than 29,000 deaths have now been reported. Currently only the us has a higher number of recorded deaths and labour wants answers. Why have we had so many more deaths than countries such as germany . Why did we pull out of our testing and tracing in march . Why did we miss opportunities to upscale testing . These are the questions we need to be asking. But we are being warned to be careful when comparing countries. The uk and italy both use a similar definition for deaths, people who test positive for the virus before dying, but there are important differences which can influence the data. Italy has so far conducted more tests. 0n the other hand, the uk has a larger population. When looking at covid deaths per capita, belgium has reported the most fatalities in the world. But the country has a very broad way of recording data, which could explain the high numbers. You have to take a lot of things into account. Firstly, we are one of the biggest countries in europe, and that matters. There are smaller countries which will naturally have a lower death rate. Its likely to be months, maybe years, before we can really know which country has the highest death toll. But that is little consolation for those grieving loved ones now. Anna collinson, bbc news. Nicola sturgeon will announce tomorrow whether lockdown measures in scotland are to continue for another three weeks. The latest figures show theres been a fall in the number of coronavirus deaths. The data from the National Records of scotland showed that last week 523 people had died with the virus, down from 658 the week before. The figures also showed that the majority of scottish deaths nearly 60 were in care homes. The government has now missed its target of carrying out 100,000 coronavirus tests a day for three days in a row. The target, set by the Health Secretary matt hancock, is important for working out how many people are infected. 0ur reality check correspondent chris morris reports on how testing works and why it matters. To beat the coronavirus we have to know how many people are becoming infected. Where, when, and how . Thats why testing for the virus is one of the most important things we can do. It can tell us who might be infected with the virus, who might have been infected in the past, and who might need to be in stricter isolation to stop the virus spreading. There are two types of tests, the first type are usually a nasal swab and tests for the presence of the virus. To find out if you are infected right now even if youre not displaying any symptoms, and you are feeling perfectly well. If you are infected, you can be isolated and treated if necessary. And people you have been in contact with can be traced and tested as well. That way we can stop covid i9 from spreading so fast. Countries like south korea and germany tested lots of people early on in the pandemic and they seem to have been the most successful in keeping their death rates are relatively low. Rates relatively low. Other countries, including the uk, are scrambling to catch up. But you need to be able to get hold of the right chemicals, have the right expertise and make sure you have enough laboratories to be able to process tens of thousands of tests every day. The second type of test looks at whether you have been infected in the past and whether you might now have some immunity. It does this by searching for antibodies in the blood. They are used by your immune system to fight off bacteria and viruses. Sadly, reliable Antibody Tests are not widely available. While they are being trialled in various places, and there are some pretty ineffective products on the market, scientists are cautious. Not having a test is better than having a bad test that gives false results. It will be a huge help if a reliable Antibody Test that can be mass produced can be developed soon. If we know someone has some immunity, it should be easier for them to get back to work. If we know that lots of people have some immunity, it should be easier for us to start lifting lockdowns in safer and more sustainable ways. But there is a problem. The presence of antibodies may provide some immunity, but not necessarily complete immunity, and it is still unclear how long any immunity might last. So testing can help us put other data, like the number of confirmed cases or the number of deaths, into context, but we are going to have to wait some time before a vaccine for covid i9 provides immunity. Until scientists crack that, testing is key to help us deal with this pandemic. That was chris morris. There are still concerns about a lack of testing for nhs staff, as well as how the nhs will be involved in the new track and trace app being trialled in the isle of wight. Nhs providers, which represents nhs trusts and healthcare staff, have said there is still no clear idea of how staff will be involved in the new test, track and trace approach and that the government urgently needs to update their guidance on testing frontline staff. Im joined now by chris hopson who is ceo of nhs providers. Thanks forjoining. Thanks for joining. Firstly, thanks forjoining. Firstly, explain your problems with testing. We know the most Important Group of people the most Important Group of people the government want to test at the moment and the government recognise this our patients and staff showing symptoms. The problem is if you just focus on the number of tests being done on a particular day, april 30th,100,000, done on a particular day, april 30th, 100,000, the reality is what you potentially ignore as there are lots of places and we know this is the case where health and care staff and patients cant actually get the tests they need and get them turned around as quickly as they need. Let me give an example. I was talking to a trust yesterday which about a week ago was managing to have tests turned around in about a day, but 110w turned around in about a day, but now because of chemical reagent shortages and lack capacity problems they are actually having to wait five days for tests to come back. Of course, if you are a member of staff who thinks they might have coronavirus, having that member of staff around for five days without knowing whether they have or havent got the virus is potentially, either they are at work in spreading the virus, or at home when they dont need to be, so having the right number of tests available locally where health and care workers and patients are and having them turned around really fast is incredibly important. It is happening in most places, but there are an awful lot of places where it is not happening and that is really quite a big problem. You say having them locally. Is that one of the problems people are finding, theyjust cant get to the test centres . It is not for me to outline how the government has created its strategy over the last three, four, five weeks, but it is clear for many that what has been a real focus, weeks, but it is clear for many that what has been a realfocus, how weeks, but it is clear for many that what has been a real focus, how can we build a testing at scale, therefore build the big drive through centres, the mobile testing units to go with those drive through centres . Units to go with those drive through centres . But then if you want to test local staff or patients they potentially have quite a long way to go. Yes, there is nhs lab capacity, but it is not uniformly spread. Part of the issue is we are getting members of staff saying to us, look, you cant test me in your laboratories, because you havent got one or it is full, but that is a two and a half hour perhaps round trip to go to one of these drive through testing centres, so pa rt drive through testing centres, so part of the issue is that we need the right configuration of testing stations and facilities to meet what the group of people we are trying to test. If we are trying to test health and care staff we need to have Testing Facilities close to those staff and we need to have enough capacity in those facilities to test the number of people that we want. What about the test, trace and track at being trialled at the moment . You would say were not entirely sure what your involvement would be. What are you assuming it would be. What are you assuming it would be, if anything . We know that as we start to ease lockdown then the absolute key is that we should be able to very quickly identify any outbreaks of the virus, and then track and trace people who have had the virus and those who have been in contact with them, but in order to do that the nhs staff, particularly those at the absolute front line and who are the first point of contact, for example, surgeries, the 111 services, pharmacies, they need to know what their role is going to be, and nobody has been told that at this point about their role, and yet we now have the Prime Minister saying that as of monday next week they are beginning to kind of think about starting to ease lockdown. So theissue about starting to ease lockdown. So the issue really is, if you want the nhs to mobilise, and we are absolutely ready to mobilise and wa nt to absolutely ready to mobilise and want to be incredibly supportive like we have been so far, then the sooner we like we have been so far, then the sooner we tell everybody in the nhs what theirjob is going to be in this next phase, that is the real key, and i think the argument runs like this. On the 11th of april, the government set out a plan, quite a clear plan, for the first few weeks, but that plan is now out of date and there isnt a strategy for the next phase. We need that strategy updated. Thank you forjoining us. The chief executive of Heathrow Airport has called on the government to provide more support to the aviation sector. John holland kaye told a virtual session of the transport select committee that tens of thousands ofjobs would be lost because of the pandemic, if ministers didnt come up with a plan to get Airlines Flying safely again. Im joined now by paul charles ceo of the travel pr company the pc agency and former Communications Director at virgin atlantic. Good afternoon, thank you for joining us. How can you get Airlines Flying safely again anytime soon . There is no doubt they have to reset and reshape for the future, and sadly that means an industry that is probably going to be up to 50 smaller over the next year before it can restart. So airlines do need support. I dont think you can arbitrarily say one airline should get help above another. They are all intrinsic to the uk economy. If you think about the implications of one airline going under, it affects so many other thousands of jobs. Catering suppliers, fuel truck suppliers, car hire businesses, there are lots of people who are affected when an airline goes under so the uk government should definitely be supporting the industry in a much greater way. What about passengers themselves . Because one of the big challenges is to get people back onto planes and feeling safe about flying. Yes, there is a major confidence repost that is going to be needed here. At the moment if you are flying and you are surrounded by people in face and crews wearing ppe equipment, i dont think you will feel that is a luxury trip orand think you will feel that is a luxury trip or and experience of any kind that you paid for. I think the onus will need to be on the airport. Heathrow are starting to use temperature testing, but it needs to go further, as do all airports. The onus should be to test effectively and that will mean checking in at the airport earlier, it means the airport as the Technology Gets better to test will test the passenger and then decide if they are free to move into the boarding zone. 0nce are free to move into the boarding zone. Once they are covid free, they can board the aeroplane, then the aircraft can fill to capacity, eve ryo ne aircraft can fill to capacity, everyone on board can be sure no one has coronavirus symptoms, and crucially the airlines can make a profit and feed the profit back to the airport so everybody would be a winner. Do you think that will be practical though . We were talking about testing, the idea you will get these on the spot tests and results any time soon seems a long way off. Evenif any time soon seems a long way off. Even if you have a family of five going on holiday, you are paying for their holiday and then one of them turns out to have it, it will cause chaos. I think there will be a smaller number of people travelling first of all so youve got to understand the market will be smaller and it could be that families prefer to holiday domestically first before they are prepared to venture abroad and take those risks. But the technology is getting better, and i think as Airlines Start to fly more, which will be from july onwards, i think, then you will need a safer system. You cannot just rely then you will need a safer system. You cannotjust rely on them to introduce social distancing measures which they are not capable of doing. It is very difficult to have social distancing on a plane simply because people move around. Filling a plain half full is no good, it doesnt make a profit. You have to create the confidence and reassure people well before they get anywhere near the plane. If that means checking in several hours earlier in the short term, then so be it. Just briefly you represent airlines in your pr agency you represent airlines in your pr cy now, you represent airlines in your pr agency now, do they realistically think they will be back in business flying passengers again from july . Yes. Some airlines will be flying again from july. They may not have 100 load factors, they wont be running anything like the timetables they did before coronavirus but they are determined to fly again. They are determined to fly again. They are reintroducing their timetables from july and you have got to get the economy moving again via the Airline Sector so yes, we will see some routes return. Thank you. The coronavirus lockdown has resulted in the fastest decline in Carbon Emissions ever recorded because of the falling Global Demand for transport and energy. Now the government is being urged to ensure that progress in tackling Climate Change continues once the epidemic is over. 0ur chief environment correspondent Justin Rowlatt reports. How about you, lauren, i know you are working on that announcement this morning. We are all getting used to new ways of working. Kelly is a Vice President of the Credit Card Company mastercard. Since lockdown shes been working from home. With meetings moving online, there is no more three hour to work every day. Hour round trip to work every day. Though she now has other challenges to contend with. Look, weve got some visitors. Hello, guys. How are you doing . Youll be surprised to hear they want some food. I think lots of people used to work from home one day a week and its hard to be good at something when you only do it once a week. I think we have all become experts at working from home so companies will now have more productive employees when they work from home and therefore you can enable them to do it more often. Today Boris Johnsons advisers on Climate Change urged him to invest in making homeworking easier. They say any attempt to kick start the economy has to help us all move towards lower carbon lifestyles. This is a moment to unfreeze what was previously a set of things that were set in stone. So we will have to re examine our priorities across the whole economy and the government will have to lead us through the recovery phase. Lets make sure that we think about the Climate Priorities as we do that. These are sensible steps that will make the economy more resilient in the future and we should think about that right now. The committee on Climate Change says the government needs to invest to make homes more energy efficient, to decarbonise our transport and energy systems, and to retrain workers for a low carbon world. The government told the bbc today it is working to ensure there will be a green and resilient recovery from covid 19. Finland has enshrined the right to Flexible Working in law. One of its advisers says we can change the way we live and work too. This situation forced us to change our behaviour. Now im hoping people can somehow think about their lives more generally. If i was able to change my life this drastically. So in the future i might be able to keep some of the good sides of these behaviour changes. Lockdown has given us a glimpse of a cleaner, greener world, but we do need to get the economy going again. The challenge will be doing that in a way that locks in some of the low carbon habits we have all been learning. Justin rowlatt, bbc news, london. 0ur Health Correspondent, catherine burns, is with me now. We are waiting for the Daily Briefing at five oclock from downing street, but one of the focuses no doubt testing again, and the government still struggling to reach that 100,000 target. Yes, the idea would be to get to 100,000 by the end of last month, and they did that. For two days. The end of last month, and they did that. Fortwo days. But the end of last month, and they did that. For two days. But then it was 77,000, so i will be interested to see if they get anywhere near that 100,000 again today. On top of that 100,000 again today. On top of that Boris Johnson that 100,000 again today. On top of that borisjohnson has come out today with a new ambition as he calls it to hit 200,000 by the end of this month although the government has confirmed that its capacity for 200,000 test. Explain what that means. It means that the tests will be delivered, so if you think you can have tests in hospitals, drive through laboratories or posted to your home, so the minute and envelope leaves that means the test is delivered. We dont know if the person who receives it will do it in a timely manner, even bother to send it back, but it still counts towards the target. Chris hopson was talking about the time it is taking for some of these tests to be processed, up to five days still. Yes, he said earlier theres thousands of people every day who need the test who simply are not getting them, and results are taking too long. So he went back to the beginning of that target at the beginning of april saying yes, we had a target then but it is now out of date and we need something different, something new. He describes testing is a complex patchwork quilt, and he says just sticking a target on the figure does not reflect the complexities of that. At five oclock we will no doubt hear the latest daily death toll. We know some of the figures already and it looks like its going to be pretty high again. Yes, so what we know so far is the biggest the figures for wales. In the hospital deaths in england so if you add up they are 449, a very high numberand it add up they are 449, a very high number and it wont be the final number and it wont be the final number we will hear in a few minutes because it doesnt include care homes for england. There is a downward trend. If we look a few weeks ago, just hospital cases in england, three weeks ago on this wednesday we were having 651 deaths reported and its gone down since then. The next week was 665, last week 445 and in england today about 331, but still each of these deaths isa 331, but still each of these deaths is a person with a grieving family behind each and every one of them. Thank you. Being confined to home during lockdown is difficult but for People Living in high rise flats the experience is even more restrictive. In march, fiona lamdin spoke to residents of a block of flats in bristol seven weeks on, shes been back, to find out how theyve been coping with lockdown. These children living on the 15th floor have been stuck inside for 50 days. I spoke to the family from the bottom of the tower block. There is no space to play on. Sometimes they try to play on the sofa, on the bed, on the tables. So thats why theyve broken some stuff. Mohammed is worried his children will catch the virus if they go out. His daughter is five years old. I asked her what she misses the most. Park she misses the park. Weve met samuel and his two boys, who live next door, before. They do go out but now, with one of the lifts broken, sometimes they are forced to take the stairs. Step, step, step, step, step, turn. You can imagine going up. Going down its ok, but going up, thats a slog. I have to carry this one, carry the buggy, if i ever use the buggy, or ill have him on the sling. Its a matter ofjust going for it. So ill stop, a couple of flights, take a break. Go again. Up a couple of flights, thats the way i deal with it. And also if youve got shopping. And the shopping, yeah. Definitely turned into our new playground. Weve got to bring our own equipment. Would be nice if there was equipment there. We tried the other parks, but theyve really locked them down now. The gates are chained up. Six weeks in, and samuels neighbours are also finding things tough. These kids are getting frustrated. Yeah, the government have to do something, man. Even me, also. Cannot go to work, cannot do nothing. So what can i do . How are you passing the time, all of you . Its bored. Very bored. They may not be able to play with their friends, butjust seeing them makes the journey, and all those stairs down from the 15th floor, worth it. Fiona lamdin, bbc news. The daily downing street briefing coming up in a moment. 0ur Political Correspondent Jessica Parker is in westminster for us. What can we expect . It will see a series of questions from Regional Media. We have heard questions from Regional Media before but that will be the main line up today, and we will also have questions from the public either via writing or by media. Hearfrom Regional Media you are likely to see different concerns being raised from different areas across the country, whether that is across the country, whether that is a situation regarding concerns about ca re a situation regarding concerns about care homes in the local area is or perhaps the impact on the local economy. The press conference being held by the communities secretary, i think that is why we are hearing from Regional Media, robertjenrick. Hes also in charge of local government, so whether issues about local government will come up will be interesting to see as well. Hes joined by yvonne doyle, Public Health england medical director, and a first appearance from the nhs englands directorfrom a first appearance from the nhs englands director from primary care, primary care being the first port of call you get with the Health Service such as access to gp appointments so i wonder if that is something they will touch on as well. Also the issue of lockdown and what will happen next. There was an indication that some restrictions could be lifted as as monday . This came up at Prime Ministers questions today, borisjohnson back at the dispatch box for the first time after being away for weeks having contracted coronavirus of course, and he became very ill. He was facing sir keir starmer the labour leaderfor the was facing sir keir starmer the labour leader for the first time, who grilled him, over testing, personal protective equipment and the situation in care homes. But on the situation in care homes. But on the situation in care homes. But on the situation of lockdown, yes, the Prime Minister did hint that what will happen on sunday as he will give this road map which we have heard before in terms of what the way out could look like. But ministers have continually emphasised that the road map and the way out will be very gradual, very cautious. They reserve the right to reintroduce restrictions if they think that that r rate, the rate of infection, goes above one. He said at Prime Ministers questions he wa nts to at Prime Ministers questions he wants to get going with some measures on monday if possible. He said that is why he is holding the press co nfe re nce said that is why he is holding the press conference on sunday, to talk to the nation about what could happen, these gentle measures that might be introduced on monday, the next day. I think the press conference is starting now with robertjenrick. Good afternoon and welcome to the Coronavirus Press conference from downing street. I am joined this afternoon by professor yvonne doyle, the medical director of Public Health england, and the deputy medical director for nhs england, who has a particular focus on primary care. Todays data shows 1,448,010 tests for coronavirus have now been carried out across great britain, including 69,463 tests carried out yesterday. 201,101 people had tested positive, an increase of 6111 cases since yesterday. 13,615 people are currently in hospital with coronavirus in great britain, down from 13,922 yesterday. And, sadly, of those hospitalised with the virus, 30,076 have now died, an increase of 649 fatalities since yesterday. Behind those numbers are heartbreaking losses for the loved ones of all those who have died, and once again our thoughts and our prayers are with their friends and their families. Prayers are with their friends and theirfamilies. Professor prayers are with their friends and their families. Professor doyle will provide an update on the latest data on coronavirus, but first, as communities secretary, i would like to take this opportunity to give an update on the work being done locally during the pandemic to keep people safe, to provide support for peoplesjobs and people safe, to provide support for peoples jobs and businesses, people safe, to provide support for peoplesjobs and businesses, and to prepare for the reopening and the recovery of our local economies. Thats why it is appropriate that this afternoon we are joined by regional journalists this afternoon we are joined by regionaljournalists who are doing so regionaljournalists who are doing so much to keep people informed about how the National Effort is being coordinated in our own communities. A free country needs a free press and the national, the regional and the local newspapers of our country are under significant financial pressure. I would like to echo the words of the culture secretary recently and encouraging everyone who can to buy a newspaper. Asi everyone who can to buy a newspaper. As i said before, the battle against coronavirus will be won in every city, town and village across the country. This is truly a National Effort and it has a National Effort taking place at a local level. My department has played a vital role in bringing people together to tackle the virus. We have provided local authorities with over {3. 2 billion during this pandemic so that they can continue to support the communities that need it through this most challenging time and respond to the immediate pressures they are facing due to coronavirus, whilst also protecting and preserving vital public services. At the start of march, i established a task force to support local Resilience Forum is known as lrfs, standing them up at a local level across the country forums known as lrfs. To prepare for a range of different scenarios. There are 38 lrfs in england made up of Emergency Services, a range of government agencies, Health Bodies and local authorities. They are headed by some of the most senior and experienced local leaders of the Emergency Services, of councils, the nhs and others, who together are leading their communities through the crisis with the full support of central government. We unprecedented challenge that we face. In doing this i took the decision to embed within them some of the finest military planners in the world from our armed forces and i am very grateful for their hard work in re ce nt grateful for their hard work in recent weeks. This combined expertise and leadership is ensuring a comprehensive, coordinated and consistent response across the country. Responding to the urgent need for personal protective equipment to reach the front line of the care sector, we have mobilised lrfs to help distribute ppe and thus far they have delivered over 67 million items in england alone since early april. Together with local councils, they are also assisting us in supporting some of the most vulnerable individuals in their communities, and to date they have helped us to ensure that 1 million boxes of food and essential supplies have now been delivered to those people identified by the nhs as extremely clinically vulnerable to coronavirus, the shielded. With more than 290,000 boxes being distributed every week, this has been a huge team effort, and i would like to ta ke team effort, and i would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved for the role that they have played, and will play, in they have played, and will play, in the weeks ahead. We are also working very closely with mayors to ensure we have a coordinated approach to tackling coronavirus at a local level. The government has been determined to ensure that the vital work of keeping people safe in their homes also continues. So with the support of the mayors of london, of the liverpool city region, of greater manchester, of sheffield, of the we st manchester, of sheffield, of the West Midlands, and others, we were able to announce the building safety pledge. These mayors have come together because they have a number of the high rise buildings with highly flammable cladding in their respective regions, and the pledge we agreed sends a very clear message that vital building safety work must continue, despite the coronavirus pandemic. We have beenjoined by 25 local authorities including 18 in london, who have also given their fulsome support. As work on many of these critical sites was caused early on, it is now slowly starting to reassure them as a result of this initiative, and i would urge any Building Owner or contractor to do so, as soon Building Owner or contractor to do so, as soon as Building Owner or contractor to do so, as soon as practical, where it is safe to begin work once again. Now, coronavirus will not stop our mission to level up, to unite and to unleash the potential of this country. The Prime Minister will set out on sunday our approach to the second phase of this pandemic. As we look ahead to supporting businesses as they are able to reopen, my department will lead our work on how our local economies can adapt, evolve, recover and grow. Our local economies can adapt, evolve, recoverand grow. I our local economies can adapt, evolve, recover and grow. I will continue to support mayor clinic and local government leaders who will play a Critical Role in this work. Every local economy now needs a plan to restart and recover. We will be informing these plans with our own detailed work in areas such as how workplaces from factories to construction sites to offices can be adapted, how outdoor spaces, leisure and businesses, from parks to high streets, to markets, can be managed. And how public transport networks, from the tube, to trams and buses, can operate. In each case, guided by scientific and medical advice, we wa nt scientific and medical advice, we want to ensure appropriate and safe social distancing, providing the public with the confidence to return to work and to return to public spaces and public transport, knowing it is always safe to do so. We are considering how we can create more room in town centres for pedestrians, how we can make it easier to cycle or walk to work. And we will work with towns and places whose economies have been hardest hit intensively as the recovery begins. And our commitment to Infrastructure Investment remains undimmed. For example, overtwo thirds of h52 sites are open. We wa nt thirds of h52 sites are open. We want infrastructure and construction work to begin again, wherever it is safe to do so. It is clear to everyone that the pandemic is putting huge pressure on economies the world over, and there is no denying the challenges that lie ahead in ourown denying the challenges that lie ahead in our own country, but we cannot and will not let this pandemic halt our work to improve connectivity, to provide vital social and Cultural Infrastructure and to boost Economic Growth across the regions. That is how we will begin to rebuild and to recover from this national emergency. We are working to ensure the right support is available to local businesses, and last week high street businesses began to receive the £22 billion package designed to mitigate some of the effects of coronavirus, with grants of up to £25,000 being paid into Bank Accounts of those businesses. And, of course, our 100 towns benefiting from the £36 billion towns fund will continue to receive our support and we will be working at peace with them in the months ahead. Local authorities have now paid out over £8. 6 billion in grants to around 700,000 businesses. As local government secretary, i would like to congratulate those councils who have worked extremely hard, sometimes around the clock, to get those grants out to the businesses that desperately need them. I would like to congratulate chichester, ealing and heinberg councils, the three highest performing councils so far in england. Businesses are also receiving discounts of almost £10 billion on their rates bills in response to covid 19, with the hardest hit by the pandemic such as shops, cafes and pubs, paying no Business Rates whatsoever this Financial Year. Together with existing relief, this means 1. 1 million ratepayers are no longer paying Business Rates this year. This week the chancellor and i announced an additional 5 uplift, up announced an additional 5 uplift, up to £670 million available to local councils to Fund Small Businesses that rent space in shared offices, industrial units and innovation centres 617 £9. As well as market traders and b bs that pay market instead of Business Rates, and also to support small charities. Local councils will now have more flexibility to keep those businesses going £617 million. Moving forward, our mission is to ensure everything we can is done to help people get back to work safely, to reunite friends and family, and to reunite friends and family, and to reintroduce the things that make life worth living in a safe way, as soon as life worth living in a safe way, as soon as it is safe to do so. Finally, on friday, we will be celebrating, as a country, the 75th anniversary of ve day. My department, like others, had been helping to plan some of the public celebrations, but we know that, sadly, we will now need to mark this important occasion from home instead. Cabinet colleagues had been speaking with veterans, organised by the Royal British legion. I had the pleasure, earlier this week, speaking to a 98 year old world war ii veteran on the phone, leslie. Leslie was full of warmth and wisdom telling me how he spent ve day in sienna having fought his way through north africa and italy, and how he would be spending friday more sedately celebrating at home. He said to me that as we rebuilt and we re cove red said to me that as we rebuilt and we recovered then, he is certain we will do so again this year. I will now hand over to dr nikki kanani in the first instance, and then to professor doyle. Thank you. Thank you, secretary of state. I wanted to just reflect on your point about community, and thanked communities for following government advice. Community, and thanked communities forfollowing government advice. It is an incredibly difficult time. I amagp is an incredibly difficult time. I am a gp and before i was a gp i grew up am a gp and before i was a gp i grew up in am a gp and before i was a gp i grew upina am a gp and before i was a gp i grew up in a community pharmacy, and my collea g u es up in a community pharmacy, and my colleagues have been facing probably the most challenging time they have ever had to come and right across the nhs people are working under significant stress and strain, and our communities have helped to look after them and look out for them through staying at home and following government advice and becoming a volunteer responders, and looking out for their own communities, so i want to thank you for that. Its really challenging, isnt it . I am home schooling children and it feels difficult. We all want reassurance and we miss the familiarity of things we used to do, but i want to reassure people who are listening and watching today that your primary Care Services are still there for you. I want to pay tribute to our gp practices, our dentists, optometrists, the unsung heroes, the Community Pharmacist on the high street who have continued to work every day and make sure they are there for you. This bank holiday they will be open as well. And it might feel a little different, you might feel a little different, you might have more telephone calls or online consultations. You might see someone online consultations. You might see someone dressed in ppe as i did yesterday in my surgery, but the nhs is still there for you so contact us if you need advice or support over the coming weeks or months. Thank you, nikki. I think we all want to reiterate your comments. I will turn to yvonne who is going to present todays slides. Thank you, secretary of state. So just to remind todays slides. Thank you, secretary of state. Sojust to remind us of the five test. They relate to capacity and mortality, to deaths, and also that we are actually controlling the epidemic itself and the transmission of the epidemic. Looking at the first graph here, please, the next slide, we can see again this is about transport. Its again this is about transport. Its a regular slide. It shows overall transport use is down a good bit, 50 , but less so for Motor Vehicles and that has been slowly increasing over re ce nt and that has been slowly increasing over recent weeks. This is up to the 4th of may and it is for the uk. Could i have the next slide please . The Important Message is we must still respect that this virus does transmit and to stay at home, and not to interact too much because people are still very vulnerable to getting this virus. We can see here the daily tests and these have increased over time. This is up to the 6th of may. They will move on really to the next slide, which is the new cases. Here we have more new cases, and this may be a matter of concern but of course its also a matter of testing more so we are doing more testing and therefore we will have found more cases, and this is what we want to do. We want to find the positive cases so we can break transmission. 0nto the next one please, and this is about people in hospital. I know of great interest to you listening, and the news here is generally very good. You can see where london had it early epidemic and this has declined, the cases in hospital have declined, the cases in hospital have declined, as have, more slowly, other regions. There are now more cases in hospital in london but overall we have a decrease which is good news. And if we can look at the most critically ill patients, and this is about Critical Care beds use throughout the uk, and this is again good news. It is for the four countries of the uk, and we can see here where we have less than a third of Critical Care beds being occupied by people with the coronavirus, so good news there. That is declining. Then we look at the recorded deaths, less good news here in terms of these are very tragic, it is very sad, but the trend is good because it is slowly coming down. This is a seven it is slowly coming down. This is a seven day rolling average for the uk, and we have 649 yesterday, and that was a decline, a slow decline. Then finally two slides about the international deaths. The first one is the crude numbers and this of course depends on the size of the country, so we have over 67,000 deaths in the United States but of course a big country, and we can see the uk and the European Countries further down. If we look at the last slide, which is about the rate per million population, then we have taken million population, then we have ta ken account of million population, then we have taken account of the size of the country, and we can see it is different, where uk and other countries are closer together. This is presented to show you different ways of looking at death. There are many ways to look at death. It is far too early to say how this will eventually result for how countries have fared in this epidemic. We need to give this some time. Most of those who are used to looking at these things would say probably a year, but we thought you would be interested to see, so thank you, secretary of state. Thank you, yvonne. Before we turn to questions from the Regional Press we have two from the Regional Press we have two from members of the public and the first one is from edward in harrogate. Given that excess in Critical Care beds across nhs and nightingale hospitals, my question is why has the uk suffered a greater number of deaths when compared to countries such as italy who had their Healthcare System is com pletely their Healthcare System is completely overrun by covid 19 . Thank you for that question. Why has the uk suffered a higher number of deaths compared to italy for example, whose healthca re deaths compared to italy for example, whose Healthcare System was overrun by covid 19 . As the Prime Minister has said on a number of occasions now, it is difficult to make International Comparisons with certainty today. There will be a time for that and we have already established the way in which we will measure that in due course, which is a measure of excess deaths, but that isa a measure of excess deaths, but that is a hard calculation to do with a ccu ra cy is a hard calculation to do with accuracy today. Of course we will wa nt to accuracy today. Of course we will want to learn whatever lessons we can do whilst we are still responding to the virus, but i think the time for accurate International Comparisons will come in the future. It is more positive of course that when we saw those disturbing scenes earlier in the year in italy of their very good Health Service being overwhelmed and were concerned about the potential impact on the nhs that we havent seen those scenes in the uk. We have had sufficient icu capacity, and of course we have been able to build capacity with the nightingale hospitals, some of which have not been used at all so far during the course of the virus. Yvonne, do you want to add more about the International Perspective . Thank you. Credit to the nhs for having not been overwhelmed, but in International Comparisons, as i have mentioned, countries measure in different ways. They measure the numberof different ways. They measure the number of deaths in different ways. That is absolutely fine, so long as thatis that is absolutely fine, so long as that is consistent in each country. It makes International Comparisons very difficult though because we are not comparing like with like. It is worth continuing to stress this because over time probably the right measures have been outlined by a numberof our measures have been outlined by a number of our experts including our chief medical officer, which would be excess mortality, excess deaths overall in a period of time, and then we will know truly how we have been impacted. But also this is a comparable measure internationally, so we comparable measure internationally, so we would then be able to understand how we have been impacted internationally as well. Thank you very much. Our second question is from emma from swansea, and emmas question is. That is a very important question. Obviously in any part of our lives the government has been driven by a desire to protect life and has taken expert medical and scientific opinion, but we are very aware this has been a difficult period for faith groups. We have seen for example the Jewish Community faith groups. We have seen for example theJewish Community having to hold passover by zoom, at easter the archbishop of canterbury and others held their sermons and services over the internet as in churches across the country, and then at the moment through ramadan friends and family are not able to come together to break fast in the way they traditionally would. We know this is very tough and none of us know this is very tough and none of us would want these restrictions to continue a day longer than they need to, but it is right we stick to the medical advice at this time, however much it goes against our traditions and religious beliefs, in order to protect others as well as ourselves. We are in conversation with faith leaders across the country to consider how, when the time is right, they will be able to recommence services in churches, mosques and synagogues across the country. At that moment is not now. We have also been working with them on how we can ensure funerals and other important events in peoples lives are conducted in an appropriate way, and my department hasissued appropriate way, and my department has issued guidance to enable people to hold funerals in public spaces for example like crematoriums with close members of their family around them because none of us want to see scenes which we did see, u nfortu nately, scenes which we did see, unfortunately, on a small number of occasions, early on in the virus of funeral is being conducted with few if anyone present. That wasnt right. We have issued guidance now so right. We have issued guidance now so that shouldnt happen again, and we are working with faith leaders to see how, where appropriate, those funerals can be conducted in churches or other settings as well. I dont know if you want to add anything . As you said, its important we work with our communities. We also know we have seen communities. We also know we have seena communities. We also know we have seen a difference in how different communities have had covid 19 infections as well so theres a lot we can do to understand how our communities are responding and making sure communities have what they need during the coming weeks and months. And secretary of state, could i just cite and months. And secretary of state, could ijust cite my thanks to and months. And secretary of state, could i just cite my thanks to the various religious leaders that have worked with Public Health england and with the nhs to handle very sensitive issues in a very helpful, proactive way, understanding how very difficult this is for the communities in terms of handling the host, gatherings, and sadly in terms of funerals. Respectful handling of bodies. We have worked very constructively, and for that im very grateful. Thank you for that question. Ourfirst question very grateful. Thank you for that question. Our first question from members of the press comes from Patrick Burns from bbc West Midlands. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, secretary of state, and im sure you dont need me to remind you that at the beginning of this the Prime Minister pledged to local Authority Leaders they would have a key role in bringing their communities and Vulnerable People through this. Resources will follow, he said. Six weeks on, its beginning to look as though even the extra help you have been talking about just now may extra help you have been talking aboutjust now may not be enough. If you think of Birmingham City council alone, the extra costs they have incurred already as a result of this heading north of £260 million and counting, and their leader ian ward says that really Crucial Services like Adult Social Care and Childrens Services may be compromised in the nearfuture if, as he puts it, the government does not match its words with action. Thank you. Well let me be clear to local Council Leaders across the country, including in the West Midlands. We will stand behind them, ensure they have the resources they need to carry out the absolutely critical functions they are playing in our National Response to coronavirus. That was the response i made to local Council Leaders, as did the Prime Minister, early in the life of the emergency. We have already provided £3. 2 billion of Additional Resources to councils in the last two months. We provided almost £4 billion of cash flow to councils precisely so that they shouldnt have to face the difficult choices you have just described between responding to the virus in their own communities and continuing to do very Important Public Service functions like refuse collection for example, looking after Vulnerable Children in their communities. In the West Midlands local councils will receive £347 million to deal with the pressures of coronavirus and that comes on top of a very generous settlement at the beginning of the Financial Year which also increased their core spending power by over £300 million. If further resources a re by over £300 million. If further resources are required to meet the covid related costs we have asked councils to bear, obviously we will ta ke councils to bear, obviously we will take that into consideration and i have been working closely with local Council Leaders and the mayor in the West Midlands, andy street, who has been doing a fantasticjob at leading the Community Forward through a very difficult time. I dont know if theres anything further you would like to ask, patrick . I would just like to really sort of suggest that the key issue here is making sure that the extra support gets through to all the authorities who need it. If you take shropshire as an example, they say the money they have received does not yet cover all the extra costs they have incurred, and within that area if you talk to shrewsbury town council, they have been saying on bbc radio shropshire that not enough of the money is filtering down to the lower tier authorities like them, who as they point out are actually closest to the very communities who most need the help. There is two points there. Firstly ensuring the councils get the resources they need. We are committed to doing that. Councils are receiving more money so far than they have reported to us as needing to meet the covid related costs they are bearing, and they are seeing significant reductions in their income because we are not parking in car parks and using leisure centres and so on but that is a separate issue. In the latest £1. 6 billion we have provided to councils, we made sure a significant amount of it did flow through Lower Tier Councils like District Councils for example, so like District Councils for example, so your like District Councils for example, so your average like District Councils for example, so your average District Council in england will now receive, if they havent done so already, in the coming days £1 million or more of additional grant to help them with covid related expenditure and also to stabilise their finances. We have asked big Parish Council is like the one you have referred to in shropshire, like shrewsbury or ludlow, to speak with their Principal Councils who will be receiving that Million Pounds or more of funding and ensure it flows down to them if they are also under financial pressure at the moment. I hope that will help. Obviously my department are here to speak with those councils and ensure they get through this with us together. The second question is from James Vincent from bbc yorkshire. Good afternoon. On bbc look north tonight we are speaking to from tadcaster a six year old waiting for a kidney transplant. What is the government doing to make sure those people who need vital care and operations away from coronavirus are going to get that and get it as soon as possible, and what is the government doing to make sure that any backlog is worked through in the best possible way . Thank you, james. A very important question which i am sure is on the mind of many people across the country. In the first instance, can i come to nikki . Yes, very important question. At first we were focusing on Serve Services urgent question. At first we were focusing on Serve Services urgent to an individual bbl are related to the Coronavirus Response and we had to do that, stepping away from other routine reviews we might otherwise have done, but now, and as Simon Stevens wrote last week, we have asked the whole system to try to think about how to get back to what we call normal services, and there will be some things we want to keep. During the pandemic, actually services have revolutionised the way they have worked, whether by using Digital Technology or developing new ways of caring for patients. But in the case of the child that you mention, that child will be prioritised and that operation will be scheduled so we can get people back on track and that the really important things happen as soon as possible. Very good, thank you. Do you have a follow up question, james . Are quick followup. Our councils in yorkshire our councils in yorkshire our councils in yorkshire are saying there is a £2. 5 million gap between what is provided and what they think they will be spending on the Coronavirus Crisis. You told mps some of those calculation from councils where highly speculative. Where are you suggesting they are perhaps getting their sums wrong . White not at all. As i said we have already provided 3. 2 three 2p to councils, a lot of money in just a two month period to councils and no, not at all. We think that is sufficient for the immediate demands of the crisis. As we understand better the length at which lockdown measures may have to be in place and the economic disruption that flows asa the economic disruption that flows as a result of the crisis, which is difficult tojudge today, as a result of the crisis, which is difficult to judge today, we will work with councils to ensure they have the funding that is required so they can navigate their way through this difficult period. So my message to councils, continue to do the important work you are doing, whether that is on Adult Social Care, getting rough sleepers of the street, supporting the vulnerable, getting those business grants out to the community, and we will make sure you have the funding required, and we will work with you to better understand in the weeks and months ahead of the true impact upon your finances of the disruption, economically, that we are suffering, and of their response to coronavirus. It is too early to tell in some cases what those costs will be but we will learn in the weeks and months to come and we will work very closely with councils, including throughout yorkshire. Thank you. The next question is from itv tyne tees. Tom . Good afternoon. Lastly our analysis revealed the north east has hired a higher number of confirmed coronavirus cases per head than any other part of england and the gap is continuing to widen. The virus is affecting some of the most deprived areas in our region particularly badly. Original chair of bma has called for the a regional chair of the bma has called the government to work on the regional inequalities, which he has got the point of national shame. What are you doing to reduce the number of people in the north east being affected with coronavirus, and Going Forward how will you address long term issues which mean the people in our region are less likely to be in good health and at greater risk from viruses like this . Thank you, tom. I will ask yvonne to speak ina thank you, tom. I will ask yvonne to speak in a minute to the main part of your question, but on the broader issue of emerging data suggesting the Socio Economic impact on debts with the virus, obviously that is extremely concerning to us. We want deaths with the virus. We want to understand all the contributing factors making people more vulnerable to the virus, including, for example, some of the ethnic groups, like the bame communities and their exposure to the virus. We are working with Public Health england on some of those issues, like, for instance, the bame issue. The chief medical officer has commissioned specific research to better understand this issue and respond to it in due course. Yvonne, i dont know if you want to see more in particular about the north east and its position in the passage of the virus . Thank you, secretary of state. There are over 8000 positive confirmed cases of coronavirus in the north east at the moment, and as you say some areas of great need which, of course, we would have been involved with both from our national through to local services in the Public Health system before this epidemic. What we really need to know now first is to understand what additional or excess impact this virus has had on those communities, and how distributed that might be. So as well as doing work generally on disadvantaged in particular groups in the population, we would like to look at the geographies that have been most impacted by that, and that work is under way and we will be able to describe that as we go forward over the coming weeks and months. But we also, i would want to reassure you , but we also, i would want to reassure you, the business as usual work needs to continue in working locally to promote the good health of people and to ensure that we are protecting their health from issues other than covid 19, because the other than covid 19, because the other issue is people forget there are actually other harms in the population, some of which may be greater than the virus itself. So our local teams, working with local councils and particularly local Public Health departments, directors of Public Health, are very active, and we are in touch every week and sometimes several times a week to understand the dynamics of what is going on and to make sure that the Good Business as usual as far as it can continues. Just one concern is of course that where services have had to stop, for instance immunisation or smoking cessation, that we actually move as soon as we can when it is safe to re establish the Preventative Services as well. Thank you. Tom, do you have a quick follow up or are you content . Please, if i could ask the secretary of state, are you considering lifting lockdown restrictions later in regions like the north east where the numberof in regions like the north east where the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow while it is perhaps stabilising elsewhere . Continues to grow while it is perhaps stabilising elsewhere . The Prime Minister will set out on sunday our approach to the next phase of the virus. I dont think i can helpfully, you know, presage those remarks. But our strong preference is that the whole country moves us one. Preference is that the whole country moves us one. But if, as we build up our infrastructure for testing and tracking and tracing, in time its required for us to make interventions in smaller micro communities where we are seeing the virus take hold again, that will be something we will consider as other countries around the world have done, when they have implemented effective track and trace systems. But that is quite different to making major changes to lockdown measures in one part of the country versus another, and our strong preference, as it was at the beginning of the lockdown, is for the whole country to move as one. I will go now to the next question which is from the derby telegraph. Thank you. I wanted to say that derby is a great city with a Strong Industrial base, but the announcement of 8000 potentialjob losses at rolls royce could have extreme consequences obviously for the company but also for the supply chain and the companies that supply it. What can the government do to help rolls royce, a company that has a lwa ys help rolls royce, a company that has always been there for britain through times of extreme hardship etc . And also could i ask more widely what role does the government expects cities like derby to play as we emerge from the Current Crisis . Thank you very much. I share your concern for the news of potential job losses at rolls royce. I know how important rolls royce is to derby, to the midlands and to the whole country. It is one of our most important advanced manufacturing businesses, one with a very rich history, and im starting a business that will have a great future as well. It is renowned all over the world. Aviation is an important sector to the economy but it is a sector to the economy but it is a sector facing almost unprecedented issues as a result of coronavirus. We wa nt issues as a result of coronavirus. We want to support the aviation sector in any way we can do. The chancellor has already announced an unprecedented set of measures to support businesses large and small. I know that rolls royce is a business that has already taken advantage, for example, of thejob retention scheme, following some of its employees from april. We will work closely with the sector and we are furloughing some of its employees from april. We would say where we would support individual firms but obviously where they have worked through the existing government schemes, and other ways they might be able to raise finance, commercially or through existing shareholders. If there is more we can do for rolls royce, we want to do so and i know that the business secretary and the chancellor are already in contact with rolls royce and will do so again in the future. Regarding derby more generally, it is one of our great cities. It is a city i know well, representing a nottinghamshire constituency nearby. Iam certain nottinghamshire constituency nearby. I am certain it has a strong future. I will be working closely with local leaders to ensure their plans for rebuilding and recovering the local economy work in step with those we are producing nationally, and the voice of the Business Community in derby is heard in the decisions we are making here in whitehall. And thatis are making here in whitehall. And that is the same for cities, for local government leaders and mayors across the country. Thank you very much. Was there a further question you would like to add . If i could, something dear to my heart, as the education correspondent at the derby telegraph, education. Schools, their plans for reopening. I have had discussions with local unions, with experts in the education field, and there is a strong feeling that it is going to be very, very difficult to achieve very easily. And im wondering whether or not there is going to be any move towards having ppe in schools at all . So far teachers have been going into school, they have been there with the key workers children, they have carried on, and i know there has been quite a bit of illness among teachers. But, i mean, what can we do to protect our teachers, and actually give confidence to parents, staff and pupils that could be going back to school any time . Thank you. I know there will be concern from teachers, as indeed from parents, and education secretary has been working closely with the trade unions and other representatives from education to plan a phased reopening of schools when the time is right. We have taken scientific advice with respect to the level of ppe that might be required in schools, and i will let yvonne speak to that perhaps in a moment or two might put in a better place than i. I understand the advice is that staff in nonresidential education settings dont require ppe but we will obviously keep that under close review. We have also published guidance on social distancing within schools, which is already being applied in the schools that are open, obviously only with a small percentage of students currently in them but which will inform the plan is emerging for the reopening of schools when the time is right. Yvonne, if there is anything you would like to add . Yes, so getting the confidence of parents and teachers will be critical, actually, as to whether the children would come back to school, even if it was agreed they should. What can be done there is part of a package. Its very important. Youre probably thinking about ppe like face masks. Face masks, there has beena face masks. Face masks, there has been a lot of debate about that. They are probably helpful to protect others from yourself when you are not well, particularly if you are exuding droplets, coughing and sneezing and so on, but they have to be worn properly. People always forget that facemasks are not actually what is going to contain the virus wholly. It is a whole package of issues like good hygiene, particularly hand hygiene, how you interact your hand with your face and so on. And, equally, how the School Environment is kept clean, disinfected, how the children are spaced, and this will all take quite a lot of organisation, so this is why no one is rushing to do this prematurely. And we have looked at what other countries are doing on this so that we are learning about how countries have gained the confidence of parents and teachers. Teachers are key workers, and if they are unwell they can have testing, and they should do that and indeed should not work if they are unwell. So there is good guidance. We are in Public Health england and others are working with the department for education intensely on this, and with indeed the trade unions and others in those conversations, so we try to get this right. Thank you. The next question is from keith rossiter, and keith is from cornwall live and the western morning news. Thank you for encouraging your viewers to go out and buy a copy of the newspaper. Cornwall relies heavily on tourism and the hospitality industry, and our hoteliers, publica ns and the hospitality industry, and our hoteliers, publicans and resorts fear they could lose a whole year if they dont reopen byjuly. If that happens, what will the government do to support them . Thank you, well i think we all understand that many businesses across the country are suffering, but those in hospitality are particularly poorly equipped to cope with whats happening at the moment. In an economy such as the south west, which is so heavily dependent on tourism, will be heavily impacted. The package of measures the chancellor has already brought forward are helping, theres 126,000 businesses within the south west who are eligible for the grants. I know Cornwall Council is one of the best in the country for getting those grants out of the businesses who really need them. They have already paid out £202 million worth of grants to 17,789 firms, which is one of the highest in england, and i pay tribute to the offices of Cornwall Council for doing that. The Prime Minister has said today that if further interventions are required to support the sector like tourism or hospitality, we will obviously consider that and bring forward appropriate measures when they are needed. We know it is going to be very difficult for them in the months to come and we want to try to guide their path through this period so guide their path through this period so that they, like the rest of the economy, can bounce back when we are able to reopen in due course. Keith, i dont know if you have a second question. Yes, i do. Sir patrick valla nce question. Yes, i do. Sir Patrick Vallance hinted earlier in the week that some regions could come out of lockdown sooner, and we saw from one of the slides earlier that the south west has the lowest number of cases. If we were released sooner, what support would there be for devon and cornwall police, who are very overstretched already, to prevent a large scale invasion of holiday makers . Prevent a large scale invasion of holidaymakers . I will perhaps turn to yvonne to speak about the regional disparities in the path of the virus and how we might respond to that, including through tracking and tracing. In terms of local councils and the Emergency Services and ensuring they have the support thats required, as i said earlier we are providing additional funding to forces, and the home secretary is speaking with National Police chiefs to ensure they have the right guidance and consistent messaging that they can use to enforce the lockdown rules where that is required. As we have seen so far, the vast majority of members of the public have chosen to do so and adhere to the messaging, and most Police Forces have been able to support the lockdown measures through consent, which is the way we wa nt to through consent, which is the way we want to do things in this country. But in an isolated number of cases where that has not been possible, they have also had tools at their disposal to define and enforce the lockdown. Yvonne. Thank you, secretary of state. There are over 14,000 confirmed cases in cornwall. It isa 14,000 confirmed cases in cornwall. It is a big county, so the epidemic seems to have had somewhat less impact in the south west, and we need to be absolutely sure it stays that way. So we are watching it very carefully a nd that way. So we are watching it very carefully and hopefully it will. If and when restrictions ease on the way people are living lives at the moment, it would be very important that we dont begin to see the re emergence of transmission, and what secretary of state has been describing is this Major Programme we are trialling at the moment through the use of an app in the isle of wight but we will be much broader than that, really it will be a Population Based programme to ensure that people who are unwell particularly with the symptoms of this virus are isolated quickly and tested quickly, and that their contacts, particularly immediate contacts, particularly immediate contacts, the ones that matter, are informed and can take action. That will be key to gradually releasing life back to a changed normal. That programme is being launched this month and it is very important we are confident that that works well. Thank you, and thank you, keith, for your questions. If i may now go to the last question from chris young, and chris is the local democracy reporter based at the telegraph and argus in bradford. Good afternoon. The past few weeks, theres been many student nurses, paramedics and midwives called to the front line to help with the pandemic. Due to changes made a few years ago by government, current finalyear student nurses are having to pay their fees without the support of bursaries and effectively they are having to risk their lives and use loa ns to having to risk their lives and use loans to pay to do that. Do you think it is fair that these student nurses who are stepping up to help the nhs are having to get into debt and risk their lives, and then facing this mountain of debt afterwards . Facing this mountain of debt afterwards . And would you support any campaign by local news organisations to have the tuition fees scrapped once this is all done . Thank you, chris, and thank you for all of the work the telegraph and argus does in bradford supporting the nhs, including the Healthcare Professionals who have chosen to come back to work in the service and who have done a fantasticjob already, and many are still returning to work in the nhs and social care. We are very grateful for nursing and midwifery students who have chosen to go onto the front line and help in hospitals and care homes at this time. Nurses and midwives who have opted in will receive the salary and pension that is appropriate to their level, and im also told the Student Loan Company have confirmed that student loa ns company have confirmed that Student Loans will continue regardless of whether the individual is learning or whether in this case they have chosen to opt in and help in the nhs. But we are all massively grateful for those people for everything they are doing on the front line. I dont know if you want to say anything more, nikki . Absolutely. I just echo to say anything more, nikki . Absolutely. Ijust echo your thanks first of all. We have seen an incredible number of not just students coming back to work but a huge number of staff coming back, so people who have retired or left the nhs coming back to work with us and support our patients. We hope some of those people who have returned will want to stay with us as well so we are looking now to create different ways of working so those members of staff who have come back and joined us well stay with us. That can be different ways, so digitally, remotely, working with local practices in the case of primary care, but we thank them and value the time they have given us at a very challenging time. Thank you. Chris, is there a follow up you would like to ask . One last question. It seems like a long time ago now but in early march the government announced in the budget a lot of support for yorkshire and bradford, devolution and a huge amount offunding. Bradford, devolution and a huge amount of funding. Obviously a lot has changed since then. A lot of this funding was seen as vital to help areas like bradford regenerate. With all that has changed, can there be any guarantee that all of these projects, this funding will still be there . Orare projects, this funding will still be there . Or are places like bradford back to the drawing board after this . Thank you. That is an important question to end the press conference on. This government was elected on a platform of levelling up elected on a platform of levelling up and uniting the whole country, and we have absolutely no intention of stalling those plans. In fact, u nfortu nately of stalling those plans. In fact, unfortunately some of those places we we re unfortunately some of those places we were already focused on are exactly the sorts of communities and economies that are likely to be most hit by the economic disruption that will come out of coronavirus and so it is extremely important that we return. We are going to leave that last question at the Daily Briefing because its almost time for the six oclock news. George alagiah is here. The weather now though with helen willits. Despite the chilly start temperatures have reached above those of yesterday by two or three celsius. You can feel the strength of the may sunshine now with just some fairweather cloud as you can see in suffolk. The main cloud areas across the Northern Isles are still mostly dry, and this cloud across devon and cornwall only giving the outside chance of a shower. That warming trend we have seen during the day today will continue through tomorrow and through friday. In fact by that stage we may see temperatures in the low to mid 20s potentially in the south and east. It will still be around on saturday in the south, but by sunday and much colder feel, a dramatic in the south, but by sunday and much colderfeel, a dramatic drop in our temperatures as we change our wind direction to the north. A true arctic air stream and they could even be wintry showers. Back to the here and now and we keep clear skies through the night. Especially in the west, where cloud pushes northwards into Northern Ireland. As a result it wont be as cold as last night, and it wont be quite as chilly further east, but certainly a cool start to thursday morning still under the ridge of high pressure. The weather fronts are trying to make inroads, hence the chance of showers will be more widespread during the course of thursday. Not for central and eastern areas, a lot of dry weather, but western fringes of dry weather, but western fringes of england and wales, Northern Ireland and in the west of scotland there is a chance of a shower. Given there is a chance of a shower. Given the warmth from the may sunshine, the warmth from the may sunshine, the extra energy, they could turn thundery. You can see temperatures higher tomorrow, notably higher for the north sea coast as we change wind direction. Come friday it is a similar story. Elsewhere the odd shower sparked by the heat but they will be few and far between, a lot of places staying dry with strong, hazy sunshine. Staying warm in the south into saturday. But by that stage there is an increased risk of showers, and by sunday a much colder day all round. There is more, as ever, on the website. Today at six. The uk passes another grim milestone in the Coronavirus Crisis more than 30,000 people have died. It comes as borisjohnson faced the new labour leader for the first the new labour leader for the first time in the commons and an accusation that ministers were late to act on the pandemic. The uk was slow into lockdown, slow on testing, slow on tracing and slow on the supply of protective equipment. The Prime Minister said the overriding aim was to save lives and protect the nhs but he admitted a problem in care homes. There is an epidemic going on in care homes, which is something i bitterly regret. Borisjohnson also said some aspects of the lockdown could be eased by next monday
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