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Category: Coronavirus

  • Rishi Sunak – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    Rishi Sunak – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    Below is the text of the statement made by Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 14 April 2020.

    Good evening from Downing Street, where I’m joined by Steve Powis, Medical Director of the NHS and Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England.

    Earlier today, the government’s independent fiscal watchdog…

    …the Office for Budget Responsibility, the OBR…

    …published a report into the impact of coronavirus on the economy and public finances.

    It’s important to be clear that the OBR’s numbers are not a forecast or prediction.

    They simply set out what one possible scenario might look like – and it may not even be the most likely scenario.

    But it’s important we are honest with people about what might be happening to our economy.

    So before I turn to the health figures, I want to spend a few minutes explaining what the OBR have said – and let me thank them for their continued work.

    There are three brief points I want to make.

    First, the OBR’s figures suggest the scale of what we are facing will have serious implications for our economy here at home…

    …in common with other countries around the world.

    These are tough times – and there will be more to come.

    As I’ve said before, we can’t protect every business and every household.

    But we came into this crisis with a fundamentally sound economy, powered by the hard work and ingenuity of the British people and British business.

    So while those economic impacts are significant – the OBR also expect them to be temporary…

    …with a bounce back in growth.

    The second point I want to make is that we’re not just going to stand by and watch this happen.

    Our planned economic response is protecting millions of jobs, businesses, self-employed people, charities and households.

    Our response aims to directly support people and businesses while the restrictions are in place…

    …and to make sure as restrictions are changed, we can, as quickly as possible, get people back to work; get businesses moving again; and recover our economy.

    The OBR today have been clear that the policies we have set out will do that.

    The OBR today have been clear that if we had not taken the actions we have, the situation would be much worse.

    In other words, our plan is the right plan.

    The third point I want to make is this: right now, the single most important thing we can do for the health of our economy is to protect the health of our people.

    It’s not a case of choosing between the economy and public health – common sense tells us that doing so would be self-defeating.

    At a time when we are seeing hundreds of people dying every day from this terrible disease, the absolute priority must be to focus all of our resources…

    …not just of the state, but of businesses, and of all of you at home as well, in a collective national effort to beat this virus.

    The government’s approach is to follow scientific and medical advice through our step-by-step action plan…

    …aiming to slow the spread of the virus, so fewer people need hospital treatment at any one time, protecting the NHS’s ability to cope.

    I said in my Budget a month ago that whatever the NHS needs, it will get – and we have honoured that promise:

    Yesterday we published an update showing that we’ve given our public services an extra £14.5 billion in recent weeks.

    We are taking action to increase NHS capacity, with more beds, more key staff and more equipment on the front-line.

    And the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will be updating on our plans for social care tomorrow.

    This is why we are instructing people to stay at home, so that we can protect our NHS and save lives.

    I can report that through the government’s ongoing monitoring and testing programme, as of today:

    302,599 people in the UK have now been tested for coronavirus, with 93,873 people testing positive

    19,706 people in the UK have been admitted to hospital with the virus, down from 20,184 people yesterday;

    Sadly, of those in hospital, 12,107 people have now died – an increase of 778 fatalities since yesterday.

    Our thoughts are with the families and friends of all those who have lost their lives.

    These figures are a powerful reminder to us all of the importance of following the government’s guidance:

    Stay at home. Protect our NHS. And save lives.

    Thank you.

  • Robert Jenrick – 2020 Statement on Visiting Parents

    Robert Jenrick – 2020 Statement on Visiting Parents

    Below is the text of the statement made by Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on 9 April 2020 following a news story in the Guardian.

    For clarity – my parents asked me to deliver some essentials – including medicines.

    They are both self-isolating due to age and my father’s medical condition and I respected social distancing rules.

  • Boris Johnson – 2020 Letter to the Nation

    Boris Johnson – 2020 Letter to the Nation

    Below is the text of the letter to the nation sent by Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, on 3 April 2020.

    I am writing to you to update you on the steps we are taking to combat coronavirus.

    In just a few short weeks, everyday life in this country has changed dramatically. We all feel the profound impact of coronavirus not just on ourselves, but on our loved ones and our communities.

    I understand completely the difficulties this disruption has caused to your lives, businesses and jobs. But the action we have taken is absolutely necessary, for one very simple reason.

    If too many people become seriously unwell at one time, the NHS will be unable to cope. This will cost lives. We must slow the spread of the disease, and reduce the number of people needing hospital treatment in order to save as many lives as possible.

    That is why we are giving one simple instruction – you must stay at home.

    You should not meet friends or relatives who do not live in your home. You may only leave your home for very limited purposes, such as buying food and medicine, exercising once a day and seeking medical attention. You can travel to and from work but should work from home if you can.

    When you do have to leave your home, you should ensure, wherever possible, that you are two metres apart from anyone outside of your household.

    These rules must be observed. So, if people break the rules, the police will issue fines and disperse gatherings.

    I know many of you will be deeply worried about the financial impact on you and your family. The Government will do whatever it takes to help you make ends meet and put food on the table.

    The enclosed leaflet sets out more detail about the support available and the rules you need to follow. You can also find the latest advice at gov.uk/coronavirus. From the start, we have sought to put in the right measures at the right time. We will not hesitate to go further if that is what the scientific and medical advice tells us we must do.

    It’s important for me to level with you – we know things will get worse before they get better. But we are making the right preparations, and the more we all follow the rules, the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal.

    I want to thank everyone who is working flat out to beat the virus, in particular the staff in our fantastic NHS and care sector across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It has been truly inspirational to see our doctors, nurses and other carers rise magnificently to the needs of the hour.

    Thousands of retired doctors and nurses are returning to the NHS – and hundreds of thousands of citizens are volunteering to help the most vulnerable. It is with that great British spirit that we will beat coronavirus and we will beat it together. That is why, at this moment of national emergency, I urge you, please, to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.

  • European Commission – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    European Commission – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    Below is the text of the statement made by the European Commission on 2 April 2020.

    Saving lives and supporting livelihoods in these times of acute crisis is paramount. The Commission is further increasing its response by proposing to set up a €100 billion solidarity instrument to help workers keep their incomes and help businesses stay afloat, called SURE. It is also proposing to redirect all available structural funds to the response to the coronavirus.

    Farmers and fishermen will also receive support, as will the most deprived. All of these measures are based on the current EU budget and will squeeze out every available euro. They show the need for a strong and flexible long-term EU budget. The Commission will work to ensure that the EU can count on such a strong budget to get back on its feet and progress on the path to recovery.

    The coronavirus outbreak is testing Europe in ways that would have been unthinkable only a few weeks ago. The depth and the breadth of this crisis requires a response unprecedented in scale, speed and solidarity.

    In the past weeks, the Commission has acted to provide Member States with all the flexibility they need to support financially their health care systems, their businesses and workers. It has acted to coordinate, speed up and reinforce the procurement efforts of medical equipment and has directed research funding to the development of a vaccine. It has worked tirelessly to ensure that goods and cross-border workers can continue to move across the EU, to keep hospitals functioning, factories running and shop shelves stocked. It has and continues to support the repatriation of EU citizens, their families and long-term residents to Europe from across the world.

    In doing this, the Commission is acting on its conviction that the only effective solution to the crisis in Europe is one based on cooperation, flexibility and, above all, solidarity.

    Today’s proposals take the response to a new level.

    Commenting on the proposals adopted today, President von der Leyen said: “In this coronavirus crisis, only the strongest of responses will do. We must use every means at our disposal. Every available euro in the EU budget will be redirected to address it, every rule will be eased to enable the funding to flow rapidly and effectively. With a new solidarity instrument, we will mobilise €100 billion to keep people in jobs and businesses running. With this, we are joining forces with Member States to save lives and protect livelihoods. This is European solidarity.”

    €100 billion to keep people in jobs and businesses running: the SURE initiative

    We need to cushion the economic blow in order for the EU economy to be ready to restart when the conditions are right. To achieve this, we must keep people in employment and businesses running. All Member States have or will soon have short-time work schemes to help achieve this.

    SURE is the Commission’s answer to this: a new instrument that will provide up to €100 billion in loans to countries that need it to ensure that workers receive an income and businesses keep their staff. This allows people to continue to pay their rent, bills and food shopping and helps provide much needed stability to the economy.

    The loans will be based on guarantees provided by Member States and will be directed to where they are most urgently needed. All Member States will be able to make use of this but it will be of particular importance to the hardest-hit.

    SURE will support short-time work schemes and similar measures to help Member States protect jobs, employees and self-employed against the risk of dismissal and loss of income. Firms will be able to temporarily reduce the hours of employees or suspend work altogether, with income support provided by the State for the hours not worked. The self-employed will receive income replacement for the current emergency.

    Delivering for the most deprived – the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived

    As most of Europe practices social distancing to slow the spread of the virus, it is all the more important that those who rely on others for the most basic of needs are not cut off from help. The Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived will evolve to meet the challenge: in particular, the use of electronic vouchers to reduce the risk of contamination will be introduced, as well as the possibility of buying protective equipment for those delivering the aid.

    Supporting fishermen and farmers

    Europe’s farming and fisheries have an essential role in providing us with the food we eat. They are hard hit by the crisis, in turn hitting our food supply chains and the local economies that the sector sustains.

    As with the structural funds, the use of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund will be made more flexible. Member States will be able to provide support:

    to fishermen for the temporary cessation of fishing activities;

    to aquaculture farmers for the temporary suspension or reduction of production and provide support;

    and to producer organisations for the temporary storage of fishery and aquaculture products.

    The Commission will also shortly propose a range of measures to ensure that farmers and other beneficiaries can get the support they need from the Common Agricultural Policy, for example by granting more time to introduce applications for support and more time to allow administrations to process them, increasing advances for direct payments and rural development payments, and offering additional flexibility for on-the-spot checks to minimise the need for physical contact and reduce administrative burden.

    Protecting our economy and people with all available means

    Redirecting all Cohesion Policy funds to fight the emergency

    All uncommitted money from the three Cohesion Policy funds – the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund – will be mobilised to address the effects of the public health crisis.

    To make sure that funds can be re-directed to where they are most urgently needed, transfers between funds as well as between categories of regions and between policy objectives will be made possible. Moreover, co-financing requirements will be abandoned, as Member States are already using all their means to fight the crisis. Administration will be simplified.

    The Emergency Support Instrument

    The European Union has not faced a health crisis in its history on this scale or spreading at this speed. In response, the first priority is to save lives and to meet the needs of our health care systems and professionals who are working miracles every day right across our Union.

    The Commission is working hard to ensure the supply of protective gear and respiratory equipment. Despite the strong production efforts of industry, Member States still face severe shortages of protective gear and respiratory equipment in some areas. They also lack sufficient treatment facilities and would benefit from being able to move patients to areas with more resources and dispatch medical staff to hardest-hit places. Support will also be needed for mass testing, for medical research, deploying new treatments, and for producing, purchasing and distributing vaccines across the EU.

    The EU is today proposing to use all available remaining funds from this year’s EU budget to help to respond to the needs of European health systems.

    €3 billion will be put into the Emergency Support Instrument, of which €300 million will be allocated to RescEU to support the common stockpile of equipment. The first priority would be managing the public health crisis and securing vital equipment and supplies, from ventilators to personal protective gear, from mobile medical teams to medical assistance for the most vulnerable, including those in refugee camps. The second area of focus would be on enabling the scaling up of testing efforts. The proposal would also enable the Commission to procure directly on behalf of the Member States.

    More to come

    As the situation continues to evolve, the Commission will come forward with more proposals and will work with the other EU institutions to move forward as quickly as possible.

  • Alok Sharma – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    Alok Sharma – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    Below is the text of the statement made by Alok Sharma, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on 1 April 2020.

    Good afternoon and thank you for joining us for the daily briefing on our fight against coronavirus.

    I am joined today by Dr Yvonne Doyle who is the medical director of Public Health England.

    Before Yvonne provides an update on the latest data from our COBR coronavirus fact file, I would like to update you on the steps that we are taking to defeat this pandemic.

    Our step-by-step action plan is aiming to slow the spread of the virus, so fewer people need hospital treatment at any one time, protecting the ability of the NHS to cope.

    Throughout our response to coronavirus, we have been following the scientific and medical advice. We have been deliberate in our actions, taking the right steps at the right time.

    We are also taking unprecedented action to increase NHS capacity by dramatically expanding the number of beds, key staff and life-saving equipment on the front-line to provide the care when people need it most.

    The daily figures show that a total of 152,979 people in the UK have now been tested for coronavirus.

    Of those, 29,474 have tested positive.

    The number of people admitted to hospital in England with coronavirus symptoms is now 10,767, with 3,915 of those in London and 1,918 in the Midlands.

    Of those hospitalised in the UK, sadly 2,352 have died. This is an increase of 563 fatalities since yesterday. The youngest of them was just 13 years old.

    All our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives.

    This is more tragic evidence that this virus does not discriminate.

    The coronavirus pandemic is the biggest threat our country has faced in decades, and we are not alone. All over the world we are seeing the devastating impact of this invisible killer.

    We recognise the extreme disruption the necessary actions we are asking people to take are having on their lives, businesses, jobs and the nation’s economy.

    And I want to thank everyone across our whole country for the huge effort that is being made, collectively, in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

    To the frontline workers treating and caring for patients, the people delivering supplies to their neighbours, and the millions staying at home: thank you. You are protecting the NHS and saving lives.

    And I want to thank businesses too.

    Through your support for your workers and your communities, and through your willingness to support our health service, you are making a real difference.

    Whether it’s INEOS building a new hand sanitiser plant near Middlesbrough in just ten days;

    Or UCL engineers working with Mercedes Formula One to build new Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machines, which help patients to breathe more easily;

    Or broadband providers giving their customers unlimited data to stay connected;

    Or indeed London’s ExCel Centre being converted into the NHS Nightingale Hospital with space for 4,000 patients.

    These are just a few of the examples of businesses from across our great nation supporting lifesaving work.

    There are also thousands of businesses, large and small, which have worked with staff to ensure they are supported in the days and weeks ahead.

    Whether that is through ensuring PHE guidelines are followed on site, implementing furlough schemes, carrying over annual leave, or providing the means to work from home.

    I want to convey my heartfelt thanks to all of those businesses, up and down the country, which are working to keep our economy going.

    So that when this crisis passes, and it will, we are ready to bounce back.

    Our businesses are doing all they can to support our people, and I want to make it clear that government, in turn, will do all it can to support our businesses.

    We have taken unprecedented action to support firms, safeguard jobs and protect the economy.

    From today businesses will start benefiting from £22 billion in the form of business rates relief. And grants of up to £25,000 which are being paid into the bank accounts of the smallest high street firms.

    On Saturday, I said that we had provided funds to councils in England for grants to small businesses.

    As of today, these local authorities have received more than £12 billion.

    This afternoon I held a call with hundreds of local authorities across England and made clear that this money must reach businesses as quickly as possible. And I know that businesses across England have already started to receive these grants.

    We know high street banks are working really hard to support the UK through this period, including through mortgage holidays and increased credit facilities.

    Loans for businesses are also being issued through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme since it came into operation last week.

    The Chancellor, together with the Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority, wrote to the chief executives of the UK banks to urge them to make sure that the benefits of the Loan Scheme are passed through to businesses and consumers.

    And it would be completely unacceptable if any banks were unfairly refusing funds to good businesses in financial difficulty.

    Just as the taxpayer stepped in to help the banks back in 2008, we will work with the banks to do everything they can to repay that favour and support the businesses and people of the United Kingdom in their time of need.

    Of course, this is a brand new scheme and, as with all new schemes, it will not be perfect from the outset.

    We are listening all the time. And in response to concerns that we’ve heard from businesses, we are looking at ways in which we can ensure they get the support they need. The Chancellor will be saying more on this in the coming days.

    It is crucial that when we overcome this crisis, as in time we will, that businesses are in a good position to move forward.

    Times are tough, and we have harder times ahead of us.

    But I know that together, we will pull through.

  • 2020 Statement by NATO Ministers on the Coronavirus

    2020 Statement by NATO Ministers on the Coronavirus

    Below is the text of the statement made by NATO Foreign Ministers on 2 April 2020.

    We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of NATO, meet today in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic which is affecting all Allies and partners, imposing a huge cost in lives lost, as well as a sudden and severe shock to our economies. We express our deepest sympathies with all the victims of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and with all those affected by its consequences. We pay tribute to the health care workers, as well as all the others who are on the front line in our battle against this disease. These include the men and women in uniform who continue to work daily for our collective security. And we thank our citizens who understand that, working together, we will defeat this challenge more quickly and save lives.

    NATO is doing its part. Allies are supporting each other – including with medical professionals, hospital beds, vital medical equipment, and best practices and ideas on how to fight this deadly disease. We are airlifting critical medical supplies from across the globe, providing medical personnel, essential materials, and vital equipment from military and civilian sources, and harnessing our medical, scientific, and technological knowledge and resources to help deliver innovative responses. Allies are also working together to ensure public access to transparent, timely, and accurate information, which is critical to overcoming this pandemic and to combating disinformation. Because we need a coordinated and comprehensive approach, NATO is working closely with other international organizations, including the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the European Union.

    Even as we do the absolute maximum to contain and then overcome this challenge, NATO remains active, focused and ready to perform its core tasks: collective defence, crisis management, and cooperative security. Our ability to conduct our operations and assure deterrence and defence against all the threats we face is unimpaired. And we have today taken further decisions to enhance NATO’s role in facing current and future security challenges.

    We welcome North Macedonia as NATO’s 30th Ally. As we face this unprecedented challenge, our 30 nations stand together in solidarity and transatlantic unity.

  • Dominic Raab – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    Dominic Raab – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    Below is the text of the statement made by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, on 30 March 2020.

    Good afternoon, welcome to Downing Street for today’s coronavirus press briefing. I’m joined by our Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance and Dr Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England.

    Before Sir Patrick provides an update on the latest data from our COBR coronavirus dashboard, I just want to give you an update on the steps that we as a government are taking to defeat coronavirus.

    Our step-by-step action plan is aiming to slow the spread of the virus, so fewer people need hospital treatment at any one time, thereby protecting the NHS’ capacity. At each point we have been following the scientific and medical advice and we’ve been very deliberate in our actions – taking the right steps at the right moment.

    We are also taking unprecedented action to increase NHS capacity by dramatically expanding the numbers of beds, key staff, life-saving equipment on the frontline so that we give people the care they need when they need it most.

    That’s why we are instructing people to stay at home, so we can protect our NHS and save lives.

    I can report that through the government’s ongoing monitoring and testing programme, as of today:

    134,946 people have now been tested for the virus

    112,805 have tested negative

    22,141 have tested positive

    Of those who have contracted the virus, 1,408 have, very sadly, died. We express our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who have passed away and I think those figures are a powerful reminder to us all of the importance of following the government’s guidelines.

    We must stay at home to protect our NHS and save lives.

    I would like to thank all those involved on the frontline and in particular all of those in the NHS for their battle against the virus, the amazing doctors, the amazing nurses and all the support staff working day and night.

    The thousands of other key workers – from our teachers to supermarket workers to our fantastic diplomatic network – who are all as a team working around the clock to get us through this unprecedented coronavirus challenge.

    This is a united national effort and the spirit of selflessness shown by so many is an inspiration.

    I now want to turn to what we’ve been doing to support British people travelling around the world.

    Coronavirus hasn’t just challenged us at home, it is the greatest global challenge in a generation. And as countries work to secure their borders and stop the further spread of this deadly virus, we appreciate that an unprecedented number of UK travellers are trying to get home, and we’re not talking a few hundred or even a few thousand. We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of people travelling around the world.

    So with that in mind, on 17 March, we advised people against all non-essential travel around the world.

    And since 23 March, we have advised that all UK residents who were currently travelling abroad should return home. Hundreds of thousands have already done so.

    But many travellers haven’t yet managed to get home. From young back-packers to retired couples on cruises. We appreciate the difficult predicament that they find themselves in.

    We also recognise the anxiety of families here in the UK, who are concerned to get their loved ones home. It is a worrying time for all those who have been affected.

    And I want to reassure them that this government, their government is working around the clock to support, advise and help British travellers get home.

    I have spoken to more than 20 foreign ministers around the world in the last week or so to support this effort, to keep airports and ports open, and to facilitate access to them by British travellers.

    Over the weekend, I spoke to foreign ministers from Australia, New Zealand, India and Brazil and Pakistan, and I also spoke to the Ethiopian Prime Minister, and in all of those cases urged them to work with us and keep commercial routes flying.

    Given the scale and the complexity of this challenge, it inevitably requires a team effort. So the Foreign Office is working with other governments, and there is a particular focus on transit hubs, and we’re also working with the airlines to keep as many flights running as possible.

    We have a lot more to do, but we have already helped hundreds of thousands of Britons get home.

    The first priority has been to keep as many commercial flights running as we can, and that’s based on just purely the scale and the number of people who want to come home.

    As a result of those efforts, and the cooperation we received from the Spanish government, we’ve enabled an estimated 150,000 UK nationals to get back from Spain. On other commercial routes that have come under pressure, we’ve worked with partner governments and airlines to get back 8,500 UK travellers back from Morocco and around 5,000 UK nationals from Cyprus.

    That gives you a sense of the scale of the challenge and the numbers of British travellers abroad.

    Now in circumstances where commercial flights can’t operate, we have already chartered flights, which proved necessary to return 1,400 UK nationals on flights, for example, from China at the outset of this crisis and more recently from Peru.

    We’ve not faced challenges in getting people home from abroad, on this scale, in recent memory. Airports are closing down or preventing airlines from operating on a commercial basis. Local authorities have placed restrictions on movement that prevent people from getting to the airport. And the critical transit hubs that we rely on for long-haul flights are also shutting down, or in some cases, limiting their flights.

    Some of these restrictions have been done with very little notice, some with no notice at all which makes it very difficult to respond. So, international collaboration is absolutely vital.

    As I said, it is a team effort, in it involves government working with other governments and also with the airlines.

    So with that in mind, I can today announce a new arrangement between the government and airlines to fly home tens of thousands of stranded British travellers, where commercial flights are no longer possible. Partner airlines include British Airways, Virgin, Easyjet, Jet2 and Titan, and this list can be expanded.

    Under the arrangements that we are putting in place, we will target flights from a range of priority countries, starting this week.

    Let me explain a little bit about how this will work in practise.

    Where commercial routes remain an option, airlines will be responsible for getting passengers home. That means offering alternative flights at little to no cost where routes have been cancelled. And it means allowing passengers to change tickets, including between carriers.

    So for those still in those in countries where commercial options are still available, don’t wait. Don’t run the risk of getting stranded. The airlines are standing by to help you. Please book your tickets as soon as possible.

    Where commercial flights are no longer running, the government will provide the necessary financial support for special charter flights to bring UK nationals back home. Once special charter flights have been arranged, we will promote flights them through the government’s travel advice and by the British Embassy or High Commission in the relevant country.

    British travellers who want a seat on those flight will book and pay directly through a dedicated travel management company.

    We designated £75 million to support those flights and airlines to keep costs down and affordable for those seeking to return to the UK.

    In arranging these flights, our priority will be the most vulnerable, including the elderly or those with particularly pressing medical needs, and also looking in particular at countries where large numbers of UK tourists struggling to get home.

    UK travellers, if they haven’t already done so, should check Foreign Office Travel Advice and that advice is under constant review, and it can help travellers to find out more details of how to access the flights under this arrangement.

    They should also follow the social media of the UK embassy or high commission in the country where they find themselves, so that they can be directed to accurate real time information, including from the local authorities.

    For any questions that can’t be answered in that travel advice, or by the UK Embassies or High Commission, we also have our call centre working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    I know that it has been difficult for some travellers to get through. Just to give you a sense of volume: on average, we normally receive 1,000 calls a day to that call centre. Last Tuesday, we had nearly 15,000 – the highest on record.

    So we’ve boosted our resources, we’ve redeployed people to assist in the call centre and we’ve tripled our capacity.

    Yesterday, the call centre answered 99% of calls, and helped thousands of British travellers to get the answers they need.

    So, for those stranded, or for families nervously waiting news and wanting to see their loved ones return home, we are doing everything we can. We have improved our advice and boosted the call centre, so travellers get better and swifter information.

    We have put in place this arrangement with the airlines so that we can reach British citizens in vulnerable circumstances abroad where commercial flights aren’t running. And we’re working intensively round the clock with all of our partner countries and governments around the world to keep open the airports, the ports and the flights to bring people home.

    We’ve not faced an international challenge quite like this before, but together we are going to rise to it.

    And, of course here at home, we can all support our NHS by continuing to follow the guidance to: stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives.

  • Robert Jenrick – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    Robert Jenrick – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    Below is the text of the statement made by Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in the House of Commons on 29 March 2020.

    Good afternoon,

    I would like to update you on our response to COVID-19.

    I’m joined today by Dr Jenny Harries, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

    As of 9am today:

    127,737 people have now been tested for the virus.

    108,215 have tested negative.

    19,522 have tested positive.

    Of those who have contracted the virus, 1,228 have, sadly, died.

    The virus is indiscriminate

    It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are or how old you are.

    We each have a part to play by staying at home, protecting the NHS and helping to save lives.

    We all have a duty to one another to keep everyone safe.

    So today I would like to give you two updates, before answering questions.

    The first on the plans I have put in place to ensure that every corner of the country can confront the coronavirus epidemic.

    The second on what the government is doing to shield the most vulnerable people in society.

    On the first question, I have put in place in all parts of the country procedures to ensure that everywhere can be ready to move forward together. All parts of the country are now on an emergency footing.

    This is an unprecedented step in peace time.

    We haven’t done anything like this since the Second World War.

    This means that we’re establishing strategic co-ordination centres across the whole country.

    Each centre is led by gold commanders.

    We are bringing together senior members of the emergency services

    the police, the fire service, the ambulance service, with local authorities and the NHS, to lead communities through this challenging period.

    From Cornwall to Cumbria.

    And we have embedded within each of these groups members of the armed forces – including some of the finest military planners in the world.

    These groups are planning the local response to the virus.

    Using their expertise, their judgement and their leadership to ensure a comprehensive, a coordinated, and consistent response across the country.

    One issue that they have been helping us to coordinate and about which I know there is a lot of concern is the provision of personal protect equipment.

    We simply cannot and should not ask people to be on the frontline without the right protective equipment.

    We have a clear plan to ensure that those serving this country at this time have the right equipment.

    We have established the National Supply Distribution Response Team and they are supported now by the armed forces and other emergency services who are working round the clock to deliver the equipment to the people who need it most:

    170 million masks

    42.8 million gloves

    13.7 million aprons

    182,000 gowns

    Almost 10 million items of cleaning equipment

    and 2.3 million pairs of eye protectors

    all delivered to 58,000 NHS Trusts and healthcare settings including GP surgeries, pharmacies and community providers.

    Every single GP practice, dental practice and community pharmacy has had a PPE delivery. All care homes, hospices and home care providers have or will shortly receive a delivery.

    To NHS and social care workers, all those who rely on this equipment and to their families and loved ones watching this afternoon – we understand.

    And we will not stop until we have got you the equipment that you need.

    Last weekend, at this press conference, the Prime Minister and I explained why 1.5million people who are extremely vulnerable to the virus, due to their underlying health conditions, needed to stay at home for a period of 12 weeks and avoid face to face contact.

    Since then, the NHS have written to almost a million of these people and outlined the steps that they need to take to protect themselves.

    We have also established a dedicated web page on gov.uk which those in receipt of a letter should go to, to let us know whether or not they need further assistance over the course of the next 12 weeks. There is also a new phone number, which is on the letter they have or will receive shortly.

    If this applies to you, I know that you will find this a very worrying time.

    You will be thinking about how you can continue to access the medicine that you need, how you can get the food and other essential supplies that you rely on.

    If you don’t have family or friends or neighbours nearby who you can rely on then the NHS will deliver your medicines through the community pharmacy network.

    And if you register online or using the phone service that we have set up, letting us know you need support, then we will deliver food and supplies to your doorstep.

    And this weekend I saw for myself first-hand the first deliveries being made.

    The packages included cereal, fruit, tinned goods, teabags, biscuits, toiletries and other essentials.

    The first 50,000 will have been sent out by the end of this week and we are ramping up production to send out as many as are required for as long as it takes.

    If this applies to you, while you will now have to be at home for a prolonged period of time and that will be difficult, I want you to know that you are not alone. We are here to support you for as long as you need us.

    We have all been hugely impressed by the commitment and the dedication of those working in social care, in local councils delivering essential public services like ensuring that the bins continue to get collected. None more so than me, as the Secretary of State for Local Government.

    We all respect the 12,000 heroic former doctors and nurses and paramedics who have come back to work and been deployed this weekend.

    And I think we have all been moved by the number of people who have signed up to be one of the NHS Voluntary Responders – today we can announce an extraordinary, three quarters of a million people have signed up to do that.

    In every city, in every town, in every village, there is going to be work to be done and in each of us there is the power to do it.

    And so please take part, please play your part, please consider your friends, your family, your neighbours when you are shopping, please call the elderly and support them.

    When this is done, and it will be done, we all want to be proud of the part that we’ve played together.

    Thank you very much.

  • G20 – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    G20 – 2020 Statement on the Coronavirus

    Below is the text of the statement made by the G20 leaders on 26 March 2020.

    The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic is a powerful reminder of our interconnectedness and vulnerabilities. The virus respects no borders. Combatting this pandemic calls for a transparent, robust, coordinated, large-scale and science-based global response in the spirit of solidarity. We are strongly committed to presenting a united front against this common threat.

    We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and the suffering faced by people around the world. Tackling the pandemic and its intertwined health, social and economic impacts is our absolute priority. We express our gratitude and support to all frontline health workers as we continue to fight the pandemic.

    The G20 is committed to do whatever it takes to overcome the pandemic, along with the World Health Organization (WHO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group (WBG), United Nations (UN), and other international organizations, working within their existing mandates. We are determined to spare no effort, both individually and collectively, to:

    Protect lives.

    Safeguard people’s jobs and incomes.

    Restore confidence, preserve financial stability, revive growth and recover stronger.

    Minimize disruptions to trade and global supply chains.

    Provide help to all countries in need of assistance.

    Coordinate on public health and financial measures.

    Fighting the Pandemic

    We commit to take all necessary health measures and seek to ensure adequate financing to contain the pandemic and protect people, especially the most vulnerable. We will share timely and transparent information; exchange epidemiological and clinical data; share materials necessary for research and development; and strengthen health systems globally, including through supporting the full implementation of the WHO International Health Regulations (IHR 2005). We will expand manufacturing capacity to meet the increasing needs for medical supplies and ensure these are made widely available, at an affordable price, on an equitable basis, where they are most needed and as quickly as possible. We stress the importance of responsible communication to the public during this global health crisis. We task our Health Ministers to meet as needed to share national best practices and develop a set of G20 urgent actions on jointly combatting the pandemic by their ministerial meeting in April.

    We fully support and commit to further strengthen the WHO’s mandate in coordinating the international fight against the pandemic, including the protection of front-line health workers, delivery of medical supplies, especially diagnostic tools, treatments, medicines, and vaccines. We acknowledge the necessity of urgent short-term actions to step up the global efforts to fight the COVID-19 crisis. We will quickly work together and with stakeholders to close the financing gap in the WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan. We further commit to provide immediate resources to the WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation (CEPI) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, on a voluntary basis. We call upon all countries, international organizations, the private sector, philanthropies, and individuals to contribute to these efforts.

    To safeguard the future, we commit to strengthen national, regional, and global capacities to respond to potential infectious disease outbreaks by substantially increasing our epidemic preparedness spending. This will enhance the protection of everyone, especially vulnerable groups that are disproportionately affected by infectious diseases. We further commit to work together to increase research and development funding for vaccines and medicines, leverage digital technologies, and strengthen scientific international cooperation. We will bolster our coordination, including with the private sector, towards rapid development, manufacturing and distribution of diagnostics, antiviral medicines, and vaccines, adhering to the objectives of efficacy, safety, equity, accessibility, and affordability.

    We ask the WHO, in cooperation with relevant organizations, to assess gaps in pandemic preparedness and report to a joint meeting of Finance and Health Ministers in the coming months, with a view to establish a global initiative on pandemic preparedness and response. This initiative will capitalize on existing programs to align priorities in global preparedness and act as a universal, efficient, sustained funding and coordination platform to accelerate the development and delivery of vaccines, diagnostics and treatments.

    Safeguarding the Global Economy

    We commit to do whatever it takes and to use all available policy tools to minimize the economic and social damage from the pandemic, restore global growth, maintain market stability, and strengthen resilience.

    We are currently undertaking immediate and vigorous measures to support our economies; protect workers, businesses—especially micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises—and the sectors most affected; and shield the vulnerable through adequate social protection. We are injecting over $5 trillion into the global economy, as part of targeted fiscal policy, economic measures, and guarantee schemes to counteract the social, economic and financial impacts of the pandemic.

    We will continue to conduct bold and large-scale fiscal support. Collective G20 action will amplify its impact, ensure coherence, and harness synergies. The magnitude and scope of this response will get the global economy back on its feet and set a strong basis for the protection of jobs and the recovery of growth. We ask our Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to coordinate on a regular basis to develop a G20 action plan in response to COVID-19 and work closely with international organizations to swiftly deliver the appropriate international financial assistance.

    We support the extraordinary measures taken by central banks consistent with their mandates. Central banks have acted to support the flow of credit to households and businesses, promote financial stability, and enhance liquidity in global markets. We welcome the extension of swap lines that our central banks have undertaken. We also support regulatory and supervisory measures taken to ensure that the financial system continues to support the economy and welcome the Financial Stability Board’s (FSB) announced coordination of such measures.

    We also welcome the steps taken by the IMF and the WBG to support countries in need using all instruments to the fullest extent as part of a coordinated global response and ask them to regularly update the G20 on the impacts of the pandemic, their response, and policy recommendations. We will continue to address risks of debt vulnerabilities in low-income countries due to the pandemic. We also ask the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to monitor the pandemic’s impact on employment.

    Addressing International Trade Disruptions

    Consistent with the needs of our citizens, we will work to ensure the flow of vital medical supplies, critical agricultural products, and other goods and services across borders, and work to resolve disruptions to the global supply chains, to support the health and well-being of all people.

    We commit to continue working together to facilitate international trade and coordinate responses in ways that avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade. Emergency measures aimed at protecting health will be targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary. We task our Trade Ministers to assess the impact of the pandemic on trade.

    We reiterate our goal to realize a free, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable and stable trade and investment environment, and to keep our markets open.

    Enhancing Global Cooperation

    We will work swiftly and decisively with the front-line international organizations, notably the WHO, IMF, WBG, and multilateral and regional development banks to deploy a robust, coherent, coordinated, and rapid financial package and to address any gaps in their toolkit. We stand ready to strengthen the global financial safety nets. We call upon all these organizations to further step up coordination of their actions, including with the private sector, to support emerging and developing countries facing the health, economic, and social shocks of COVID-19.

    We are gravely concerned with the serious risks posed to all countries, particularly developing and least developed countries, and notably in Africa and small island states, where health systems and economies may be less able to cope with the challenge, as well as the particular risk faced by refugees and displaced persons. We consider that consolidating Africa’s health defence is a key for the resilience of global health. We will strengthen capacity building and technical assistance, especially to at-risk communities. We stand ready to mobilize development and humanitarian financing.

    We task our top relevant officials to coordinate closely in support of the global efforts to counter the pandemic’s impacts, including through proportionate border management measures in accordance with national regulations and to provide assistance where necessary to repatriate citizens. We value the efforts to safeguard our people’s health through the postponement of major public events, in particular the decision by the International Olympic Committee to reschedule the Olympic Games to a date no later than summer 2021. We commend Japan’s determination to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 in their complete form as a symbol of human resilience.

    We stand ready to react promptly and take any further action that may be required. We express our readiness to convene again as the situation requires. Global action, solidarity and international cooperation are more than ever necessary to address this pandemic. We are confident that, working closely together, we will overcome this. We will protect human life, restore global economic stability, and lay out solid foundations for strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth.

  • Rishi Sunak – 2020 Statement on the Self-Employed and the Coronavirus

    Rishi Sunak – 2020 Statement on the Self-Employed and the Coronavirus

    Below is the text of the statement made by Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 26 March 2020.

    Good afternoon.

    Today I can announce the next step in the economic fight against the Coronavirus pandemic, with new support for the self-employed.

    Our step-by-step action plan is aiming to slow the spread of Coronavirus so fewer people need hospital treatment at any one time, protecting the NHS’s ability to cope.

    At every point, we have followed expert advice to be controlled in our actions – taking the right measures at the right times.

    We are taking unprecedented action to increase NHS capacity by increasing the numbers of beds, key staff and life-saving equipment on the front-line to give people the care they need.

    That is why it is absolutely critical that people follow our instructions to stay at home, so we can protect our NHS and save lives.

    Our action plan to beat the pandemic is the right thing to do – but we know people are worrying about their jobs and their incomes.

    Working closely with businesses and trade unions, we have put together a coherent, coordinated and comprehensive economic plan – a plan which is already starting to make a difference:

    big employers like Brewdog, Timpsons and Pret have already said that our Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme means they can furlough thousands of staff, rather than laying them off. And we are publishing this evening detailed guidance on how the scheme will operate so that other businesses can take advantage, too

    small businesses are already benefiting from Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans of up to £5 million, which are interest free for 12 months – with 30,000 enquiries in just four days

    local authorities are already informing more than 700,000 retail, hospitality and leisure businesses that they will pay no business rates this year

    and the new hardship grants scheme, providing cash grants of up to £25,000 for the smallest businesses, is now up and running

    So if any business is struggling, and worrying they may need to lose staff, I would urge you to log on to businesssupport.gov.uk, and look very carefully at what support is available before deciding to lay people off.

    I’m proud of what we’ve done so far, but I know that many self-employed people are deeply anxious about the support available for them.

    Musicians and sound engineers; plumbers and electricians; taxi drivers and driving instructors; hairdressers and childminders and many others, through no fault of their own, risk losing their livelihoods.

    To you, I say this: You have not been forgotten. We will not let you behind. We are all in this together.

    So, to support those who work for themselves, today I am announcing a new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.

    The government will pay self-employed people, who have been adversely affected by the Coronavirus, a taxable grant worth 80% of their average monthly profits over the last three years, up to £2,500 a month.

    This scheme will be open for at least three months – and I will extend it for longer if necessary.

    You’ll be able to claim these grants and continue to do business.

    And we’re covering the same amount of income for a self-employed person as we are for furloughed employees, who also receive a grant worth 80%.

    That’s unlike almost any other country and makes our scheme one of the most generous in the world.

    Providing such unprecedented support for self-employed people has been difficult to do in practice.

    And the self-employed are a diverse population, with some people earning significant profits.

    So I’ve taken steps to make this scheme deliverable, and fair:

    to make sure that the scheme provides targeted support for those most in need, it will be open to anyone with income up to £50,000.

    to make sure only the genuinely self-employed benefit, it will be available to people who make the majority of their income from self-employment

    and to minimise fraud, only those who are already in self-employment, who have a tax return for 2019, will be able to apply

    95% of people who are majority self-employed will benefit from this scheme.

    HMRC are working on this urgently and expect people to be able to access the scheme no later than the beginning of June.

    If you’re eligible, HMRC will contact you directly, ask you to fill out a simple online form, then pay the grant straight into your bank account.

    And to make sure no one who needs it misses out on support, we have decided to allow anyone who missed the filing deadline in January, four weeks from today to submit their tax return.

    But I know many self-employed people are struggling right now, so we’ve made sure that support is available.

    Self-employed people can access the business interruption loans.

    Self-assessment income tax payments, that were due in July, can be deferred to the end of January next year.

    And we’ve also changed the welfare system so that self-employed people can now access Universal Credit in full.

    A self-employed person with a non-working partner and two children, living in the social rented sector, can receive welfare support of up to £1,800 per month.

    The scheme I have announced today is fair.

    It is targeted at those who need it the most.

    Crucially, it is deliverable.

    And it provides an unprecedented level of support for self-employed people.

    As we’ve developed the scheme, I’m grateful for the conversations I’ve had with the Federation of Small Businesses, the association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed, and a range of trade unions, including the Trades Union Congress.

    But I must be honest and point out that in devising this scheme – in response to many calls for support – it is now much harder to justify the inconsistent contributions between people of different employment statuses.

    If we all want to benefit equally from state support, we must all pay in equally in future.

    These last ten days have shaken our country and economy as never before.

    In the last two weeks we have put aside ideology and orthodoxy to mobilise the full power and resources of the British state.

    We have done so in pursuit of a single goal: to protect people’s health and economic security, by supporting public services like our NHS, backing business, and protecting people’s jobs and incomes.

    What we have done will, I believe, stand as one of the most significant economic interventions at any point in the history of the British state, and by any government, anywhere in the world. We have:

    pledged that whatever resources the NHS needs, it will get

    promised to pay 80% of the wages of furloughed workers for three months up to £2,500

    deferred more than £30 billion of tax payments until the end of the year

    agreed nearly 17,000 Time to Pay arrangements for businesses and individuals

    made available £330 billion of loans and guarantees

    introduced cash grants of up to £25,000 for small business properties

    covered the cost of statutory sick pay for small businesses for up to two weeks

    lifted the incomes of over four million households with a nearly £7 billion boost to the welfare system

    agreed three-month mortgage holidays with lenders and nearly £1 billion more support for renters through the Local Housing Allowance

    and today we’ve announced one of the most generous self-employed support schemes in the world

    Despite these extraordinary steps, there will be challenging times ahead. We will not be able to protect every single job or save every single business.

    But I am confident that the measures we have put in place will support millions of people, businesses and self-employed people to get through this, get through it together, and emerge on the other side both stronger and more united.

    Thank you.