Bbcs 3305 news. The bbcs news. The headlines. Hundreds of people have died of, 19 over the last 2a hours in italys worst affected region of lombardi. 366 people have now lost their lives gcioss 366 people have now lost their lives across the country. Widespread restrictions are in force across northern italy, has two affecting up to 60 million people. Officials have decided to cruise ship the grant and suspended off the coast of california will be allowed to dock at oakland near San Francisco on monday. There are more than 3000 people on board in 20 want of them have tested positive. The Catholic Church in argentina have held a huge open air mass to rally against a bill that would legalise abortion in the country. The president , came to power in december, promised last week that he would send a bill to congress within ten days today criminalise abortion. It remains a highly controversial subject across latin america. Now on bbc news, that week and parliament. Hello and welcome. In a week dominated by coronavirus, what steps is the government taking . England chief medical officer says the nhs could face huge presses in the nhs could face huge presses in the scenario. Its easier to get a perception that if youre old and you hold only got then you are a corner. Absolutely not. The great majority of people will recover from this virus. The Prime Minister announces new measures on sick pay to encourage people to self isolate if they suspect they have the virus. If they stay at home, the house will understand that they are helping to protect all of us by slowing the spread of the virus. Also, more
allegations of merger bullying by the home secretary. We asked a former permanent secretary for his thoughts. On mp has her own take on theissue thoughts. On mp has her own take on the issue of. With this government, it seems that allegations of bullying orjust being incompetent gets you promoted whereas standing up gets you promoted whereas standing up to it, you lose yourjob. But first the chief medical officer franklin has told mps first the chief medical officer franklin has told mp5 is highly likely that coronavirus is now being passed from person to person. He said the aim was to try to delay at the spread of covid 19 so that the peak was more likely after other winter pressures on the nhs had diminished. The professor predict the number of cases would increase. There are now several common a large numbers, but several cases we cannot see numbers, but several cases we cannot see where this has come from in terms of a clear transmission, either from terms of a clear transmission, eitherfrom someone terms of a clear transmission, either from someone becoming directly overseas or they have had a close contact with someone who has recently returned from overseas. And
that i think makes it highly likely therefore that there is some level of Community Transmission in this virus in the uk now. I think we should work on the assumption it is here at very low levels. But at this point in time, i think that should be the working assumption on which we go forward from this point onwards. How exactly is a transmitted . Its primarily a respiratory droplet infection so that man someone who coughs or sneezes, that man someone who coughs or sneezes, usually within a couple of metres of someone sneezes, usually within a couple of metres of someone and relatively recent and prolonged contact. Thats the usual way with theirs and the secondary route is poly via hands. They were your hands do this is by getting, touching mouth and nose and eyes and this is the reason is so critical people wash their hands because that is the way in which germs which are on services go from the surface to the individual. That is the means of transmission. Just translating that advice if i may ask you to someone who is apps living in the same house as someone who has
the same house as someone who has the virus. In a situation, providing youve washed your hands regularly, youve washed your hands regularly, you not going to catch it through braving the same error someone else. Washing your hands will prevent the roots by touching the surface there have coughed over and then touching amount. In lieu of that but wont do with if the art respiratory droplet in the environment. It is widely known that one of the best routes of transmission in the uk was in a ski chalet, lots of People Living very closely together, windows closed and things like that. That would be a prolonged exposure to a relatively sealed environment. Can fit and Healthy People die from this virus . Yes. Fit and Healthy People conditionally die from anything but it is incredibly rare to happen. Any of you and i could die from the flu but it is a very unlikely to happen. Into modelling, what the mortality rate for the over eighties . The boat
looks somewhere between eight and 996. Looks somewhere between eight and 9 . Put lab around and that means more than 90 of over eight year old survived it even in a stretched Health Service in china in this epidemic. I think, Health Service in china in this epidemic. Ithink, it Health Service in china in this epidemic. I think, it is clear that the risk is very heavily weighted towards older people but i think people translate that into if im old and i get it, then unlikely to pass away, actually the great majority of people will survive this evenif majority of people will survive this even if they are in the eighties. Professor chris whitty. The Prime Minister has announced that workers will get statutory sick pay from the first day of work rather than from the fourth to help contain the virus. People have been urged to self isolate if they suspect they may have the virus to protect others. Borisjohnson delivered the news at Prime Minister s questions. When the Prime Minister brings forward the emergency legislation, will he guarantee that workers rights to sick pay from day one as
is just indicated will apply on a statutory sick pay, will apply to all claimants and those people who are not currently eligible for statutory sick pay will therefore have to make a terrible choice between health and hardship . Two the right honourable gentleman is raising a very important point and of course were very much aware of theissues of course were very much aware of the issues faced by those on zero hour contracts but i should stretch that some of them will be entitled to statutory sick pay, great many. Others will be entitled to help through the existing system such as universal credit. Injterjections. We are certainly looking at the application process to reflect on the advice on self isolation. Yesterday, the governor of the bank of england suggested a financial edge may be made available to assist markets for any volatility. If there
isa markets for any volatility. If there is a financial bridge for markets, can minister tell us, will there be a financial bridge for workers and indeed those who rely on benefits and should not risk the threat of sanction if they cant make an appointment . Will take every step we can to ensure businesses are protected, the economy remains strong and that no one, whether employed or self employed, whatever the status of employment, is penalised for doing the right thing. You may have noticed that sitting next to Boris Johnson was you may have noticed that sitting next to borisjohnson was the home secretary, priti patel, who is at the centre of a storm of allegations of bullying. So philip rutten, the most senior official at the home office alleging her conduct towards staff included swearing, belittling people and making unreasonable and repeated demands. There have been reports of similar behaviour when she was at the department for work and pensions on a wednesday, fresh allegations immersed about her time at International Development was not
priti patel denies allegations. The government is carrying out an internal cove na nt government is carrying out an internal covenant enquiry but that didnt satisfy jeremy corbyn. We now commit to an independent investigation into the home secretarys conduct led by an external lawyer and commits to a date when its findings will be made public . Mr speaker, of course it is right there should be an investigation into any allegations of bullying and that is what the Cabinet Office is doing and what sir alex will be doing but ijust want to remind him, since he mentions the home secretary, that she is keeping this country safe by putting record numbers of police officers. She believes in stopping the Early Release of offenders and is bringing ina release of offenders and is bringing in a system to tackle our migration crisis with an australian style points based system. A government cannot be the judge and jury over its own conduct. There has to be an independent elements of that
investigation. Overnight, further allegations have emerged that the home secretary repeatedly harassed and humiliated her private secretary while she ran at the department for International Development. If this is true, this suggests a shocking and unacceptable pattern of behaviour across three covenant two government departments. On each occasion, tens of thousands of pounds of hard earned taxpayers money has been photographed and altered by their silence. Was the Prime Minister unaware of these allegations and if he was, why did he appoint her because . Im just going to repeat the point i made. The home secretary is doing an outstanding job. I have every confidence in her. If there allegations, of course it is right there be properly investigated by there be properly investigated by the Cabinet Office and that is what is happening. For the purpose of clarity, if the Cabinet Officer enquiry into the allegations that
she breached the ministerial code, establishes that the conduct fell below the standard expected of a government minister on anyway and on any occasion, can at the primacy confirmed she would be expected to resign or be removed from office because when i return to the point earlier that the home secretary is doing an outstanding job delivering change, putting place on street, cutting crime and delivering a new immigration system and i am thinking by her. A resignation of an experienced Civil Servants, sacking, the sacking of a government aid. With this government, it seems that allegations of bullying orjust being incompetent yet you promoted whereas standing up to it, you lose yourjob. What does this say about this Prime Minister . Mr speaker, i am of bullying but im not taking
any lessons, im not taking any lessons from a party that has presided over systematic bullying and discrimination against those who stick up for the Jewish Community and for israel in this country. And were still yet to hear a proper apology from the labour party, from web leadership for what theyve done. The resignation of a top Civil Servant is highly unusual somewhat is also highly unusual is that so Philip Watson is now suing the government for constructive dismissal. In the studio was an employment lawyer from cohen s and a former secretary from work and pensions. With the government investigating whether the home secretary breached the ministerial code i began by asking what the ministerial code set about bullying . In relation to the sort of issues we re in relation to the sort of issues were talking about, it is admirably clear and just to quote a couple of wines from the beginning of the
code, ministers should be professional in all their dealings and treat all those with whom they come into contact with with consideration and respect. Harassing, bullying, or other inappropriate or discriminating behaviour, whether it takes place, is not consistent with the ministerial code and will not be tolerated. Is a fine line is entered between someone being firm with someone between someone being firm with someone who works with them, wanting them to do something, and actually going into bullying. Isnt it quite ha rd to going into bullying. Isnt it quite hard to see the difference there, whether they crossed the line . Hard to see the difference there, whether they crossed the line7m hard to see the difference there, whether they crossed the line . It is and there is no straight line. I think though that if youve been in a leadership role, in an organisation, you tend to know whether a particular set of behaviours is one sided of the line of the other. Who can a Civil Servant go to if there is a problem . Probably, in the first instance, they would go to their own line manager. But if it was a problem in relation to how they thought they had been treated by a minister, abel
polly pretty quickly reach the secretary. Who decides if the code has been breached . Secretary. Who decides if the code has been breached . That is a good question. It is up to the Prime Minister, first of all, to decide whether they want to ask the Cabinet Office to investigate the facts, in this instance, that is what the Prime Minister has done. But it is then up to the Prime Minister whether the code has been breached in any individual case. Is a difficult decision for him isnt it . Inevitably because its a question of weighing the facts but its also only to evidence that there were other considerations in play. What other considerations in play. What other considerations . The Prime Minister is always considering the politics of a situation, always considering the personalities involved two involved. Thats why some people have suggested that it ought to be more down to some kind
of independent personal body to decide whether breaches of the code had taken place. You are an employment lawyer, what does constructive dismissal mean. Constructive dismissal is where an employee resigns in response to a fundamental breach of their Employment Contract. The fundamental breach can either be an implied breach can either be an implied breach of mutual trust and confidence which is an automatic term at ssm Employment Relationship and more often than not whether there are allegations of bullying and harassment. It is the implied term of mutual trust and confidence thatis term of mutual trust and confidence that is relied upon. They resign in response to that breach and those alleged breaches have to be more than minor or trivial, have to essentially go to the root of the Employment Contract in order for a constructive and unfair dismissal claim to be successful. It is quite ha rd to prove claim to be successful. It is quite hard to prove presumably . M claim to be successful. It is quite hard to prove presumably . It is and a whole of employment tribunal claims centre around unfair dismissal and there are other heads
of claims which are attached as well for discrimination, whistleblowing, et cetera. The standalone constructive unfair dismissal claims, they are difficult to prove because the burden of proof is on the employee to show the factual circumstances which aligned to the allegations that the implied term is completely broken. Thank you for joining us. The government has rejected claims that it sat on its hands as the Airline Flybe collapsed. The downfall of the exeter based carrier has put 2,000 jobs at risk. Its failure comes two months after the government announced a rescue deal for the airline. Flybe said its problems had been compounded by the coronavirus outbreak. The directors therefore decided it was not viable to keep flybe operating. Unfortunately, in a competitive market, companies do fail and it is not the role of government to prop them up. The collapse of flybe is disastrous news for passengers and employees alike, and will cause real anxiety in many regions throughout this country. The loss of 2,000 jobs many in areas very heavily reliant on aviation it will be an extremely heavy blow. A series of conservative mps whose constituencies include Regional Airports highlighted the consequences of the collapse. This is devastating news for devon and regional connectivity for the south west. Now is the time to invest in the south west, and my colleagues and i will be watching the budget with great interest. 84 years ago, the first spitfire flew from southampton airport in my constituency on 5 march, 1936. The news last night will be devastating to the 1,500 people that rely on southampton airport in my constituency. The minister will know that 95 of flights are provided by flybe at southampton airport, and that the short runway means it is unlikely the other carriers will be able to take the brunt of the replacement services. Will she work with me and Cornwall Council, and the industry to find another carrier to pick up this vital route
as urgently as possible . I thank my honourable friend. I can confirm that we are determined to make sure that route continues. And i will, of course, work with my honourable friend and Cornwall Council in order to deliver that. Kelly tolhurst. Senior conservatives lined up to tear into the governments decision to give the Chinese Technology firm huawei a role in providing the 5g mobile phone network in the uk. The attack was led by a former conservative leader. Imagine in 1939, had we been developing our radar systems, we decided actually to have one of the nazi companies in germany become involved directly in doing it. 0h but we reduced the level of involvement to 35 so only 35 was controlled by them. I was surprised on a Radio Programme i heard a couple weeks ago that a director of huawei in this country who happens to be a former permanent secretary described huawei as being rather like john lewis. Laughter. In that was owned by its employees, and that wed all got this wrong. Does he agree with me that that is an absurd characterisation of huawei . Well, it is either completely absurd, or i will review my purchases from john lewis. My socks may yet even be bugged. An snp mp was struck by the line up of speakers. You can tell this is important because of the variety of personalities sat here behind me. We have several former cabinet ministers, former deputy Prime Minister, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs selecthommittee, the former chairman of the Dcms Committee was here earlier. If the tory party had a politburo, this would be it, mr chairman. Laughter. Chi onwurah started her career as an electrical engineer working for major telecoms firms. If someone had said to me that a couple of decades later, we would be incapable of building a european Telecoms Network
without a chinese supplier, i would have been absolutely dumbfounded. The minister tried to reassure mps. Over time, our intention is to reduce our reliance on high risk vendors, as market diversification takes place. And we want to get to position where we do not have to use a high risk vendor in our Telecoms Network at all. Matt warman. Now, parliaments petitions website is back up and running. Any submission that gets 10,000 signatures will receive a response from the government. Those that get 100,000 will be considered for a parliamentary debate. The Committee Chair told faye kidd that petitions can lead to further investigation. And we did that into brain tumour research, which resulted in getting more funding from the government. We also looked at workplace dress codes and whether women should be forced to wear make up and high heels at work. And that resulted in the government issuing a new guidance on the issue. So there are a number of areas where we have genuinely made
an impact and made a difference not us in parliament, but the petitioners themselves who have called for this change. So since it has reopened, how many petitions have you got . So the petitions website onlyjust reopened a couple days ago, but already in the last 2a hours, weve had 7a petitions tabled, and 6,000 signatures added to them, which are probably going up as we speak. So get on there and have a look, and if there is something that you want to support, get your name added. Or if there is something that youd like to raise, get a petition done, get five people to support it, and off you go. Now lets have a look at some other news from westminster. Peers have called on the government to take firm action against china over the harvesting of detainees organs for transplant. Over 7,000 doctors in china are involved in the systematic killing of prisoners through the horrific enforced body harvesting trade in that country. Mps have been told that hs2 didnt make public problems with the project in its annual report because it didnt want to scare the horses. In 2015, hs2 was predicted to cost £56 billion, but it could reach double that. There was lots of work going on with the supply chain. We were confident we could find a way to get back to an affordable position. We felt it would be inappropriate to say otherwise, because that would scare the horses. You knew, the department knew, word was beginning to leak out. But you, in your words, did not want to scare the horses. Illjust remind you that some of the horses in this race are the taxpayer. The governments decision not to appeal against a court of appeal judgement over a proposed third runway at heathrow has caused concern among some mps. The court ruled that current plans were unlawful because they didnt take climate commitments into account. In the event that heathrow are successful at the Supreme Court, will the minister confirm that the government will not intervene to stop expansion occurring . Any outcome of a Supreme Court ruling will be respected. Long awaited trade talks
between the uk and the eu got under way in brussels on monday. The uks chief negotiator, and his entourage of 100 advisers and Civil Servants, will focus on everything from fishing to financial services. In the commons, the government answered concerns about a trade deal with america. We will not be diminishing or lowering our standards as part of a us trade deal. And we will also not be paying more for drugs prices in the nhs. That is clearly laid out in our objectives for everyone to read. And if which i dont believe to be the case but if the us were to demand that, we will simply walk away. Each year, the commons holds a debate to Mark International womens day. Its become a grim tradition for one labour mp to read out a roll call of women whove been killed by men in the past year. It took her four minutes. Zoe orton. Beatrice yankston. Levi ogden. Tessa gouiri. Gabriel miriam. There was woman who lived on the street next to the street that i live on, and i saw the sirens and heard the roar, and knew i would have to read out her name. Jess phillips. Now, how do you fancy another Summer Bank Holiday . One conservative mp has introduced a bill calling for one to fall on the friday closest to 23june. But why then . We can celebrate the monarch, who has an official birthday in june. We can celebrate Un Public Services appreciation day, which is 27 june. We could also, of course, celebrate the fact that we had the greatest democratic debate and participation on 23june 2016 in the eu referendum. Now, if theres anyone that doesnt support the monarchy or doesnt support the public services, or doesnt support the union or doesnt support the referendum, they can always go to work on 23 june. Well, its very likely we will all be going to work on 23 june, because theres almost no chance his will make it into law. Lets take a look at the wider world of politics. Faye kidd has our countdown. At five popularity polls. 60 of people asked by yougov said that they didnt know who you were. And awkward pauses, relations remained tense in the welsh assembly. At four 5 march can only mean st pirans day, a celebration of cornwalls patron saint. Cornwall forever well, thats what we think the Prime Minister said. I wish him a happy st pirans day, and. Speaks in cornish. Mr speaker. Cheering. At three the union flag, or is it the unionjack . Oh no, its definitely the union flag. Oh, i give up ill letjacob rees mogg clear this one up. There is this pedantic but erroneous view that it should be called the union flag. And it is used by people who are more pedantic
than they are wise. At two mps celebrated International Womens day, but Anne Mclaughlin got a bit confused about who was sitting in the speakers chair. Mister i mean, madam deputy speaker. Im the second woman to call you mr speaker. And at one how would you prepare for a tough negotiation . Britains chief brexit negotiator david frost enjoys a patriotic fry up. Bacon, eggs, beans, and mmm, brexit faye kidd. Finally, lets return to the subject of coronavirus and one very eminent doctor in the lords was troubled by social interaction. It seems to me that simply not shaking hands is only part of the problem. Social kissing seems to be something that we should not be doing. Its very easy to do that. Somebodys tried to kiss me twice today, and i dont mean. Laughter. And i dont mean in the way that my wife, who might be listening to this debate, is concerned. The minister lord bethell had this
to say on the matter. The noble lord is absolutely right about kissing. Kissing is. Wonderful, but potentially dangerous. But the analysis. Laughter. Thats always been the case and he went on to say that the most important thing was not to touch your nose. Apparently, we touch our noses between 70 100 times a day, and thats why you need to wash your hands, so that when you touch your nose, theres no risk. And that Public Health message brings us to the end of the programme. Dont forget we look back at the day in parliament every weekday at 11pm on bbc parliament. But for now, from me, mandy baker, goodbye. Hello. Recent days have brought a real mix of weather its that sort of time of year and we will continue in that vein in the days to come, so if you do not like what you are getting on one day, hang on and it is sure to change. We start bright and crisp with a little frost around perhaps for some eastern areas, even that will change because the weather system towards the west of the British Isles creeps its way ever further towards the east. Initially spreading a veil of cloud across Western Areas after a bright enough start, a couple of showers running ahead of the main rain area. After lunchtime the rain will be all over northern ireland, by mid afternoon it will be over western scotland, western england and much of wales too. Out east, you will lose your sunshine but you will stay dry until later on in the day. Temperatures maxing out at around 10 degrees. Part of the problem is that once it starts raining, because weve not got one system but two, it may well continue to rain and there are concerns from the met office who have issued yellow warnings already for the intensity of rain across parts of wales and indeed the north west of england, because on tuesday some of that rain keeps on coming on what will be a blustery day across the British Isles here. The wind gusts for you, you can see widely 30, 40, perhaps 50mph in the exposed locations. The air is coming from the atlantic and if the cloud should break across the eastern side of england, in particular, perhaps 1a, 15, 16. Reaching in the norfolk area you could look at 17 degrees. Exceptional for the time of year. That weather front taking time to pull away but notice that the isobars almost run straight through the weather front, so theres no great change in the airmass. As the front slips away, the sunshine comes out across the greater part of england and wales. Plenty of wintry showers across the Higher Ground of scotland on another
breezy sort of day, but, as i say, the wind is coming from the south west so we will keep it feeling relatively springlike and mild across the south with temperatures 11 14, much chillier when you get the showers in the heart of scotland five, six, seven degrees only here. Into thursday, we will push this weather front down and across the southern half of the British Isles, and that i think that will really freshen things up. Plenty of wintry showers again across the Higher Ground of scotland, a couple of showers in northern ireland, but once the rain slips away from the southern counties of england then essentially a dry fine day, but that bit fresher. We return to the temperatures we saw on monday and we get
this is bbc news. The headlines italy says a sharp rise in the number of deaths from the coronavirus is a quarter of population is in partial lockdown. The death toll rises in america. We will report from the state of washington where most of those deaths have taken place. Cruise ship model off the california coast, kos will dock on monday, 20 when people on board testing positive. The Catholic Church holds a huge open air mass to rally against a bill that would legalise abortion in argentina