The public spending watchdog has laid bare the hugely inflated prices the westminster government ended up paying for personal protective equipment as the pandemic began to bite. The National Audit office said that stockpiles were low and that competing for ppe with other countries cost the taxpayer an extra ten billion pounds. Our special correspondent, lucy manning, reports. At felixstowe port amongst the containers, a sign of englands ppe problems. 4,000 containers of protective equipment still sitting there causing logjams because most of the governments ppe orders didnt arrive for the first covid peak. At the beginning of the pandemic, the government hadnt built up its stockpile of ppe enough. So there were only nine days worth of goggles left, seven days worth of protective aprons and as for gowns, there werent even enough to last a day. And that meant the government had to buy with prices rocketing. The price of body bags and the price of gowns went up by more than 1,000 . The pr
Ppe at the start of the pandemic and why it cost the taxpayer an extra £10 billion. Meghan speaks about the unbearable grief of having a miscarriage in july. She says the subject is still taboo. Good evening and welcome to bbc news. The chancellor couldnt have been clearer the uk is entering an economic emergency the likes of which we have not seen for three hundred years. Delivering his Spending Review, rishi sunak spelt out how the financial cost of the pandemic will have a Lasting Impact on the nations finances. The numbers tell the story. Next year, more than two and half Million People could be out of work, and this year alone the government will be borrowing nearly 400 billion pounds. There are tough times ahead for some Public Sector workers in england who can expect a pay freeze, though nhs staff and those earning less than £24,000 will be exempt. But despite the grim forecasts, there was three billion pounds promised for the restart programme to help the unemployed find work
Businesses warn a Global Shipping crisis is causing freight costs to soar and uk consumers may soon see price rises for imported goods. On top of skyrocketing shipping rates, carriers are adding congestion charges for imports to felixstowe and southampton, because of severe delays. And the stockpiling of goods ahead of the end of the brexit transition period is making matters worse as emma simpson reports. This honda car plant in swindon, like all the other car manufacturers, when he needed, just just in time manufacturers, when he needed, justjust in time supply chain hit by delays caused by congestion at the ports. Its production line will not be running today as a result. Gary iu ns running today as a result. Gary runs an online toy company and has had weeks of delays at his busiest time of the year. We are particularly affected by things that we are importing coming in from china, on containers, lots of congestion at the ports and the ports cannot cope and there are some boats bein
Debate the main sticking points still in the way of a deal. To deal or no deal, we may still not find as weve just heard, out tonight. As thousands more the pandemic has caused so much congestion as well as delays at some people get the Pfizer Vaccine a new of the uks biggest ports warning to those with significant that the japanese car maker honda allergies after two people suffer has had to temporarily suspended and have reactions. Sharp rise in production at its swindon plant the number of covid cases in wales because of a shortage of parts. But its notjust honda since the age took neck fire Toy Companies preparing for christmas are finding it breakdown. The wells government says it is not lost control of the virus. Difficult to get popular toys on to the shelves stocking shelves in time for in time for christmas. And there are warnings christmas. How the pandemic is that there could be further causing delays and disruption for disruption when the brexit supplies coming through the
Solution really are or whether we are rapidly heading for the door. Well have the latest from brussels and from westminster as the search for a trade deal reaches a new intensity. Also tonight. As thousands more people get the pfizer vaccine, a warning that those with a history of serious allergic reactions should not take it. In wales, a sharp rise in the number of infections, but the Welsh Government insists it hasnt lost control of the situation. A new government report says the route to net zero Carbon Emissions could be much cheaper than previously thought. And a warm family greeting for margaret keenan, whose face has been seen around the world after becoming the first person to have the pfizer vaccine. And coming up in sport on bbc news, mo salah becomes liverpools all time leading scorer in europe, hitting the target in a 1 1 draw with the danish side fc midtjylland. Good evening. Borisjohnson has spent the evening in brussels setting out his conditions for a trade deal with th