this is bbc news. the headlines: amid claims the covid testing system is collapsing — the government says resolving delays is its number one issue. everybody can see, just in the last few days, a colossal spike in the number of people who want to test and who want to ascertain whether they've got coronavirus. and what we're trying to do now is meet that demand at record speed. they've had six months, mr speaker, to get this right. and yet the prime minister still can't deliver on his promises. the health secretary said yesterday it would take weeks to sort the situation out. well, mr speaker, we don't have weeks. calls for teachers to be added to the priority list for testing as the government prepares to announce that nhs staff and care workers will be at the front of the queue.

in wales another area is placed under lockdown restrictions— people will not be able to enter or leave rhondda cynon taf from 6pm tomorrow. taking a bite out of inflation — the eat out to help out scheme pushes uk inflation to its lowest level for nearly five years. longerjail terms for serious offenders — as the government announces a shake—up of sentencing powers. an environmental first: making single—use plastic out of something that won't damage the planet. borisjohnson has defended the uks coronavirus testing system — insisting it compares "extremely well" with other european countries. at prime minister's questions, he acknowledged there'd been a "huge surge" in demand in recent days — but he said that care homes, particularly, were being treated as a priority.

labour told him to get his skates on — that he was presiding over a system that was collapsing — and that the government is staring down the barrel of a second wave — without a plan. our political correspondent jonathan blake reports. why haven't you sorted out testing, prime minister? with a system under strain, and the government grappling to get a grip, borisjohnson left downing street to face a day of questioning on his response to the coronavirus pandemic. testing, by far the most pressing issue. labour's deputy leader stood in for sir keir starmer, who was awaiting a test result for one of his children, and suggested the government's rhetoric did not match reality. the prime minister has put his faith in operation moonshot, but meanwhile on planet earth, there was no nhs tests available for several high infection areas, including tameside and oldham, in my own constituency. injuly, the government promised there would be weekly tests in care homes, and they promised this for september.

so can the prime minister confirm, yes or no, do all care homes in this country have weekly tests? well, mr speaker, yes, to the best of my knowledge, care homes in this country should get weekly tests for all staff members and tests every 28 days for those who are in the care homes, the residents in the caer homes. the residents in the care homes. angela rayner said evidence suggested otherwise and attacked the government record. time and time again, he makes promises, and then breaks those promises. injune, he told this house, "i can undertake now to get all tests "turned around in 24 hours by the end ofjune". they've had six months, mr speaker, to get this right, and yet the prime minister still can't deliver on his promises. the health secretary said yesterday it would take weeks to sort the situation out. well, mr speaker, we don't have weeks! we are delivering exactly

what we said we would do. what is happening, mr speaker, is that the british people, quite understandably, are responding to that system with a huge, huge surge in demand, and so it's very important that everybody follows the guidance about when they should be getting a test. from labour's backbenches, claims that constituents had faced huge difficulties in getting tests, but for the majority, the prime minister claimed, the testing system was working well. i would remind the house and those that want to run it down, that we are conducting more tests than any other european country. testing more people per thousand of population than any other european country. those are the facts. he doesn't like it. all he wants to do is score party political points. with high demand putting the coronavirus testing system under strain, political pressure will continue over the government's response. jonathan blake, bbc

news, westminster. unions and school leaders are calling for teachers to be given priority access to coronavirus tests, as a surge in demand continues to cause long delays in some areas. as nhs trusts report people heading to a&e departments and gps for tests — officials across the north west say the system there is under severe strain. our health correspondent richard galpin reports. queues of people, here in southend—on—sea, lining up to get tested for coronavirus. the surge in demand for tests as winter approaches and children return to school, overwhelming the key laboratories, which process the 12 tests. which process the swab tests. people now being discouraged from coming to testing centres like this, unless essential, ssarking an angry response here. i dropped my daughter off with my grand daughter. she was about 350 people being told they cannot get tested because they don't have enough, they only had enough tests for about 150 people.

the lady in front of her had been here five days on the trot with her little one. she couldn't get tested. another guy had been queueing since 4.30 in the morning to get tested. to tackle this, the government, which earlier this year encouraged people to get tested now has changed tack and wants priority given to nhs patients and staff and a care home staff and residents. the nhs has to be at the top of the list and then social care. and i think looking at the need to keep our economy going and our schools open, it's clear that making sure that we get our priorities right so that children can stay in school and parents are able to go to work, clearly has to be at the heart of this important work. but other key workers such as teachers are also being affected

by the shortage of tests and so far have not been prioritised. the lack of testing means that we are stuck at home with our children. our children are not able to attend school. we are not able to return to work. i do have some symptoms. it could be just a cold, but if it was ruled out, if i found out i didn't have coronavirus, then i could go back to work, my wife could go back to work and continue teaching. such is the situation now that people have been heading to any people have been heading to a&e units in hospitals like this one in bolton in their dozens. in the hope of getting tested here. bolton has the worst infection rate in the country. but in this tweet at the hospital trust is saying a&e is so busy with patients requesting test, it wants people to stay away. we are not alone. we are hearing from other nhs trusts where this is happening as well. and our gp surgeries. people are not able to access the system. eople are not able

to access the system. they are panicking. they are thinking, where can i go to get some uncertainty about whether my family member is struggling? otherwise i can't go to work. they can't go to school. so we are seeing gps being inundated the same way that hospitals are. now to add to the problems, another welsh authority will be put under local lockdown from tomorrow evening, following an increase in cases. in scotland, nicola sturgeon has said that while cases were continuing to rise, the backlog of testing was decreasing. and there were no indications of any difficulty booking tests. but there are plans to set up a new testing centres to cope with demand. richard galpin, bbc news. for largerfamilies, it's notjust testing availability that can be an issue. christina and stephen fox, from stockton on tees, have been trying to navigate the site and get tests for her family of eight after her seven—year—old daughter came down with symptoms.

theyjoin us now they join us now from stockton—on—tees. christina, thank you forjoining us, that is abigail i think on your lap. a simple question, as to how you all are. let's go through them all. we are still poorly at the moment but we have had some negative tests back, which is a huge relief, but there are two children that we haven't been able to get tested that do have some symptoms, but based on the fact we have all been negative we are now assuming they will all be ok. it has been an absolute nightmare trying to get tests. describe it. basically we we re get tests. describe it. basically we were advised by 111 on sunday that abigail had symptoms because she had a high fever and a cough, abigail had symptoms because she had a highfeverand a cough, and abigail had symptoms because she had a high fever and a cough, and that we should all be tested. my eldest daughter works for 111 so she was unable to go to work after that point, and basically both of us spent the whole day on the computer and our phone is trying to order a

test, having to input information in all the time for all eight of us, and you can actually only order four test at a time so that was two of us having to do it, because obviously we are a family of eight. so obviously there is a timing issue here because if you are still waiting for three tests, by the time they arrive you will have to start during the whole process again. yes, well we had to go into separate batches, so the first three of us went on monday when we finally managed to secure a test on sunday night, and then we still couldn't get a test for anyone else, so my husband and daughter had to go yesterday, again to the same place half an hour away each way. stephen, your daughter works for 111. i bet there are some interesting conversations they are? yes, indeed. indeed there has been. and in terms of how you have been treated once you get through, i mean, once you find a place, the system works, does

it? yeah, once we got there it was very easy to do the tests, it was very easy to do the tests, it was very quiet, in fact, they're actually what i assume where test handlers just standing not doing anything. we were actually very surprised, my daughter and i, anything. we were actually very surprised, my daughterand i, how quiet it was, considering apparently there are no tests available. christina, this has huge knock—ons presumably, because obviously there is school, i don't know if you are working at the moment, but there are issues presumably with work for both of you as well? it has not gones for people that don't get paid if they are isolating, and i can quite clearly sympathise with people that just give up and going to work sick because they are not going to be paid if they do isolate. it is an absolutely appalling system. that is slightly different, because we are still talking about people who want to get the tests who just can't access that at the moment. that's right. we did the right thing from

day dot. we were told we all needed to be tested, so that's what we try to be tested, so that's what we try to do, and we haven't all been tested, because we still to this point have had three people that haven't been tested, two that have had symptoms, one who hasn't. are you getting a sense that the message from the government has been clear oi’ from the government has been clear or that it is changing? no, it is totally inconsistent. there is no clear guidelines at all between schools, between nhs iii, clear guidelines at all between schools, between nhs 111, between what we are hearing in different various reports. and you honestly have to work on the basis that if one of your five children, one of the children has got symptoms, you are going to have to isolate all of them, are you? we do, absolutely, because we also have three that were in the shielding group as well.|j don't know if you were watching prime minister's questions today but when the government says we are doing our best, do you have sympathy that obviously we are in unprecedented times, it is going to be difficult to sort this out? of

course it is going to be difficult, but what they are doing isn't working. they have had enough time i'iow working. they have had enough time now to organise testing in a better way. we have had coronavirus for six months now, they have to get more testing sorted. so frustration i think a bit of anger as well, stephen? certainly frustration, yes. so christina, what happens now? basically, i think two of my children will go back to school now because they have had the negative result. i've still got one that is sick that hasn't been tested, but i'm hoping it isjust what sick that hasn't been tested, but i'm hoping it is just what the others have had. we have been very careful, we have done the right thing from the very beginning, we have isolated. from march to the beginning of august, we didn't leave the house basically. so we followed the house basically. so we followed the guidelines exactly what was recommended, all the way through, and it is just very frustrating to now send my kids back to school, and

within a week we are at home isolating because of lack of covid test. yes, we were expecting things to change, kids go back to school and everything would return to normal and it appears to be far from that. and i do question the level of hygiene. they say the kids are being made to wash their hands and do the extra precautions, but if that's the case, then why are so many kids getting sick already? that is a problem for you on a personal level with more than the average number of children of course, if one of them comes back with a positive test you presumably then have to act as a family and self—isolate the lot of you? we do, absolutely, yeah. we will keep ourfingers you? we do, absolutely, yeah. we will keep our fingers crossed with you, christina, stephen, thanks for talking to you both. at 2.30, we'll answer your questions on testing with virologist and lecturer in global

health dr elisabetta groppelli, and gp ellie cannon ...send your questions using the hashtag #bbcyourquestions or email using the address yourquestions@bbc.co.uk and at around 3:30 borisjohnson will face questions from mps on the cross party commons liaison committee — we will bring that to you live. the inflation rate fell sharply in august — to a five—year low of 0.2%. the reduction — measured by the consumer prices index — was partly caused by the eat 0ut to help 0ut scheme which pushed down restaurant prices. our business correspondent ben thompson explained what was behind the drop. prices in cafes and restaurants falling for the first time in record. we're told 100 million meals were served as part of that government eat out to help 0ut scheme that offered discounted meals to diners. that coming at the same time as a cut in vat for hospitality firms, that bringing down prices there. but there were a number of other factors, too. the price of air tickets,

plane fares, they fell sharply as a result of that slump in demand for travel. and traditionally at this time of the year in the shops prices would go up as new stock arrives in stores, but we know that retailers right now are pretty desperate to attract us back to the high street and so have been cutting the price of clothing rather than increasing it. all of that taken together bringing inflation down to 0.2% last month, down from i% in the month before. it is a five year low, and still well below that bank of england target of 2%. now, you might wonder why any of this matters. if you're facing a squeeze on your income right now, low inflation means prices are rising less quickly. perhaps you've been furloughed, maybe you're working fewer hours, facing the prospect of redundancy. so, with prices rising less quickly it does mean that your earnings and your income could go a little further. the former labour prime—minister gordon brown has called on the government

to extend its furlough scheme. today is the deadline for businesses to tell their employees if they will have a job after the end of october when the scheme runs out. mr brown, speaking to bbc news this morning, said the scheme should be kept for key sectors. i called for and indeed i welcomed what the treasury did six months ago in creating the furlough scheme. the assumption then would be the health problems will be over by october. clearly when we are bringing in new regulations and requirements in business, making economic activity more difficult rather than less difficult in the next few weeks, you cannot really justify a difficult in the next few weeks, you cannot reallyjustify a complete end to this furlough scheme. i think it could be part—time for many people, i think it could be sectoral, i think where there are local lockdowns we have to do better than giving people £91 a week to feed families of six. i think there has to be an announcement by the government in the next few weeks there has to be an extension in

certain sectors. germany and france are doing part—time support for not just this year but the whole of next year and just this year but the whole of next yearandi just this year but the whole of next yearand i think just this year but the whole of next year and i think we have to be realistic. if you ask people to meet new health regulations and then deny them the income that is lost through them the income that is lost through them having to stay at home you've really got to do something about it, and the same energy that went into the originalfurlough and the same energy that went into the original furlough scheme ought to be put into creating measures after october. youth unemployment will rise dramatically, businesses will rise dramatically, businesses will become zombie companies if the company pay them loans, at the same time young people and others will be lost to the labour market with skills and capacity forever. this is a once in a century event and that is why once in a century measures and quite clearly we need a recovery plan as well as a rescue plan and we needed almost immediately. the uk government's law officer for scotland, lord keen, has offered his resignation to the prime minister. bbc scotland understands lord keen, the advocate general, has found it increasingly difficult to reconcile government plans

to change the european union exit deal with the law. the uk's approach to potentially flouting international law has attracted further international criticism — with senior figures in the us saying there can be no free trade deal with them if britain tries to ‘flout‘ the northern ireland protocol. and in brussels, ec president ursula von de leyn has quoted margaret thatcher as shejoined in the criticsim. nick beake has the latest from brussels. the head of this place, the european commission, has been outlining her future for europe for the next five years but she took us back in time to 1975 specifically, which some viewers may recall was the first time the uk had a referendum on european membership, and she quoted margaret thatcher, speaking in that year, who said "britain does not break treaties. it would be bad for britain, bad for relations with the re st of britain, bad for relations with the rest of the world and bad for any treaty on trade." ursula von der leyen said the same thing applies

today and she called on the current conservative leader and of course the prime minister borisjohnson not to go back on the brexit divorce deal that was agreed last year. the european union and the uk jointly agreed it was the best and only way for ensuring peace on the island of ireland, and we will never backtrack on that, and this agreement has been ratified by this house and by the house of commons. it cannot be unilaterally changed, disregarded or do supplied. applause this is a matter of law and trust and good faith. we know of course that borisjohnson in contrast as he is only acting in the best interests of the whole country, and he is looking to secure the peace accord in northern ireland, and also interestingly we have heard senior conservatives say that it is actually the european union's side that has been acting in bad faith in particular in these negotiations that happening are not very well but they have been going on nonetheless.

serious and violent criminals in england and wales will face tougher jail terms under government proposals to overhaul sentencing laws. the new measures also include more support for those with mental health and addiction issues. here's our home affairs correspondent, june kelly. ellie gould was 17 when her life was taken by a former boyfriend after she ended their brief relationship. her killer, thomas griffiths, was also 17 and they were at the same school. he went to rellili's home and stabbed her repeatedly with a kitchen knife. her mum carol recently organised a get together for her daughter's friends, who are all about to head off to university. i wanted to see them all before they went and wish them all the best. at the same time i should have been wishing ellie off as well. her daughter's murderer was jailed for a minimum of 12 and a half years.

new sentencing measures announced today include tougher penalties in the future for teenage killers. a move welcomed this morning by carol gould. i can't bear the thought he will be out before he is 30. he has devastated our lives and it seems so wrong that by the age of 30 he could be out and he has got a second chance to have a second life. there will also be harsher sentences for other violent offenders, including rapists, and powers to keep those convicted of terrorism in jail for longer. just some of the changes announced by the justice secretary. the public want to know that custodial sentences for these sorts of crimes do what they say on the tin. they want to know that when serious and violent offenders go to prison, that is where they will stay for as long as possible. these reforms will restore their faith and the system will keep dangerous criminals off our streets for longer. but there is a focus too on rehabilitation for less serious offenders.

chris mcgrath, with martin bruen, the psychologist who helped him to turn his life around when he was given a community sentence. martin enabled chris to address the mental health issues which had led to 16 years of reoffending. i'd be out from friday to sunday, sometimes longer, spent all my wages, lose jobs, lose friends, whereas on the other hand now i've gained all that back and more. a lot of the clientele we see have been struggling with long—term mental health or substance misuse difficulties for quite some time. without the support, itjust kind of creates a revolving door. but all these proposals come as the court system is facing a massive backlog of cases that has left so many, including victims, in legal limbo. june kelly, bbc news.

many of us are now aware of the environmental dangers of micro—plastcics — or micro—beads — as millions of tonnes of them get washed into our seas and oceans. well now there's some good news, based on work started at cambridge university — a company has become the first in the world to make single use plastic out of something that won't damage the planet. peas. here's our science correspondent richard westcott. everyone in this lab is full of plastic. well, their lab coats are, anyway. a lot of our clothes are full of tiny little balls that have got fragrance inside. it's what makes them smell so nice. now, normally, they're made of plastic, which washes into the environment and stays there for decades. what if you could make them out of something that's better for the planet? like peas? this is the first company in the world to engineer plant protein into a material that does the same job as single—use plastic. things like the micro capsules you'd often get inside fabric conditioners or cosmetics. at the moment the micro capsules contain plastic which would not degrade and last for ages

in the ocean. 0ur capsules were made out of protein which would be eaten by fish eventually. it's taken 15 years to perfect the process. here, they're using peas, but you can use other common plants, including potatoes. eventually, it comes out as a liquid that can be made into plastic—like sheets. so, after the coating has been dried in the oven, it turns into a lovely film, which we can then turn into a label like that, that's on your apple there. so, basically, that's the equivalent of a plastic label, but i can eat it? yes, it'sjust100% pea protein. 0k. crunching. very nice! it's hard to eat an apple nicely on camera! dishwasher tablets, sandwich packets, sweet wrappers, all made of something that biodegrades naturally in a matter of days.

is there a danger you're just replacing one problem with another, so farmers who should be growing food are actually going to grow peas to make plastic and then we don't have enough food? there are a lot of waste products already in the farming process that have got very low value or even are just ploughed straight back into the field that can be sold on and used to make our kind of materials. single—use plastics and micro plastics don't need to be made from fossil fuels. there's something very wrong about making materials from oil that just lasts for a minute or two. it's thought that the average family washes around a0 million tiny plastic balls down the drain each week. several countries are in the process of banning them. now there's a process of swapping that harmful plastic for something made from peas. richard westcott, bbc news, cambridge. barbados has confirmed its intention to become a republic by the end of next year — removing the queen as its head of state. the former british colony gained

independence in 1966. the governor—general, dame sandra mason, delivered a speech on behalf of the country's prime minister saying it was time for barbados to "fully leave our colonial past behind". a group of mps say there's been "u na cce pta bly slow" progress in the removal of dangerous cladding from high—rise buildings — which was due to be replaced byjune. the commons public accounts committee says nearly 250 buildings in the uk — with similar cladding to that used on grenfell tower — still have it. ministers say they've made £1.6 billion available to speed up the process. dozens of hollywood celebrities including leonardo dicaprio and kim kardashian west are freezing their social media accounts today to protest against the spread of what they call "hate, propaganda and misinformation". it's part of a campaign launched earlier this summer by civil rights activists, who accuse facebook and instagram in particular of turning a blind eye to harmful content ahead of november's presidential elections in the us. facebook says it's working to tackle disinformation and threatening material.

british airways says it is facing the worst crisis in its history. its chief executive, alex cruz, told mps on the transport select committee that the airline is taking every measure possible to make it through the winter. this is indeed the worst crisis that british airways has ever gone through in its 100 years of its history. covid has devastated our business, our sector, and we're still fighting our own survival. just to give you some figures come as you asked, last week, we flew approximately 187,000 passengers in the different flights we had come in and out of the uk. the same week the previous year, we flewjust under a million passengers, so we are running between 25 and 30% of the normal flight schedule. this

running between 25 and 30% of the normalflight schedule. this is running between 25 and 30% of the normal flight schedule. this is six months into the pandemic. now, the weather with tomasz schafernaker. hello. the peak of the warmth was yesterday so temperatures have already come down today and over the next few days it will continue to turn a little cooler but the weather is looking settled, there will be some sunshine around. this is what the temperatures will be around 6pm, still in the mid 20s across the south of the country, but considerably cooler in the north, only around 13 in newcastle. now, notice the wind arrows here blowing out of the north sea, pushing on that fresher air into many northern and eastern areas of the uk, still some left over warmth in the south—west of the country, in fact plymouth overnight dropping no lower than around 15 degrees, whereas a newcastle and edinburgh, it will be into single figures. then tomorrow, a very pleasant day on the way, a bit of morning crowd but the afternoon is looking sunny —— morning cloud. across england and

wales was a bit more cloud across scotla nd wales was a bit more cloud across scotland and northern ireland, then back to the seasonal norm, 21 in london, mid to high teens in the north. hello, this is bbc news. the headlines: amid claims the covid testing system is collapsing — the government says resolving delays is its number one issue. everybody can see, just

in the last few days, a colossal spike in the number of people who want tests and who want to ascertain whether they've got coronavirus. and what we're trying to do now is meet that demand at record speed. they've had six months, mr speaker, to get this right. and yet the prime minister still can't deliver on his promises. the health secretary said yesterday it would take weeks to sort the situation out. well, mr speaker, we don't have weeks. calls for teachers to be added to the priority list for testing as the government prepares to announce that nhs staff and care workers will be at the front of the queue. in wales another area is placed under lockdown restrictions. people will not be able to enter or leave rhondda cynon taf from 6pm tomorrow. taking a bite out of inflation — the eat out to help 0ut scheme pushes uk inflation to its lowest level for nearly five years. longerjail terms for serious offenders — as the government announces

a shake—up of sentencing powers. an environmental first: making single use plastic out of something that won t damage the planet. sport now and a full round up from the bbc sport centre. good afternoon. we'll start with the cricket at old trafford first — and england's deciding one—day match against australia at old trafford. 0ne all it stands, and it wasn't the best of starts for england, as they look to continue their fantastic home form. henry moeran is there for us now. a dreadful start for england, after winning the toss and choosing to bat, how are they faring now? things have improved a little bit, and they are moving towards the 100 mark. 98—4 as we head towards 20 overs and it could not have been much worse for them, the first two balls of the match yielding wickets, jason roy and joe root, both out to mitchell starc. that has never happened to england in a one day

international before, losing wickets to the first two balls since then, but they have recovered a little bit, although the wickets of dion morgan and jos buttler will put pressure onjonny morgan and jos buttler will put pressure on jonny bairstow morgan and jos buttler will put pressure onjonny bairstow and sam billings —— eoin. i think wejust saw the worst review in the history of cricket from australia. it wasn't lbw. it hit the bat. thanks for joining us. ten english football league clubs have been given the green light to have up to 1,000 fans in their grounds for their matches this weekend. it's all part of wider plans for the return of supporters in sport next month. 0ur senior sports news reporter laura scott says this round of games, including home matches for norwich, luton and middlesbrough, could prove to be a crucial test. they have been pilots held it since the end ofjuly to see how fans can return to sport safely and there had been the hope there would be a wider roll—out of the return of supporters from the 1st of october but that is now under review and we know the culture secretary 0liver dowding is

meeting with the major sports today to discuss this issue and they will be making their case as to why they need fans back next month. the efl have welcomed they will be ten pilots this weekend, three in the championship, banned in league1 pilots this weekend, three in the championship, banned in league 1 and three in league 2, but crucially thatis three in league 2, but crucially that is only up to 1000 fans and they say they want this to demonstrate that they can have more fa ns demonstrate that they can have more fans back in. elsewhere today, gareth bale is in talks with his former club tottenham over a potential loan move. he left for real madrid seven years ago, for £85 million, and went on to win the champions league four times, and the spanish league twice. the wales captain hasn't played much in the last year or so. bale's agent says that spurs is where he wants to be. aston villa have signed emiliano martinez from arsenal. he finished his time in north london by winning the fa cup and community shield.

after 146 years, macclesfield town are no more. they've been wound up at the high court with debts totalling more than half a million pounds. a request for an adjournment to allow a sale was refused, with the judge saying owner amar alkadhi had been given ample time to pay creditors. macclesfield were due to play in the national league — the fifth tier of english football — after being relegated last season. a bid to wind up southend has been adjourned. anthonyjoshua's promoter says his world heavyweight fight against kubrat pulev won't be postponed again. the pair were supposed to fight injune at the tottenham hotspur stadium, but that was pushed back, because of the pandemic, and now might happen in december. joshua last fought in december, and promoter eddie hearn says the fight will go ahead, even if it has to be held behind closed doors. the ultimate thing with anthony, he needs to progress his career and he wa nts to needs to progress his career and he wants to learn and he wants to fight and be active and we live in a world now where you can't wait. if you are a business, if you are a sport you

can't afford to sit and wait for what might be. one last thing to mention — stage 17 of the tour de france is taking place — you can keep up to date with live commentary on the bbc sport website. keep an eye for britain's adam yates, who's 5th overall. that's all the sport for now. back in the next hour. christian bail, will he keep the ponytail? gareth bail, you mean? yes, that is what i meant. it is literally down past his shoulders. look at it on google. i'm a bit busy at the moment! apologies to christian bale. and now let's get our experts to answer your questions on coronavirus testing — it's bbc your questions answered. to answer your questions, i'm joined by dr elisabetta groppelli,

a virologist and lecturer in global health at st george's university of london and doctor ellie cannon, a gp and mail on sunday columnist. straight into the questions. andrea harris: she says, only a small percentage of people being tested actually have the virus so my question is what is causing symptoms in the majority being tested? the symptoms associated like a fever and a continuous cough quite general symptoms and they can be caused by many viruses, and some viruses are older coronaviruses and others are rhona viruses, but what is important is that all of these are now respiratory viruses which like to spread and transmit as we start mixing with each other —— rhinovirus. the only way that we have to tell that we have these

virus apart is actually testing so right now testing is going to be crucial, not only to identify coronavirus infections but also to because there are many other players which are part the game. it could just be a cold? absolutely, that is what i'm seeing in practice and these the viruses which people are talking about, why no viruses and other types of coronaviruses which we have seen for the last few decades —— rhinoviruss. that is why testing is absolutely crucial to make that difference stop simon sharples says, i visited a pub at the weekend. he says, i visited a pub on friday and may have been in close contact with someone who has since tested positive.

the pub has informed me of this. do i have to self—isolate now or should i wait until i'm contacted by nhs test and trace? if i do need to self—isolate and have no symptoms, can i get a test? if i can't get a test i can't go to work for 2 weeks. how is this helping the government's aim of getting people back in to work? if i can get a test and its negative, can i end my self—isolation? what do you think? if he was in close contact with somebody who has tested positive in the pub then as a close contact you do have to self—isolate for 14 days and that is to see whether or not he starts to develop coronavirus himself from that person he was in the pub with, so that person he was in the pub with, so whether or not test and trace get in touch with him, if he was indeed in close contact, he should be off work and isolating for 14 days. he could have a test today, for example, and it wouldn't be very valuable, because he may not have developed coronavirus yet from that person and it can take as much is that 14 days to develop, so having a negative test is not going to help

the situation, unfortunately. that is interesting. a lot of people are perhaps thinking, i've had the test, and it is negative, i'm 0k, perhaps thinking, i've had the test, and it is negative, i'm ok, but that is not the case. unfortunately not. negative tests give a snapshot of right here right now, is the genome of the virus actually in the sample, and the answer might be negative, but as in not yet, and that is why if you don't have any symptoms, you still need to self—isolate for 14 days which is longer than the ten days, and that is because it can ta ke days, and that is because it can take as long as 14 days to develop symptoms but also to develop having an accurate result when it comes to the positive test. . a lot of people talking about the messaging coming from government.

who are these ineligible people, as the government website states that everyone with symptoms are eligible for testing? that is from steve thompson. that is a very good question and obviously you have the three main symptoms which make you eligible for testing, the cough and fever and the change in taste or smell, but also there are other people who are eligible for testing, key workers, are other people who are eligible fortesting, key workers, care workers, families of people within those categories, and in certain areas you are allowed a test if you areas you are allowed a test if you are an area with a high risk of infection even if you don't have symptoms, but nobody is checking whether or not you really are eligible or whether or not you simply have ticked boxes on an online form which is all you need to do to get the test. certainly, anecdotally, i know from talking to patients and talking to friends myself, people are ordering tests wrongly and misguidedly for

reassurance, or for other reasons, so they feel safe, going back to work and going back to school, and thatis work and going back to school, and that is just a snapshot so the reassurance is false, but there's no way checking whether or not people having the tests are indeed eligible. it is human nature, that you want the reassurance in the message not long ago was, if you have any doubts, get yourself tested. i totally agree with wanting to know. either yes or no. i think the context here needs to be taken into consideration because the reality is the uk has been experiencing major challenging when it comes to testing, and it has to be the fact that testing needs to be prioritised, and from a scientific point of view we know that the highest risk of transmission occurs when symptoms are present and it is

0k to start to tackle this to start with. later on we definitely need to start addressing all other issues as to why people would want a test, evenif to why people would want a test, even if it isjust reassurance about having coronavirus. 0r even if it isjust reassurance about having coronavirus. or not. some people have turned up at a&e or gp surgeries to get a test, this is something you are coming across? absolutely, i was on call in my surgery in north london this week and this is what we had. people phoning up often with children who have been sent home from school because they have a bit of a cough ora because they have a bit of a cough or a sore throat, typical virus children get when they start school after a summer holiday off, and then looking for testing, and if that testing is not there the whole system it especially in terms of symptomatic children. —— the whole system. in. another question now...

if someone in your bubble is positive for covid—19 and you are supposed to self isolate for two weeks, regardless of symptoms do you need to get a test if you go on to get symptoms during isolation? that's from john wignall. if you are in a bubble and someone has a test, you need to self—isolate, a positive test, and this is what has changed, because early on in the pandemic it was about if you have symptoms, just self—isolate and about if you have symptoms, just self— isolate and you about if you have symptoms, just self—isolate and you do not need a test, but things have moved on and now any symptoms as described actually make you eligible for a test and in this case because you have symptoms it is probably best to order as soon as possible a home test kit so that you don't have to go outside of the house to actually give the sample. you were nodding?

yes, that is right, and it is confusing for people because the guidelines have changed but absolutely, a home test kit, stay at home and isolate, and do it yourself, and i am worried that people take the test themselves because it is very difficult to do yourself properly. i have two swab myself every week and it is quite ha rd to myself every week and it is quite hard to do this on yourself, because you have to go very far back in your throat and very far up your nose which is uncomfortable. especially for children. self swabs are still an option, though, if you should not be going to a testing site. another question. why from the very beginning are gps not visiting the care homes in their area doing the tests? in my practice we look after two ca re in my practice we look after two care homes and they are tested

weekly, i think, care homes and they are tested weekly, ithink, and care homes and they are tested weekly, i think, and that is led not by gps, that would not be a good use of their time, this is done by a tea m of their time, this is done by a team of people from district nursing and the public health people and other groups of people who go into the swab tests, just like teams of people who are going around the country to do the 0ns surveillance swa bs country to do the 0ns surveillance swabs and the other people in the testing centres nationally, in the drive through centres, so there are people, technicians, going in and testing patients weekly in care homes but that is not a good use of a gp‘s clinical time. homes but that is not a good use of a gp's clinical time. people wonder why gps, why local authorities were not involved in the whole testing process much earlier on? this is pa rt of process much earlier on? this is part of the challenges and addressing the challenges that everyone identified, since the early days of the pandemic, and i think there has been possibly an

underestimation of the role and the importance of testing to start with, and possibly an overestimation of how much a centralised massive effort could deliver, and when it comes to outbreaks, we have seen this all over the world, it is by addressing the local realities and putting resources in the local realities that actually, you take ca re realities that actually, you take care also of the global picture, and so care also of the global picture, and so hopefully we are going to see now strengthening the local nhs labs, so that actually not only do tests but also the results of tests are trickled down to the people who are actually involved and the results are notjust for actually involved and the results are not just for websites, actually involved and the results are notjust for websites, they actually need to be part of this so we can tackle personally and independently this virus. is there a

frustration amongst gps that you are there in the heart of the community but it seems you have been kept out of the loop if you like? it is terribly fragmented. it is very frustrating for the patients, keeping themselves away from work, isolating, possibly with vulnerable people within their family, waiting for results, and the testing system has always been separate from gp surgeries which on the one hand, at the peak this was a good idea because we were able to maintain other non—word—macro clinical work, but as we move into september and 0ctober but as we move into september and october and we have a rising number of cases, we really need to be in the picture, and a part of that infrastructure going forward, so we have got very quick turnaround of testing and we can give our patients the advice they need within the same day —— non—covid clinical work.

how can it be that we have been consistently told for many weeks that children of school age are often asymptomatic yet we are now told they shouldn t take tests unless they have symptoms? that question is from anthony lewis. yes, we do know that the lack of symptoms doesn't necessarily mean that the virus is not there and we cannot transmit it, and we know that actually up to two or three days before the symptoms develop the virus can be transmitted, but how do we know in the future? if we look like, any of us at the moment, most of us are actually asymptomatic in the sense that we do not have symptoms, so which ones are the asymptomatic is that we need to take into consideration? when it comes to testing asymptomatic we mean by testing asymptomatic we mean by testing those people who have come into contact with a positive case, regardless of their symptoms, so if

there are people who have experienced a high risk situation, and they actually have the virus, thatis and they actually have the virus, that is fine, we can quickly implement the self isolation but also make sure that those are that contacts are traced. —— those other contracts the few contacts. it is a very important test and trace an isolation system which unfortunately the uk is finding this a major challenge and therefore at the moment, we go back with the high risk which is the symptomatics and the privatisation of testing again for those who do show symptoms. —— prioritisation. another question now. are test centres truly a safe environment to expose people to? colin wimble asks. yes, they are safe, and the majority of them are outside and the people

operating those centres are in full ppe and if you have an experience of going to a drive—through centre you hardly open your window at all and they put the test group. they are very safe clinical places. they are designed that way and they have actually been very successful in testing huge numbers of people in a short period of time. wejust testing huge numbers of people in a short period of time. we just need more of them. final question from liz morgan. why is there a problem? months ago we were promised widespread testing, the threat of covid has not gone away, so why is it not happening? interesting questions and i'm not sure i have all the answers because this depends on information behind closed doors, but what we are seeing is the uk has been experiencing a numberof is the uk has been experiencing a number of challenges and early on it

was possibly an underestimation of the importance of testing but also a lack of reagents but this now seems to be sorted at least for now. however, there has been reports of actually a lack of laboratory scientists, to perform the tests in the lab and give the results, and i think obviously when it comes to people in terms of this, it might actually be quite difficult to do quickly, because it is part of a recruitment process within nhs or public health england, but the coronavirus is here to stay and we have known this now for a few months, so it is crucial now that the uk finds a way to actually have a sustainable system that delivers the testing capabilities required, andl the testing capabilities required, and i take the liberty of saying it doesn't have to be, it is not about having a world beating system, it is about having a system that works, to

beat the virus here in the uk. about having a system that works, to beat the virus here in the uki suspect you would agree with this? it is, yes, like everything with covid this is multifactorial and as well as that journey that the test has to go on with the reagents and the scientists being available, there is also the journey we have gone on in the last few months, and we had a summer withjuly and august where we were eating out and going on holiday, and there was always going to be an uptick in cases at this current time. combined with the children going back to school and people starting colleges and universities, so it was predictable that there would be more cases and more testing needed now so it is really u nfortu nately more testing needed now so it is really unfortunately been another perfect storm where all the stars we re perfect storm where all the stars were aligned to make things go a little bit wrong in september. to both of you, thanks forjoining us. i'm most grateful to both of you for your time.

a bar in birmingham has had its license revoked because of breaches in covid regulations. it s the first bar or restaurant to be closed for these breaches in the city. let's talk now to councillor ian ward — he's the leader of birmingham city council. what has happened? this particular bar in the jewellery quarter in birmingham was failing to observe the government guidance, the covid—19 regulations, and at least seven occasions, so we had no alternative to issue an order, to revoke their licence in order to close the premises, in order that we can continue to keep people as safe as possible in the city. we do want to work with businesses and we don't wa nt to work with businesses and we don't want any further restrictions in the city but all businesses have a responsibility not only to their

staff and customers but to the wider community, so there has to be consequences if they don't observe all the government guidance. what we re all the government guidance. what were they in breach of, what were they not doing? no social distancing and they were not limiting the number of people they were allowing onto the premises and this was putting at risk their staff but eve ryo ne putting at risk their staff but everyone going into this particular barandi everyone going into this particular bar and i would say to all members of the public, if you do go to a bar and they are not following the guidance, including social distancing and taking your name and contact details, when you arrive, then go elsewhere because that particular bar will be putting you at risk. don't worry about the light, we can still see you! why did it take seven times? people might say once is forgivable, but not twice. seven is a lot. this has been going on since early august and there is a process to go through to revoke the licence and we have to go through that process and we also

have to be fair to the premises. i don't think anybody can accuse us of not being fair, seven separate occasions, not acceptable, and we have not taken this issue likely. as i say we do want to work with all licence premises, bars and restau ra nts licence premises, bars and restaurants to licence premises, bars and restau ra nts to ma ke licence premises, bars and restaurants to make sure we don't have further restrictions placed on the hospitality sector in birmingham. what do they have to do to reopen? they have to demonstrate they are worthy of holding a licence and they will have to demonstrate they will observe all of the government guidance around covid—19 before we will reissue them the licence. i'm not supposed to keep you in the dark any longer! that was the leader of birmingham city council, ian ward. now the weather with tomasz schafernaker. the peak of the warmth was yesterday so temperatures have already come down today, and over the next few

days it will continue to turn a bit cooler, but the weather is looking settled and there will be sunshine around. this is what the temperatures will be around 6pm, still in the mid 20s in the south, but considerably cooler in the north, only around 13 in newcastle. notice the wind arrows blowing out of the north sea, pushing in the fresher air into many northern and eastern areas of the uk, still some left over warmth in the south—west of the country and plymouth overnight dropping no lower than around 15, but in newcastle and edinburgh it will be into single figures. tomorrow a pleasant day on the way, morning cloud but the afternoon is looking at sunny across england and wales, more cloud over scotla nd england and wales, more cloud over scotland and northern ireland and temperatures back to the seasonal norm, 21 in london, the high teens in the north.

this is bbc news, i'm simon mccoy. the headlines: amid claims the covid testing system is collapsing, the government says resolving delays is its number one issue. everybody can see, just in the last few days, a colossal spike in the number of people who want tests and who want to ascertain whether they've got coronavirus. and what we're trying to do now is meet that demand at record speed. they've had six months, mr speaker, to get this right, and yet the prime minister still can't deliver on his promises. the health secretary said yesterday it would take weeks to sort the situation out. well, mr speaker, we don't have weeks! teachers want to be added to the priority list for access to testing, with nhs staff and care workers to be at the front of the queue. in wales, another area is placed under lockdown restrictions. people will not be able to enter or leave rhondda cynon taf

from 6pm tomorrow. taking a bite out of inflation — the eat out to help 0ut scheme pushes uk inflation to its lowest level for nearly five years. an environmentalfirst, making single use plastic out of something that wont damage the planet. borisjohnson has defended the uks coronavirus testing system, insisting it compares "extremely well" with other european countries. at prime minister's questions, he acknowledged there'd been a "huge surge" in demand in recent days, but he said that care homes, particularly, were being treated as a priority. labour told him to get his skates on, that he was presiding over a system that was collapsing, and that the government is staring

down the barrel of a second wave, without a plan. 0ur political correspondent jonathan blake reports. why haven't you sorted out testing, prime minister? with a system under strain, and the government grappling to get a grip, borisjohnson left downing street to face a day of questioning on his response to the coronavirus pandemic. testing, by far the most pressing issue. labour's deputy leader stood in for sir keir starmer, who was awaiting a test result for one of his children, and suggested the government's rhetoric did not match reality. the prime minister has put his faith in operation moonshot, but meanwhile on planet earth, there was no nhs tests available for several high infection areas, including tameside and oldham, in my own constituency. injuly, the government promised there would be weekly tests in care homes, and they promised this for september. so can the prime minister confirm, yes or no, do all care homes in this country have weekly tests?

well, mr speaker, yes, to the best of my knowledge, care homes in this country should get weekly tests for all staff members and tests every 28 days for those who are in the care homes, the residents in the care homes. angela rayner said evidence suggested otherwise and attacked the government record. time and time again, he makes promises, and then breaks those promises. injune, he told this house, "i can undertake now to get "all tests turned around in 24 hours by the end ofjune". they've had six months, mr speaker, to get this right, and yet the prime minister still can't deliver on his promises. the health secretary said yesterday it would take weeks to sort the situation out. well, mr speaker, we don't have weeks! we are delivering exactly what we said we would do. what is happening, mr speaker, is that the british people, quite understandably, are responding to that system with a huge, huge surge in demand, and so it's very important that

everybody follows the guidance about when they should be getting a test. from labour's backbenches, claims that constituents had faced huge difficulties in getting tests, but for the majority, the prime minister claimed, the system was working well. i would remind the house, and those that want to run it down, that we are conducting more tests than any other european country. testing more people per thousand of population than any other european country. those are the facts. he doesn't like it. all he wants to do is score party political points. with high demand putting the coronavirus testing system under strain, political pressure will continue over the government's response. jonathan blake, bbc news, westminster. unions and school leaders are calling for teachers to be given

priority access to coronavirus tests, as a surge in demand continues to cause long delays in some areas. as nhs trusts report people heading to a&e departments and gps for tests — officials across the north west say the system there is under severe strain. 0ur health correspondent richard galpin reports. queues of people here in southend—on—sea, lining up to get tested for coronavirus. the surge in demand for tests as winter approaches and children return to school, overwhelming the key laboratories, which process the swab tests. people now being discouraged from coming to testing centres like this, unless essential, sparking an angry response here. i dropped my daughter off with my grand daughter. she was about 350 people behind all these to be told they cannot get tested

because they don't have enough, they only had enough tests for about 150 people. wow. the lady in front of her had been here five days on the trot with her little one. she couldn't get tested. another guy had been queueing since 4.30 in the morning to get tested. to tackle this, the government, which earlier this year encouraged people to get tested now has changed tack and wants priority given to nhs patients and staff and a care home staff and residents. the nhs has to be at the top of the list, and then social care, and i think, looking at the need to keep our economy going and our schools open, it's clear that making sure that we get our priorities right so that children can stay in school and parents are able to go to work, clearly has to be at the heart of this important work. but other key workers, such as teachers, are also being affected by the shortage of tests and so far have not been prioritised. the lack of testing means that we are stuck

at home with our children. our children are not able to attend school. we are not able to return to work. i do have some symptoms. it could be just a cold, but if it was ruled out, if i found out i didn't have coronavirus, then i could go back to work, my wife could go back to work and continue teaching. such is the situation now that people have been heading to a&e units in hospitals like this one in bolton in their dozens, in the hope of getting tested here. bolton has the worst infection rate in the country. but in this tweet, the hospital trust is saying a&e is so busy with patients requesting test, it wants people to stay away. we are not alone. we are hearing from other nhs trusts where this is happening as well, and our gp surgeries. because people are not able to access the system, they are panicking. they are thinking, where can i go

to get some uncertainty about whether my family member is struggling? otherwise they can't go to work. they can't go to school. so we are seeing gps being inundated in the same way that hospitals are. now to add to the problems, another welsh authority will be put under local lockdown from tomorrow evening, following an increase in cases. in scotland, nicola sturgeon has said that while cases were continuing to rise, the backlog of testing was decreasing. and there were no indications of any difficulty booking tests. but there are plans to set up new testing centres to cope with demand. richard galpin, bbc news. 0ur health correspondent catherine burns is here. testing. we have been talking about testing for months and we will going to be doing so for a long time yet by the look of things. we are, and i have been sitting down today trend figure out what we do know and what we don't know about this current situation. how long did that take? what we do know didn't take very long. there has been a huge surge in

demand, we know this has been going on since about 23rd to 24th of august, schools going back, people coming back from holidays, and we also know there is some kind of issue in the labs. it has been called a critical pinch point. that is what we do know. there is a lot we don't know. for example, we don't know why this is happening and one professor is calling it the most closely guarded secret in the uk right now. i don't think there is any conspiracy theory really... in terms of the labs? exactly what is going on. we don't really have it boiled down to exactly what the problem is, do we? we can make various theories, one theory is that there is an issue with staffing because for example a lot of people we re because for example a lot of people were working on the labs when they we re were working on the labs when they were on attachment from universities and they have now gone back. that is and they have now gone back. that is a theory that we don't know. nothing really fully explains the situation thatis really fully explains the situation that is going on. the other thing we don't know is how many people are affected by this, how many people have been logging on to that site, trying and trying to get sites and not knowing. anecdotally, you look at social media can you talk to your

friends, everybody seems to have a story about not being able to get through. exactly, but in terms of ha rd through. exactly, but in terms of hard numbers there isn't really anything out there. matt hancock has said the backlog is as much as a day's capacity, so that could be anywhere up to about 244,000. so that's what we don't know. meanwhile the problem is when it is going to get fixed. we are looking up weeks. iam shrugging. get fixed. we are looking up weeks. i am shrugging. we did know this was coming, kids go back to school, university is going back, not only did we know it was coming, the government was telling us to do it. yes, there are a lot of experts out there saying this surge in demand is absolutely predictable and what should have been happening was in august we should have been pushing case number is down and actually they did start to rise then. in terms of reaction to this, the london evening standard talking about the possibility of a curfew in the capital. this isn't exactly new, this has been rumbling about for a while but one of the directors of public health england has given this interview to the standard saying this is one of the measures that

might happen. if you think about it, the rule of six, this is the latest thing we are trying to do to stop coronavirus cases going up, we don't really know if that is working, there is normally a lag of two to three weeks between a measure being introduced and cases starting to fall. if it doesn't work, clearly the government will have to bring other things in. the curfews have been tried elsewhere, to limited success in some cases, and there has been won in antwerp but actually cases in belgium are going up now. do you know what they are looking at? various talk of pubs closing at nine or ten o'clock at night, the idea is that it will stop people drinking till all hours, oversee the more you drink the more you're inhibitions go down, and it will stop the amount of time people are in close contact. it is all about cutting those contacts but right now this is just cutting those contacts but right now this isjust a cutting those contacts but right now this is just a thing that could happen. i shall let you go back to your desk and you can spend more time working out what we know and what we don't. thank you very much. paul sutherland and his wife are secondary school teachers in aylesbury — they have three children, one of whom had a temperature

on friday night. since then, the family has been trying to get a test. and there he is. just talk me through the process. a temperature reading is taken, then what happened? well, basically we decided that having looked at their website, the government advice, we decided we needed to get testing done. we didn't really know until sunday that it was something we needed to follow up it was something we needed to follow up on back from sunday we have been trying to get testing for our children. it started off with just one child with symptoms, now all three and myself have symptoms. it is four days of trying to get testing and nothing at all. not even being offered testing, 100 or 200 miles away which at this stage i would take. you would get in the car and do that, would you? if it meant we could rule out the coronavirus and return to work, you know, i've got three children missing school, one who has just started year seven soi one who has just started year seven so i would like him to be at school, it isa so i would like him to be at school, it is a crucial time. my wife and i are secondary teachers and there is so much pressure for schools to open

and now here we are stuck at home, unable to teach. you are secondary teachers at different schools, aren't you, so you have come into contact between you with a lot of youngsters yourself? absolutely, we teach about 300 students each. so potentially the impact could be quite widespread, if we do have it or if we picked it up from someone we have come into contact with at school. paul, when the government was saying everybody needs to get their children back to school, teachers need to get back to school, it is good for the country, i mean, did it cross your mind that actually this was a big ask, even at this virus is so very elegant? it made a lot of sense, children being off school for such a long time, and i think the economic and social impact of that were huge. but the only way it was going to work is if it was backed up with a system whereby teachers could get testing as soon as they needed it, and not to be stuck at home. the burden of this is falling to the schools as well because obviously we have had to be

replaced by cover teachers and that is costing our schools money as well. are you not able to work from home, give lessons from home? the school i am at is not set up to deliver live lessons. my wife is delivering live lessons as much as she can, so she is working from the bedroom upstairs. i've got my children out in the garden at the moment so i could just have a moment of peace. but the impact on the student is massive as well. live lessons a re student is massive as well. live lessons are not the same as having a teacher in the classroom. and of course you are using your computer to try and book wretched tests. we are and! to try and book wretched tests. we are and i try to do that every half an hourto an are and i try to do that every half an hour to an hour, late at night, early in the morning, it makes no difference. frustration is probably the word, isn't it? frustration and disbelief, yes, those words definitely. what about your head teacher? there is obviously an understanding, but it must be a frustration there that you are not going to school and you don't really

know? i know. as i understand it, because we operate on split sites, there are other teachers from my school in a similar position, i think there are about three of us trying to get testing and come across the same difficulties. he has been supportive, he understands the situation, the school aren't putting undue pressure on me to return but it doesn't stop me feeling uncomfortably and at home and i know i should be work doing myjob. uncomfortably and at home and i know i should be work doing myjobm uncomfortably and at home and i know i should be work doing my job. in an ideal world you would have got tested by now and of all the tests we re tested by now and of all the tests were negative you will be back at work? that's why am my wife doesn't even have any symptoms. i've got symptoms that could be just a cold, it could just be seasonal flu, in which case i might be for a day or two a nyway which case i might be for a day or two anyway but my wife could return to work and my children could return to work and my children could return to school, but as i say, all five of us are currently stuck at home with no end sight because as i say we still have been able to book a test. it is nice you are altogether but you have had that for quite awhile

now, haven't you? we have, we had a long period time before the summer and then obviously the summer holidays as well and it has brought us closer together in some ways, but it is farfrom us closer together in some ways, but it is far from ideal, us closer together in some ways, but it is farfrom ideal, and it is different when these schools were closed and we knew we had to work from home. with the school is now open and my children missing school and us missing work, it needs to be sorted out. we keep hearing this, we keep saying this, we are in an unprecedented time, but given that this has been many, many months, are you surprised that the testing system is where it is? i think after this other challenges we have seen, some of the shortfalls we have seen, that the tackling of the virus has been managed. the cynic in me is not surprised but what i am surprised by is that there is not a system in place to give certain essential and key workers priority. if you go on to the website and book a test, it

is effectively a lottery. i think there are test times being allocated and made available but it is a lottery as to whether you happen to be able to go on the website at the right time. why isn't there a system that allows us to register that we need a test and then for us to receive an e—mail saying there is one available at this time, so we gone to a waiting list basically rather than spending four days on the computer trying to get tested? it wasn't that long ago the government was telling everyone just get a test even if you have a slight indication that you need to. ijust wonder if there was a list of the top ten priorities, where would you put teachers? we obviously have to put teachers? we obviously have to put ourselves behind care workers and care homes and the nhs and so on, but schools operating is essential for the economy to get back on its feet, and if too many teachers are off and unable to get testing, then things are going to start to fall apart. parents are going to find themselves stuck at home with children because schools themselves can't stay open and

operate with a skeleton staff. so we should be in that top ten and fairly high up the list, i think. is this interview comes to an end i'm guessing that this computer will be used to do what? i will go back on the website and try and get ourselves testing. we have a government portal referral number that should give us priority as essential workers but so far it has made no difference whatsoever, we have been offered any testing but i will keep trying and keep planning my cover lessons for tomorrow for my students. two words for you paul, good and black. thank you for joining us, paul sutherland. and at around half past three borisjohnson will face questions from mps on the cross party commons liaison committee — we will bring that to you live. the issue of testing no doubt will come up there as it did on prime minister's questions earlier. the uk government's law officer for scotland, lord keen, has offered his resignation to the prime minister.

bbc scotland understands lord keen, the advocate general, has found it increasingly difficult to reconcile government plans to change the european union exit deal with the law. the foreign secretary, dominic raab, will meet senior us politicians in washington later, amid anger over the government's plans to breach parts of the brexit withdrawal deal. in a letter to borisjohnson last night, four senior congressmen warned that a uk—us trade deal would be blocked if there were any risk to the good friday agreement. downing street said the legislation was a legal safety net to ensure the agreement was upheld in all circumstances. the rate of inflation in the uk fell sharply last month. it dropped to 0.2% — from 1% injuly — as the effect of the eat 0ut to help 0ut scheme pushed down restaurant prices. that s the lowest inflation rate since late 2015. mps say there's been "u na cce pta bly slow" progress in the removal of dangerous cladding from high—rise buildings — which was due to be

replaced byjune. according to the commons public accounts committee, nearly 250 buildings with similar cladding to that used on grenfell tower still have it. ministers say they've made £1.6 billion available to speed up the process. some breaking news just some breaking newsjust coming in. bbc political editor laura kuenssberg understands that the conservative mps supporting bob neill‘s proposed amendment to the uk internal market bill have reached an agreement with the uk government that would "give an extra layer of parliamentary oversig ht". she says the hope from ministers is that this will "prevent rebellion next week". no official confirmation that the white smoke from the commons is that would be the case. that bill already

passed its first stage, with a government majority of 77 the other night when that went through parliament. but as i say, laura kuenssberg understands that mps supporting that proposed amendment from bob neill to the uk internal market bill have reached an agreement with the government that would give an extra layer of parliamentary oversight will stop what does that mean? helen catt joins me now from westminster. so this takes the pressure off a bit, does it? that is what ministers will be hoping, yes. so there has been a lot of concern among conservative backbenchers over the last week about these particular clauses within the internal market bill, which would override the brexit withdrawal agreement, and there has been a lot of talk, on the conservative whatsapped groups, calls among mps over the weekend, growing concern over this, and there was one mp, sir bob neill, who had tabled an amendment to the bill which would have been looked at next week. that would have given

parliament a sort of veto if you like over the use of these clauses, and the worry in government was that quite a lot of tory backbenchers we re quite a lot of tory backbenchers were tempted to support that —— tempted to support that and even though the bill passed on monday reasonably comfortably, there were 30 abstentions, it might not all have been for political reasons, they might have been others, and two conservatives who voted against, so thatis conservatives who voted against, so that is already starting to get dangerously close to the 40 needed for a government defeat, but there we re for a government defeat, but there were also conservative mps who would have voted that on mondayjust to get it to the next age to be able to make this amendment, so serious concerns in government that actually they would not get this bill through in the form that they wanted. helen, thank you so much. from booking taxis to online banking, there's an app for everything, but how about one for booking an imam? imamconnect claims to be the world's first online platform

for muslim services. spanning four continents, it directly connects imams from both sunni and shia sects to muslims — without the need to use a mosque. nalini sivathasan has more. after months of lockdown, religious bases like mosques have been welcoming followers but with strict social distancing measures in place it has not been easy. 25—year—old zakir needed grief counselling after her child died. i go to mosque regularly but again if i had contacted them and said i need help with the service, it would have been kind of like a waiting game. she used imamconnect, and found imam roy keane, he is one of the nearly 80 imams and muslim scholars from around the world who are vetted and

put on the platform, offering services from islamic well making, officiating weddings to koran classes in person or online. users can then rate them. with imam racking, we booked instantly, no waiting. nearly half of the uk's 2.7 million muslims are under the age of 24, but even before lockdown few of them were going to the mosque or masjid regularly. with religious leaders grappling with how to engage young leaders with the faith, imamconnect sees the future of islam online, even if it could mean cutting out the mosque. online, even if it could mean cutting out the mosquelj online, even if it could mean cutting out the mosque. i think mosques are often run by an earlier generation of people, and unable to outreach effectively. some mosques haveissues outreach effectively. some mosques have issues with governance that few people. with our busy kind of consumer lifestyle also, i think people are just drifting out, they just don't have the time to go to the mosque regularly, but they still wa nt the mosque regularly, but they still want to feel a connection to their

religion. for some, the key to keeping young muslims engage with their faith is not keeping young muslims engage with theirfaith is not by keeping young muslims engage with their faith is not by cutting out their faith is not by cutting out the mosque or bypassing it, it is about updating it for the next generation. as you can see behind me, we have our project rebuild. this 29—year—old is from an mosque in east london and is involved in its £12 million renovation project. so in the new building we have a gym, we will have a cafe, we will have a library, we will have an entire hole. you see, in islam, we have this notion where you should be connected to the masjid, where everything is connected to the internet, that is an issue. spirituality is definitely lacking in that. while he may not be convinced by the power of the internet, increasing competition online means mosques may have to work harder to stay relevant to young muslims. we can speak now to aisha zaman who is an imamconnect service

user and khizar mohammad who is from east london mosque and london muslim centre. thank you both forjoining us. are you should first of all, i suppose particularly if you're trying to get young people to get to the mosque this was an obvious solution ——? myself as a user personally i would go to the mosque for some recent and use a service like this for different reasons. and a mosque i don't think you can find all of the expertise needed in your spiritual growth or your professional growth or your personal growth as well. so i think it is great to have both options for any age group really, not just the youth to options for any age group really, notjust the youth to have the mosque and online services like this. and khizar, what are your thoughts about imamconnect? well, i think, you know what, ithink thoughts about imamconnect? well, i think, you know what, i think it is a really good service, in all honesty. new working here at the east london mosque, we have built quite a large centre that is the

ce ntre quite a large centre that is the centre of our community really, and it offers a variety of services, many of which were included in the app many of which were included in the app but what we must remember is many mosques aren't like this, many mosques that were established many years ago when the first wave of immigrants did come to this country or subsequent generations after that, they built the mosque as a house of prayer, and with prayer facilities and islamic education alone in mind. but many mosques don't have facilities such as counselling and such as personal growth and development, and so something like this, i think it is a really good thing, and i think one thing that people also forget is that with covid—19 also, there is some economic uncertainty. this doesn't provide imams and people who work in the sector and use the app

to advertise their services a way of gaining side income. —— this does provide. the downside to that is possibly mosques will see a reduction of use in their services, if more people can access this app easily, but that is not a definite case. there is a high possibility that mosques can benefit by advertising their services on the app advertising their services on the app too, sol advertising their services on the app too, so i think it is a really good thing because it increases accessibility. aisha, what about that point that perhaps this will inadvertently mean fewer people will go to the mosque in future?|j inadvertently mean fewer people will go to the mosque in future? i don't think so necessarily because if anything to be able to enhance your understanding of who you are and identity, ifind the understanding of who you are and identity, i find the services available on imamconnect give an identity to help you feel more in the need of going to a mosque in the community. it could be a stepping stone to bring people closer to a mosque for people who don't feel they are ready to have that community integrated kind of faith

in their lives. is there an accessibility issue with mosques?” think with many places of worship, not just think with many places of worship, notjust mosques, think with many places of worship, not just mosques, there think with many places of worship, notjust mosques, there are these whole demographics, for example working parents, some kind of places of worship are open only certain hours, certain days of the week, and also disability as well, so it is not just also disability as well, so it is notjust mosques, also disability as well, so it is not just mosques, but also disability as well, so it is notjust mosques, but a lot of faith groups, places of worship, there is kind of a demographic that may not have access to it. and khizar, a lot of people will say with so much about tradition and culture, it is about tradition and culture, it is about time the digital age was taken into account here? i think definitely, and i think, you know what, with covid—19 that definitely played a role in speeding that up. i think we are in the age of the internet, i think everyone agrees on that, and many mosques are run by people from the older generation who might not necessarily be as clued in

on how the digitisation of services works, and also, on a side note, i also think that people forget is that not all muslims will live next toa that not all muslims will live next to a mosque. many muslims live in areas, especially in the united states and other countries, where there is not a local mosque about where they can access these services, so by digitising them, increasing accessibility, i think it isa increasing accessibility, i think it is a really good thing. really good to talk to you both. thank you so much for your time this afternoon. we need to go to the liaison committee of the house of commons, bernard jenkin is the chairman and in front of him as borisjohnson. morgan can i say how much i enjoyed my last appearance before your committee and i'm pleased to be before you today and of course, and i know prime minister is often try

to come to the liaison committee at least three times a year and this has been an exceptional year but i will make sure that i look carefully at my diary and do my utmost to oblige your distinguish committee.” will take that as a yes. if all your answers are as expensive as that particular answer we may have to keep you beyond your five o'clock deadline, so if you will keep your answers are short, prime minister, we will endeavour to keep our questions short so you have plenty of time to answer them. we have three themes and we will start with the government response to the pandemic. greg clarke. it is good to see you again, prime minister. what we know from the science is that most people with covid have no symptoms at all but they are infectious. and that is why testing and tracing those with symptoms and

those without is so key to controlling it. we have expanded testing capacity enormously and we are testing more compared to other countries like germany and spain. yet this week even people with covid symptoms in kent are being told they have got to go to cornwall or scotland for a test, or being told there's not available at all. do we have currently enough testing capacity available ? have currently enough testing capacity available? the short answer is no, we don't we don't have enough testing capacity now because in an ideal world i would like to test absolutely everybody that wants a test immediately. when will we have the capacity? let's be in no doubt, however, that there has been a massive increase in testing capacity and it has gone up from 2000.” acknowledge that, prime minister.

when will the capacity be in place? we will be up to 500,000 by the end of october. the health secretary told the select committee it would be within two weeks, what has happened since then? a week ago matt hancock told the health and social ca re hancock told the health and social care select committee that the problem would be solved within two weeks from then, a week from now, so what does happen from now until then to make it like that? we will be up at 500,000 per day by the end of 0ctober. at 500,000 per day by the end of october. 500,000 per day will that be enough to meet the demand that you project at that time? we sincerely hope so but what has happened is that demand has massively accelerated just in the last couple of weeks and if you look at the graphs of people either asking for a test or getting on

websites and ringing up for a test, they are going up. why do you think that is? the reasons for that, for many people, they are seeking to get a test in the hope that they can thereby be released, to get on with their lives in the normal way, and people who have come into contact with someone who has tested positive, for instance, they are seeking to get a test to make sure that they are ok. is that reasonable? it is perfectly reasonable? it is perfectly reasonable and i understand why people are doing it but the advice and the guidance is that people should seek a test not in those circumstances but when they have symptoms and what we are setting out today or setting out very shortly, is the priority of the groups that we think should have tests. the

health secretary will be setting that out. as they do in germany, we will be starting with those who have symptoms which are clearly the group that needs a test, and in the case of schools, for instance, it is very important that people show teachers and parents, share the guidance about nhs test and trace, about where you can get a test. is it the case that if whole classes are sent home to isolate for two weeks because someone has a cough in the class, if that is going to happen, are we not going to be in a rolling syste m are we not going to be in a rolling system of school shutdowns? that would be wrong. that should not be happening, because the reasons for sending such a class at home would

be if somebody tests positive. the whole class has to go? if somebody tests positive who has been in contact with the rest of their bubble then they have to do, the rest of the bubble has to self—isolate. rest of the bubble has to self-isolate. while they are waiting for the test? they should go in the event of a positive test. they should not vacate the school or the class until they have the symptoms tested and they get a test which is positive? yes, that is the case. there is a lot of guidance on public health in on this precise matter. scientists from sage have said half a million people a day will have symptoms consistent with covid in a normal winter without covid being present, so if the target is half a million by october, all that will do

is deal with the people who have symptoms of colds that they get a nyway symptoms of colds that they get anyway much so that won't be enough to deal with the additional risk of people with covid symptoms? we believe that with the additional tests that we are laying on, by ramping up nhs test and trace, we can makea ramping up nhs test and trace, we can make a very substantial difference, but you are making a reasonable point, and that is why it is vital, you are making the point about the big increase in demand that we are seeing, that is why it is vital that those specifically with the symptoms of covid should seek a test and you should take steps that those who have been in contact with somebody who has tested positive should only do so, should self—isolate on the basis of a positive test. we knew at the start of the pandemic, everyone agreed that the virus spread because we did not have enough testing capacity to

test asymptomatic people, and six months on, it feels like we have been here before, and enable the secretary of state had to take a personal grip to increase the capacity — — personal grip to increase the capacity —— and in april. will you do that to sort out the crisis we have testing capacity? i can assure you that everything is being done that we possibly can to increase testing capacity, and can i remind the committee, including securing supplies a broad for example, today we are commissioning two a total of four new labs which we are loading and another 300 people. i've given

you the figure of 500,000 per day that we aim to reach by the end of october. before people run down the efforts of the uk, it is worth bearing in mind that we are testing more per head of population and we are conducting more test than any other european country. if the schools start falling over for lack of tests, that will disrupt everything, the economy and everything, the economy and everything, and manningtree in my constituency, 97% of pupils came back when it reopened, and they only have 87% of pupils there now,, how can we prioritise testing for schools to keep them operational?

maybe you were not listening when i made the point to greg clarke, people should not be sent home u nless people should not be sent home unless a member of the class or the bubble has tested positive. but the pupils themselves are requiring to be tested, that's the problem question mark something that has happened at home and not something that has happened at school? —— that's the problem. all i can say is we are doing our level best to supply more tests to speed the test up supply more tests to speed the test up and turn it round faster, to make sure that people get tests as close as possible to where they want them, andl as possible to where they want them, and i know how frustrating it is that people have been asked to go long distances, and we are doing where —— long distances, and we are doing where — — what long distances, and we are doing where —— what we can to bring those down a bit. clearly this focuses

entirely on covid and it has been the case that the public inquiry will begin, when will it begin, in response to the pandemic? thank you very much. we will have an inquiry into everything that has gone right and wrong and we will try to work out what we can do, and i don't think that will be a good use of official time, we have had a long discussion about the pressing need to ramp up our testing operation, huge numbers of officials across government and across the country, involved in that right now. this inquiry it would mean it would start in the new year, so what is the impediment to getting that background work? just the one i mentioned. any further rapid

response, could you give some key examples? you i think we have learned all sorts of things. one of the things that has really changed our thinking is the the things that has really changed ourthinking is the high the things that has really changed our thinking is the high level of transmission that is now asymptomatic, and that has changed the way we respond, there are all sorts of things we are learning the whole time. cani can i take you on two issues of civil service more specifically because it's response to the pandemic will be key, so could you outline why you think the civil service requires reform? the first

and most important thing, i venerate the civil service, they are fantastic public servants and i think that they deliver extraordinary things every day for the british public and at every level of government, and i do think asi level of government, and i do think as i said in a speech in dudley, i do think perhaps one of the lessons we need to draw from this and perhaps what greg and others have been talking about, maybe there are times when we need them to move faster, project speed is of great value to the workings of our civil service and we certainly won't be shy or reformer where it is necessary. you shy or reformer where it is necessary. you are shy or reformer where it is necessary. you are the minister for the civil service, so when do you think that reform will take place? there are changes and improvements

going on the whole time but i wish to stress to the committee that this is not being done in any spirit of disapproval of the ethic of service or the performance of our civil service because they do an outstanding job and what we want to do is to try to make sure that they can perhaps respond faster, better, to the needs of the public. any such reform would not alter the established relationship between ministers and civil servants? no, the principles are extremely important. when should a minister resigned rather than officials? ministers should of course be responsible and indeed is the minister for the responsible and indeed is the ministerfor the civil responsible and indeed is the minister for the civil service and prime minister, i take full responsibility for everything the government does. what is the difference between that

responsibility and ministerial accountability? ministerial accountability? ministerial accountability is before parliament and the electorate. can ministers dismiss civil servants? a minister is entitled to make clear that he or she believes that the operation of the department would be better if things were different, yes, that is essential. for a minister to resign, does it require a failure of policy ora does it require a failure of policy or a failure of its implementation? i think or a failure of its implementation? ithinka or a failure of its implementation? i think a minister is accountable for all the failures that government is responsible for. that is right. prime minister, women attending

anxious antenatal scans alone, induced into labour without their partner, facing postnatal depression alone, why did the government reject almost every one of the 23 recommendations by the petitions committee on supporting new mothers during this covid—19lockdown? committee on supporting new mothers during this covid-19 lockdown? to the best of my knowledge that is not what happened. my information is that there was a very active campaign led by conservative female mps who felt very strongly that the separation of mothers from both partners was wrong and i totally agree with them. i said as much in the house this morning. i'm talking about the report that you personally pledged to bethany jade about the report that you personally pledged to bethanyjade during prime ministers peoples questions that you would read it and look at it and ta ke would read it and look at it and take on board the difficulties faced by many new mothers during this

covid—19 crisis, the petitions committee may 23 recommendations, most of which the government rejected —— made. even as basic as putting in place information for employers showed they know how to respond and support pregnant new mothers —— so they know. why did the government reject them all and could the prime minister pledged to look at this again and commit to supporting new mothers during this covid crisis? i'm certainly happy to look at what we can do to support new mothers and i think we have done a huge amount investing in a postnatal care, in supporting the mental health. at the moment it is easier for an expectant father to go to the pub and to go grouse shooting then to attend his own baby's growth scans, so the government needs to do

much more, so candy prime do the committee looking at this report which he has already promised to do question not —— so can the prime minister commit to look at this report. i'm very happy to look at this and get back to the honourable lady. families can have the informal child care that they rely on in scotland and wales with the restrictions, but the situation in england is that the mother and father can go to the pub with multiple strangers but cannot come if they have three children, see theirgrandparents at if they have three children, see their grandparents at the same time. would the prime is to commit to looking at this again in light of the science and common sense in england? —— would the prime minister commit. you are making a point that many people are making across the country, who want us to relax the rules and i've got to tell you that alas this disease is increasing

again and we are seeing an increase. it isjust a request again and we are seeing an increase. it is just a request to look at the very limited and specific weight in relation to children. under the age of 11. it is a request to relax the rules because it is a fact of the disease that it is readily transmissible between children and adults and what we are now seeing up u nfortu nately, adults and what we are now seeing up unfortunately, the progress of the disease from younger groups who as everybody knows are much less prone to its worse effects, up into the older groups, and the committee will be aware that the incidence amongst the 18 plus group is now 12 per 100,000 and only a few days ago it was about half that and it is

growing. alas, although the number of cases, symptomatic or asymptomatic, it's probably far smaller, obviously far smaller than it was in the spring, we must expect those infections proportionately to lead to mortality, that is the reality. i will take that as a no, but now to testing, it has been reported that if you land in an italian airport you can get tested for covid and have your results in 30 minutes. but constituents are reporting to everyone in parliament that there is total chaos for them in the testing system. chaos that will lead to another lockdown and lead to hundreds of thousands of jobs being put at risk and lives, what is the prime minister going to do an urgent need to get a grip on the current testing situation? —— urgently. our testing capacity is

bigger than italy and we are testing more people. actually, and i know that many people have had infuriating experiences and i do sympathise with them, and we are trying to get as many tests out as we possibly can, but 89% get their results within 24 hours, if you have an in—person test, and the distance that you have to travel to get a test has come down just in the last week, on average from about 6—7 miles to under five miles, week, on average from about 6—7 miles to underfive miles, and so we are putting out many more tests. as for the tests at airports that she mentions, you will know that, alas, in the large majority of cases,

insta nt test in the large majority of cases, instant test at airports can produce false negative results which give people a false sense of security. false negative results which give people a false sense of securitym is not frustrating or infuriating for people, it is deeply worrying and anxious for people, who need a test and want to know whether they have covid. i have to say, the prime minister's response that it seems to be going well is not the reality for my constituents. i don't think that is what i said, with the greatest respect. what would the prime minister say to those who he is asking to abide by low restrictions, at many a great personal cost, who may be feeling that the government, if the government can break the law ina limited if the government can break the law in a limited and specific way, why can't they? well, i want to make it clear to everybody, the reason we have tightened up the rule of six and buttressed it with the force of

law is because we do think that the disease is at risk of gaining ground, is gaining ground, we have a very clear mea ns ground, is gaining ground, we have a very clear means to suppress it, which is social distancing and the rule of six and i urge people to obey it. there are sanctions in place as you know. thank you. good afternoon, prime minister. one of the biggest economic challenges facing the country isjobs the biggest economic challenges facing the country is jobs and unemployment and a furlough is coming to an end at the end of october, and there will be hundreds of thousands of jobs october, and there will be hundreds of thousands ofjobs which are perfectly viable in the post covid world but that need support from government in order to get through the coming months of this crisis. so why is it that the government doesn't seem to be prepared to

provide targeted support to support those jobs, to make sure they continue in future? first of all, i would point out that this government has done more than virtually any other government around the world to support people at risk of losing theirjobs support people at risk of losing their jobs because of support people at risk of losing theirjobs because of covid, the coronavirus job retention scheme, furloughed money, 80% of peoples income, compared with 70% in france and spain, and only 60% in germany, and spain, and only 60% in germany, and going forward, to get to your question, we will continue to show great creativity and flexibility which the chancellor has shown, in trying to look after every sector of the economy. we are notjust

fighting for one sector, we want to fighting for one sector, we want to fight for every sector. i'd take that as a yes that the treasury will be seriously looking at this category of businesses and employees who might make it if they are given more support and will have a long—term future. more support and will have a long-term future. yes, we are supporting training and the kick—start funds supporting training and the kick—sta rt funds and supporting training and the kick—start funds and support for apprenticeships and we will continue to be intensely creative and flexible. i don't believe that anybody on this committee seriously imagined that the government would come up with something as imaginative as the furlough scheme six months ago, and we will continue to apply the same levels of imagination. the committee has recognised the progress made but there does need to be more in this area. can! there does need to be more in this area. can ijust ask you, corporate indebtedness, the business bounce

back scheme largely for small and medium—sized companies, has largely been successful, but these companies are now going to be loaded up with the debt at the time we are expecting them or hoping they will be investing in growing jobs in the future, and the treasury seems to be remarkably sile nt future, and the treasury seems to be remarkably silent on this issue of how to address that point and i wonder what your thoughts are on that? you are making an important point we are talking about what can be done to help small and medium—sized businesses with their debts and to keep them going. thank you, prime minister. on the issue of spending we have a comprehensive spending we have a comprehensive spending review at the moment, and a large part of the government's economic policy is predicated on low interest rates in the short term and that looks quite realistic about three or four years down the line it is not inconceivable that interest rates might have to be raised and that could have a very powerful and

detrimental impact on the economy and the public finances. is that something that you are taking into account when you consider the issue of spending because it seems to many from outside of number ten that the impetus inside number ten is to spend, spend, spend, and then spend even more rather than prudently looking at this issue and making sure that we are in a good position to go forward if we do end up in the circumstances i describe? that is also a good point, and slightly incoherent with your previous questions, which seemed to be asking for more government spending and more government borrowing, but you are entirely right, that the future interest rate rise is something we have to bear in mind. support for jobs in the short term is very distinct, i think, jobs in the short term is very distinct, ithink, from profligate public spending in the longer term, i think they are different things,

but one final question, the government generally did a pretty good job in supporting jobs in the early stages of this crisis, but there were over a million people who fell through the gaps and did not get the support they needed, many of them are company owners, the self—employed, new starters, freelances... the self—employed, new starters, freelances. .. the treasury self—employed, new starters, freelances... the treasury has said they have drawn a line under any further support for that group, or making up support for that group, is that a position that you also adopt? you have raised this with me a couple of times, not least in the chamber, and you are right. i have real sympathy for the self—employed, others who have been unable to qualify for some of the schemes that we have, and on the other hand they have been such a dizzying array of schemes, you name it, and most

people should have been able to qualify for something, even if it is only a cut in vat and business rates, but a huge amount has been done. the overall bill for that is about £160 billion so far. we are determined as i said, to put our arms around the work force of to support this country to bounce back strongly, but to go back to your third point, there must be, i think you said, are you committed to spend, spend, spend, well, we will do what it takes, but there must be limits. what we also want to do its rather than support people to stay out of work, keep them on schemes that prevent them actually from getting on the labour market, we wa nt to getting on the labour market, we want to do everything in our power to get them back into work and to

encourage in work training, apprenticeships, kick—start schemes and so on. cani can ijust can i just raise can ijust raise a point that philip dunne, the chair of the environmental audit committee wanted me to raise. he points out we have the largest peacetime investment in economic recovery by this government, and he wanted to ask with 14 months to go before cop26, how are we insuring net to zero on target and showing true global leadership on environmental policy? thank you sarah bern it and to philip for his question. we are doing a huge amount, and the carbon budget as everyone knows, we reached carbon budget three, carbon budget four is tricky to achieve but we will be setting out steps to achieve carbon budget five and to get to net zero by 2050, and there is a huge

panoply of measures that will be using from clean power, green power, investing in green energy solutions to retrofitting homes, and i will be making a thoroughgoing announcement in the course of the next few weeks about how we can do that. extremely good news, we look forward to that. thank you, chair. prime minister i will pursue further on furlough just for a moment, as will pursue further on furlough just fora moment, as the dcs will pursue further on furlough just for a moment, as the dcs sectors are very much in the firing line of covid—19, over 40% of workers in arts and entertainment are still furloughed while 70% are theatre workers and freelancers, is it morally right that these people face losing everything come the end of the furlough scheme in october, particularly as it is the government's own restrictions that makes it impossible for them to work and makes their businesses unviable?

look, do you know, i know how maddening it is and how difficult it is for everyone in the arts and culture sector, the sporting world, local football teams, what we have done, as you know, there is a big investment in the arts and culture sector, 1.57 billion, but we have also got specific funds to help eve ryo ne also got specific funds to help everyone through a very tough time, but the best answer to all of this is to get these businesses going again. and to get the theatres lit again. and to get the theatres lit again by having the virus down and having a testing regime that allows us to do that and that is what we are working for. you said you

indicated theatres could be much closer to normal by christmas but by your own admission white protesting will not be widespread enough by spring next year, did you recognise we need to find smart ways to ensure the likes of theatres and live music venues can open at a very specific date in time so you have some certainty without strict social distancing? yes, i do, and you are right to stress smart solutions, and, you know, julian, to get people to as it were a break the rules on social distancing, to sit cheek by jowl ina social distancing, to sit cheek by jowl in a theatre again, you are going to need lateral flow testing ofa going to need lateral flow testing of a kind that we are on the brink of a kind that we are on the brink of getting right, pregnancy style testing, but i can't sit here today, i wish i could, i can't sit here

today and tell you, in spite of what catherine says about tests at italian airports, which i will have to check out, we are a long way off and afraid, or still some way off having those instant pregnancy style liberating tests that tell you whether you are infectious or not. that is what we are working for. the science is also almost there. as soon as you do that you have the possibility of theatres, football club, all the sector is currently finding it so difficult to open again. the 1.57 billion package you reference before is of course very welcome but it will only keep some venues going for the relatively short—term. these sectors, which are world leading and bringing huge value to the uk economy need a long—term plan of recovery, sector specific. are you aware of that reality and what is going do about it? of course i'm aware of that

reality because i used to represent those interests directly in my capacity as mayor of the city which we now sit, because i know vividly of their importance to our country and its prosperity, and it is absolutely vital this is a sector that generates probably £16 billion a year, huge quantities in taxation and employment, and they are vital for our prosperity. so are you committing to a sector specific recovery plan for the arts and culture? yes, as you know, there is already such a plan under way. ok, now in terms of national debt right now, final question, we are currently at levels not seen since 1961 where we currently at levels not seen since 1961where we were still paying off the war, in all honesty, prime minister, can this country afford a

second national lockdown?” minister, can this country afford a second national lockdown? i don't wa nt second national lockdown? i don't want a second national lockdown, i think it would be completely wrong for this country... can we afford it, prime minister? and we are going to do everything we can in our power to do everything we can in our power to prevent it. can we afford it? i very much doubt the financial consequences would be anything but disastrous, but we have to make sure that we defeat the disease by the means we have set out. so when i see people arguing against the rule of six or saying that the government is coming into hard on individual liberties and so on, i totally understand that, i supervise with that, but we must, we must beat this disease. , just remind ourselves, prime minister, that musicians, singers and performers, they are at the heart of a very large group that

have fallen through the cracks of the support schemes available. they are economically very distressed and emotionally very distressed because they can't fulfil their vocation. if this is going to go on for very much longer, what can we do for them? thank you, sir bernard, and at the risk of repeating what i said to julian, what we need to do is to get back to a world where everybody meeting together to sing, to perform ina meeting together to sing, to perform in a traditional way has a ticket to ride, as it were, the knowledge that you are not infectious, that you have a green light on your head saying i can't transmit it to you, and so both the performers and the audience have that confidence. prime minister, already 11% of pupils are missing school although most are back, what are you going to do to

support schools to make sure those people don't slip further behind? just to clarify your figures, it is absolutely correct to say that we have 11% i think roughly of kids in school, but that is not because of problems in the classroom with covid. .. i was problems in the classroom with covid... i was only problems in the classroom with covid. .. i was only going to ask what you going to do to support the children not in school? record investment in schools, 14 billion and about another billion pounds to help schools catch up. prime minister, your figures are a bit out, per— pupil funding has minister, your figures are a bit out, per—pupilfunding has gone minister, your figures are a bit out, per—pupil funding has gone down by 6% in the last decade, so the wreck of funding was only for last year on top of the cuts, so what are you practically going to do and i are going to learn the lessons of test and trace so that local schools and councils can be in the driving seat to make sure that pupils don't

lose out? with great respect, i am surprised you are taking quite such a hostile tone, but we are increasing the per—pupil funding to £4000 in primary schools, £5,000 in secondary schools... can i just asked, though, that is a long—term... asked, though, that is a long-term. .. it asked, though, that is a long-term... it has asked, though, that is a long-term. .. it has happened just now. sorry, it has happened just now, and on your point about what you call the failure of test and tracing, iam respectfully you call the failure of test and tracing, i am respectfully going to reject that characterisation, because i think although it has huge problems and although many people are deeply frustrated, as several collea g u es are deeply frustrated, as several colleagues have pointed out, actually i think that they have done actually i think that they have done a quite remarkable job actually i think that they have done a quite remarkablejob in expanding that operation from a standing start, and, yes, there is a long way to go and we will work night and day to go and we will work night and day to ensure that we get there, but i would not want the many, many

thousands of people who are working now to deliver test results to think that this house, people in this house of commons are seriously accusing them of being failures because i don't think that is true. when you yourself have set the targets along with the health secretary, you have now set the moonshot target of ramping it up to £10 million, who will be leading that charge to get to 10 million a day? i don't recognise the figure you have just given. you said that in public, prime minister. what i can tell you, and this is the point i was making to greg and two others, there is an opportunity to do something that is wholly separate from the expansion of nhs test and trace, and that is to see if we can get to a world in which there is a test and release system as it were. when will that be ready, because you highlighted that in an answer to mr

clarke? you promised it by christmas, how do you know that will be in place? i don't. they're so you are being optimistic but do you have any evidence to back up that optimism? there are people that make all sorts of claims already, but i'm going to be cautious and say i can't sit here today and say we have such a pregnancy style test. but you promised a moonshot.” a pregnancy style test. but you promised a moonshot. i think the committee would agree that given the sta kes committee would agree that given the stakes and given the opportunity, it is right for government to invest in such a project, or wouldn't you? can we just go, you are building four labs, when will they be built? because the lab testing hasn't gone up because the lab testing hasn't gone up much since june. actually it has gone up 10% up much since june. actually it has gone up10% in up much since june. actually it has gone up 10% in the last two weeks. it is in the 300,0005. when will the labs be built that you are building? we will be up to 500,000 tests per

day by the end of october, and i think one of the labs is capable of doing 100,000 tests a day, another of them 40,000. are you thinking of using any university laboratories? not only that, we will be using facilities across the country and indeed we are already buying lab space as you know in other countries as well. i will leave it there. neil parish. good afternoon, prime minister. the select committee, effort, we looked into covid—19 and the food supply, a huge amount have been put into work by government and those producing food and processing it and what we found is the food chain isa it and what we found is the food chain is a just—in—time food chain, and it works well if you can get things through the border, so my question to you is if we have an australian type deal in january with

a basic no deal, arqiva supply routes across the channel will be disrupted at the time of year when we heavily rely on imports, about 90% of letters, 80% of tomatoes and 70% of our soft fruit comes through at that time, so given the best estimate by government, a reduction by one third of imports across the channel could be due to border checks. so are you confident that we can get food through the border in january, whatever happens with the eu, and will you wave tariffs if that can't be got through? because i know europe is being very difficult over third countries status at the moment. thanks very much, neil. i am confident that we will be able to keep things flowing smoothly at the border or as smoothly as we possibly can, and a huge amount of work is being done by the chancellor of the duchy of lancaster, the x0 committee and others to prepare for the

smoothest possible shipments at the border, no matter what the arrangements that we have. 0ne border, no matter what the arrangements that we have. one of the reasons we were bringing in the provisions under the uk internal market bill, which i imagine we will come to in a minute, is to ensure tariff barriers within the uk for insta nce tariff barriers within the uk for instance could not be imposed, and the possibility of tariff barriers on either side i don't think that our friends on either side i don't think that ourfriends and on either side i don't think that our friends and partners would want to see them go up, us putting tariff barriers up against their produce any more than we want to put tariff barriers up against theirs, for the very good reason that they have a considerable net surplus in food products in this country. that leads me very neatly, prime minister, so

if we are not going to levy tariffs on their goods coming in, then are we just going to give our trade away to the eu? surely if they are playing very hard ball at the moment, we should actually put tariffs on absolutely everything that comes in because that will bring us then, will it not, to a negotiating position where we can actually get a tariff free deal? because at the minute with seem to be very blocked and we will trade away our farming, be very blocked and we will trade away ourfarming, our be very blocked and we will trade away our farming, our food processing industry, and so much of it relies on it having a true level playing field with the eu. alli yes, asi playing field with the eu. alli yes, as i say, our tariff regime, our external tariff regime, were it to come in, would be quite formidable for some of their products, and i think all the more reason why everybody should want to agree zero

tariff, zero quota arrangement. so will you commit to putting reciprocal tariffs on eu imports if we don't reach a free trade agreement with the eu? because it is essential if we are going to maintain production in this country and also going to deal with the europeans. neil, you are quite right. so you will commit... we certainly will and the tariff schedule has been published and you will be familiar with it. and it will be familiar with it. and it will be familiar with it. and it will be reciprocal? of course. thank you. we are moving on to the brexit section. hilary benn. good afternoon, prime minister. can you tell us whether the advocate general for scotland is still in post or not? i am afraid, mr conversations on that matter are still continuing. right. last week, the government confirmed the internal market bill does break international law, and we heard yourjustification in the

debate on monday so you don't need to repeat it in front of us today. why are you not prepared to rely on article 16 of the northern ireland protocol, which you negotiated, and which deals with how you resolve any disagreement, rather than engage which deals with how you resolve any disagreement, ratherthan engage in lawbreaking? disagreement, ratherthan engage in lawbreaking ? what disagreement, ratherthan engage in lawbreaking? what is wrong with article 16? can ijust take it lawbreaking? what is wrong with article 16? can i just take it we have moved on from covid and we are now on. . . have moved on from covid and we are now on... we have. thank you. hillary, what we are trying to do here, and on the legal position and why we need to do this, i kind of direct you to what the attorney general said, as she tried to summarise the legal position, what we are trying to do here is really provide a belt and braces protection against extreme interpretations of

the protocol, what i think my leonard friends would call an idea did work, able to head bulkhead if it were a... but article 16 gives you... thank you. our legal advice is that we need to go further than article 16... is that we need to go further than article 16. .. why? and to is that we need to go further than article 16... why? and to put in is that we need to go further than article 16. .. why? and to put in the protections described in the bill. why does the government feel it needs to go further than article 16? because we believe that is the only way, notwithstanding the clauses we have, that are currently in the bill, to provide the certainty and the protections that we are talking about. is that because article 16 is defective or because you think you would lose in an arbitration case? it is because we think that in order to provide the protections that are necessary in the very limited range of circumstances that it might be

necessary , of circumstances that it might be necessary, because of an extreme interpretation of the protocol, we think it would be necessary to have the notwithstanding clause is there on the face of the bill. did you not realise this when you negotiated article 16? well, i mean that is a fair question, but on the other hand... sorry, what was the answer, did you not realise this at the time when you signed it off?” did you not realise this at the time when you signed it off? i believed and still believe that our friends and still believe that our friends and partners in the eu will negotiate in good faith and will apply common sense and reasonableness, and the reason for the clauses in the bill is, as i say, as belt and braces, as a safety net. do you think the eu is negotiating in good faith? well, alas, they began, months ago, to get

back to the question neil raised, we had an opportunity for them to lift this issue of third country listings, and they could have said, of course, under no circumstances will we blockade, stop agricultural products going from new to us, that is clearly absurd, and yet they have singularly failed to do that. they're so are they negotiating in good faith? i don't believe they are. so why did the northern ireland secretary held the northern ireland select committee that in his opinion the eu is negotiating in good faith? it is always possible that i am mistaken, and perhaps they will prove my suspicion is wrong, and perhaps they will agree in the joint

committee to withdraw some of the extreme suggestions i had heard and all will be well, but until such timei all will be well, but until such time i prefer to have protections that guarantee the integrity of this country and protect against the potential rupture of the united kingdom. the macro when you decided to announce the government would break the rule, did you anticipate your five predecessors, two former leaders of the conservative party and the attorney general who helped you negotiate the northern ireland protocol and signed it off with you, would say don't do that?” protocol and signed it off with you, would say don't do that? i have all the utmost respect for the gentlemen and ladies in question but i have got to tell you, i think it is the duty of the uk prime minister to protect the integrity of the uk against any extreme and irrational, unreasonable interpretations of the protocol. that's what i'm tragedy. this moves us neatly onto irrationality. at the end of this

year, you said recently leaving the transition period without an agreement would be a good outcome for the united kingdom. agreement would be a good outcome forthe united kingdom. can you explain how, to go back to the point of neil parish, tariffs on uk exports to the eu, which could be as high as 90% by value on beef, more than 61% on lamb, those are the figures you used in the house on monday and of course 10% on cars represents a good outcome for those sectors of the british economy? what is good about them? well, of course. . . is good about them? well, of course... it is not good. it is not what this country once, and neil i think got to the right answer. it is not what our eu friends and partners wa nt not what our eu friends and partners want from us and therefore i have every hope and expectation that that won't be the outcome. you are running over your time, won't be the outcome. you are running overyourtime, mr won't be the outcome. you are running over your time, mr bender.

—— mr benn. we are doing everything in our power to get ready. to get business ready, we are investing in for the preparedness, about 750 million going into that, anyone who needs advice, needs to know what to do, we have government website set up do, we have government website set upfor do, we have government website set up for the purpose, a huge programme of engagement is going on. but will it be ready? i believe we will get through it and there may be difficulties but we will get through it very well. sir william cash. prime minister, this internal market bill, and indeed the section 38 of the withdrawal agreement act of 2020 deliver the promises that were made to the british people on the question of lawfully leaving the european union, which we have done, and in addition to that, the fact is that the referendum itself and the

general election results endorse those decisions, so that is the actual position as i said in the debate a couple of days ago. amendments are being proposed, which many people may think would jeopardise the very comprehensive manner in which those promises are being delivered, and ijust want to ask a couple of questions relating to two issues, one of which is on sovereignty and treaty overwrite, and the other one is on the misleading allegations that have been generated, which come to this, which is that the government is, and i say unlike other member states and the eu itself, both of whom are being agreed justly in breach —— agreed justly in breach of international law, and very massive questions without any sanctions or any infringement whatsoever being

brought against them, and ijust start by saying this... asking. on the question of sovereignty, do you agree with the fact that as the german constitutional court said in 2015, international law leaves it to each state to give precedence to national law. international law does not preclude legal acts that violate international law from being effective at the domestic level. sounds sensible to me. that is what they said in 2015. can you let him answer that question. indeed, prime minister. bill, sir bill, ithink you are right in what you say. i think it is essential that we uphold the will of the people in the way that we are, and it is also right

that we are, and it is also right that we are, and it is also right that we should have a system that allows us to protect parliamentary sovereignty, but also to protect the economic of the political geographic integrity of the uk and that is what this does. now, on the question of some of the examples that i have here, in the first place, just to get this one out of the way, on the question of treaty overrides, i have something in the order of 20 examples of overrides in the uk statute of international eu law, just for a starter, and i'm sure that these matters would have been brought to your attention but this is by no means an unusual situation, it isjust that is by no means an unusual situation, it is just that they don't like it, which may be another way of putting it. the second thing, which is more

substantial, in terms of the current heated debate going on about the breach of international law, which hilary benn has just breach of international law, which hilary benn hasjust mentioned, could i perhaps just hilary benn hasjust mentioned, could i perhapsjust mentioned to you chancellor schmidt actually said ina debate, you chancellor schmidt actually said in a debate, we preached applicable international treaty law, the imf treaty, in multiple ways, we have neither replied with all the procedural rules of the treaty, nor have we applied with the substantive provisions. or take chancellor schroeder in 1999, we sent our warplanes etc, we bombed a sovereign state without the decision of the security council, in violation of international law. or, for example, the manner in which angela merkel unilaterally suspended stroke tore up

unilaterally suspended stroke tore up the dublin regulation, with respect to the syrian refugees, which raised a lot of questions about potential terrorism for example. can you ask a question? do you not agree that all these examples demonstrate the fact that there are some double standards going on here, and that in fact we are not only supporting our sovereignty, but we are consistent with international law and the practice of other member states and the eu itself? one minute to go on this question. thank you, bernard, i don't really want to repeat what i have orally said, except to say, look, on this vexed issue, the committee has what the ag says about this, i reimpose my confidence in that and just tell the committee that and just tell the committee that i think this is really about us asa that i think this is really about us as a country being able to ensure that our friends and partners don't

do something that i think people would think was unreasonable or extreme in the interpretation of the protocol. it is about built and bracing, —— beltand protocol. it is about built and bracing, —— belt and braces, protocol. it is about built and bracing, —— beltand braces, and there are various situations you could imagine that it would be important for us to protect the integrity of the uk, tariff barriers, blockades on food, making unnecessary checks and so on, we can readily identify those. what we are trying to do is prevent that happening. thank you, sir william. brilliantly on time. angus brendan macneil, please post a thank you very much, chairman. good afternoon prime minister, and indeed how things have changed, it seemsjust re ce ntly things have changed, it seemsjust recently i was at the liaison committee hear questioning your predecessor and you were resigning in the chamber, you were leaving the government. here you are in front of us. good to see you. the japanese trade deal is worth about 20% of

gdp. one 70th of the cost of brexit. how many japanese trade gdp. one 70th of the cost of brexit. how manyjapanese trade deals do we need to make up the damage that brexit is giving us? well, i don't except for one minute the characterisation that you make of brexit, and actually... it is your own government that says it will cost... we had a fantastic presentation in cabinet the other day from liz truss of the list of trade deals that she is now able to do. she has engaged on them now. they will not just do. she has engaged on them now. they will notjust help to open markets, stimulate trade, help citizens and consumers injapan and the uk, but we can be at the heart ofa the uk, but we can be at the heart of a great cat's cradle of deals across the world, and for 20 years

now, world trade has been in the doldrums. a simple question, you are going off piste. the answer is 70, you need 70 trade deals to make up the damage that brexit will do. i humbly don't accept your premise. divide one bar the other and you get 70... you divide one bar the other and you get 70. .. you have divide one bar the other and you get 70... you have been accused of intending to break international law, can your government find somebody who is not quite sharing his honour to replace him and do the job? i can't comment on that matter because it is still to be resolved. you are also accused by the congressional speak at nancy pelosi and others in america of efforts to, and others in america of efforts to, andl and others in america of efforts to, and i quote, undermine the northern ireland protocol of the withdrawal agreement and as

ireland protocol of the withdrawal agreementand asa ireland protocol of the withdrawal agreement and as a result you will have no uk us trade deal, is that a price worth paying for breaking international law? i have the utmost respect for nancy pelosi and all the people that you have mentioned, the distinguished congressmen and senators, but i think that when they understand and they see what we are trying to do, they will share our ambition and our concern which is to protect the balance. nancy pelosi does not understand the situation? they have misunderstood the situation? it will protect the peace process in northern ireland. so they have got it wrong, nancy pelosi has it wrong? is she wrong in her assertion? possibly, the vital importance of protecting the symmetry of the good friday agreement is something that may have been lost so far in the presentation

of this matter. i've no doubt that it is something that would be readily appreciated by our friends in the united states. a united ireland would have more autonomy within the euro —— eu than scotland. are you pleased to be the prime minister of are you pleased to be the prime ministerofa are you pleased to be the prime minister of a centralised state?” disagree very strongly about that. ireland has got less independence than scotland ? ireland has got less independence than scotland? if you look at actually what is happening as a result of brexit, underpinned by the uk internal market bill, the powers that be handed directly back down from brussels to scotland, 70 or more, and if the scottish national

party... if they really want to reverse that process and go back in with the eu, you would be giving back control of energy and a huge number of policy areas and above all you would be giving back control and that point needs to be repeated. less interrupting, please. you are not respecting democracy in scotland but poll after poll shows that scotland wants to be independent like ireland. when will you agree to the request from the scottish government for a section 30 to hold an independence referendum? the scottish nationalist party fought the referendum in 2014 there are clearly on the understanding that this ina clearly on the understanding that

this in a generation. that was not written on the agreement. order, order. this was something nicola sturgeon and alex salmond said at the time in persuading people to cast their votes. they voted overwhelmingly, or very substantially, to stay in the union. i believe the union is a great and beautiful thing. yes, we should keep it, and! beautiful thing. yes, we should keep it, and i think that a generation has elapsed since 2014, with my understanding of human biology. —— i don't think a generation has elapsed. it's a statement of the obvious, that i don't think a generation has elapsed. it to a section 30 against the wishes of the scottish people? it was said very clearly in 2014 that this was a once ina clearly in 2014 that this was a once in a generation. that was not in the

agreement. order. next time i think i will set you further back away from each other, a bit more social distancing! legal question of a different kind, the government has committed to maintaining practical criminal justice cooperation with the eu after the 31st of december, and we leave at the moment and lose access to the european arrest warrant, the europol system and the criminal justice systems, and the criminal re cord justice systems, and the criminal record sharing system and the schengen information system, so what practical steps are we taking to make sure that we continue to access those critically important matters? all of those that you have named, you are quite right, there will be

changes, but the safety and security of uk citizens will continue to be our number one priority and we still believe there is ample scope for co—operation with our european friends and partners. i won't go into the detail of the negotiations but a huge amount of work is being done to make sure that the priorities of the british people are achieved. on extradition, the 1957 convention has been described as a slow and more awkward and cumbersome than the current european arrest warrant. we remember the failed london, who was brought back under the ea w in eight weeks but it could be months or years, are we prepared to negotiate our way back into the eaw? as i said we want arrangements

that protect british citizens and make sure that speedy justice including under extradition. the national crime agency said this would seriously inhibit their ability to find people who are a threat to national safety, and so we need to have an agreement on data adequacy and commitment, what is the state of progress on data adequacy? we do need to be able to exchange information in real time, on dna and identity and all sorts of things, and that is part of the negotiations right now. what is the timeframe? we hope that we will be able to reach an agreement and above all we want to protect the uk public. you want to protect the uk public. you want to do that before the 31st of december? we hope our friends and partners will see the logic of

reaching an agreement because after all they have symmetrical concerns. is it possible to uncover some of thoseissues is it possible to uncover some of those issues from the controversy around trade matters? that is not something that is favoured by the eu. would it by the uk government? we wa nt eu. would it by the uk government? we want to get on and settle the whole thing. the other thing about data, it is important for financial services, the financial services sector and the british legal sector which on its own is worth £60 billion to the economy, are you prepared to take a personal charge in driving forward this given its importance to the legal sector and uk and its jurisdiction and importance to the legal sector and uk and itsjurisdiction and personal choice, and also the other things which take place in the city of london? i'm in personal charge of the whole negotiations. i'm following each dossier very carefully a nd following each dossier very carefully and i have high hopes that we will make progress. finaltopic.

we will also be leaving brussels, the brussels arrangements, which have the mutual enforcement of judgments including in civil cases and things like maintenance cases, child access cases, where one of the fathers is in the eu and one in the uk, and also things like commercial contracts, very important issues, and the lugano convention is not as good. we have sought to exceed two lugano but at the moment are members of the convention accept our region joining it but the eu members at the commission are not prepared as yet to accept ourjoining, that is unsatisfactory, are you prepared to go to member states to put pressure on the commission to say this is in the interest of your nationals and your businesses, that we mustjoin? i'm concerned that the atmosphere we have around other matters will prejudice basic things which could

affect peoples lives in the flow of business. hilary benn has also raised the issue on the convention in the house, and i think the fundamental advantage we have in this is that we have all got skin in this is that we have all got skin in this game, our friends and this is that we have all got skin in this game, ourfriends and partners also want to see judgments upheld andi also want to see judgments upheld and i hope very much that common sense will prevail. finally, can we make sure that these important issues are not lost? that is a real concern in the criminaljustice community and in the legal fraternity. these things get lost. you are totally right to worry about that and i can take you that we are keeping a keen eye on every aspect of the negotiations and you are

right, a of plates being at once, but i've got great faith in our team. may be continued updates on these aspects of the negotiations will give comfort to british firms and businesses? ifi could pursue this to my earlier commitment to scrutinise might diary, i think we should be able to come back to this, i hope, before the end of the year. briefly, meg hillier. the justice secretary says the internal market spill only breaks international law if the powers are used, and the minister brandon lewis says it only breaks the laws just minister brandon lewis says it only breaks the lawsjust by minister brandon lewis says it only breaks the laws just by granting the powers, which of those is correct?” wa nt to powers, which of those is correct?” want to go back to what i said to others, just look at what the ag

saysin others, just look at what the ag says in her summary, and my position is... who is right? my position is the ag's position and the objective of these measures is to protect this country against accidental or unreasonable measures that break up or served to break up the uk. which of those ministers is right?” or served to break up the uk. which of those ministers is right? i have given you my answer. right. can i ask very briefly about the future relationship, the white paper in february said, whatever happens we will not agree to any obligations for our laws to be aligned with the eu and fortheir for our laws to be aligned with the eu and for their institutions including court ofjustice to have anyjurisdiction in the uk, can you assure voters that is still the objective? yes. you have highlighted

the food blockade issue, but then you told the house of commons we are not taking powers in this bill to neutralise the threat so we obviously reserve the right, if that persists, so why don't you just put it in the bill like you are putting it in the bill like you are putting it in the bill like you are putting it in others? because there are important issues and problems that we do address in this bill, excessive checks and this construction of state aid, and rules to govern the whole of the uk, and in the finance bill we will deal with the tariffs issue. on the third country listings, although the eu have not yet taken that off the table, as i said, it would be so extreme and so unreasonable to keep it on the table, to deploy it, that

we don't yet propose to bring forward legislation to deal with that point, and we will wait and see what they do, but we do need to fortify ourselves in the way described. moving on. we are going to move the integrated review now. who does the joint declaration protect? it protects above all the right and freedoms of the people. protect? it protects above all the right and freedoms of the peoplem protects british nationals overseas? it does, yes. china has broken this declaration? yes, alas we believe these security measures that have

been brought in by beijing do sadly amount toa been brought in by beijing do sadly amount to a breach of the signing of the declaration. this puts at risk the declaration. this puts at risk the freedom of british nationals, right? we think so, only that, we are starting to see that, already, a chilling of free speech and people, we are seeing the effect of that security rule with the chinese legislation, it is already starting to bite on the people. international law does protect british nationals? it does, yes. do you agree that the persecution of uighur muslims amounts to genocide?” persecution of uighur muslims amounts to genocide? i certainly think that what is happening is

objectionable and the uk government has continued to protest and has taken a leading role in holding china to account. 0n the specific term genocide, that is an important term genocide, that is an important term in international law and i would have to say i don't think we are ina would have to say i don't think we are in a position so far of characterising it as that. some people have said the word genocide. it is not something that the uk government has so far endorsed. it is not something that the uk government has so far endorsedm light of the abuses you have listed to british nationals and minority communities within china, will you allow ministers to attend the winter olympics in beijing 2022 and will you ask members of the royal family to boycott it? we will review that matter as and when we need to make a

decision. generally speaking, i think it is important, if you can, if you can, to protect international sporting events and indeed members of the royal family from political ramifications. you were very clear about 18 months before the russian world cup when you are foreign secretary, that you would not encourage ministers and members of the royal family to go to moscow, why will you not do the same?” didn't say that. all i'm saying is this is something we have not taken a decision on yet. you would not suggest that british nationals overseas and uighur muslims have less appropriate boycott than russian citizens in the united kingdom? you are asking us to take a decision on something we have not taken a decision on yet. what

representations have you made to the chinese communist leaders about the persecution of british nationals and uighur muslims? i've raised many times both in my position as foreign secretary and indeed before, human rights in china and the issues in tibet and all kinds of issues where we in the uk wish to be very clear with our chinese friends, that we do not... hong kong being the most recent and the most notable. 0n hong kong, the uk can be very proud of what we did in deciding that the bnos and their dependents could come to this country and i think that was the right thing to do. as part of

our support for the international rules —based system, would you agree with our friend, the former minister of the foreign affairs ofjapan, that japan should be looking to beat the sixth member of the five eyes community? —— to be. the sixth member of the five eyes community? -- to be. there is a big opportunity here for the uk to bring together like—minded democracies and the five eyes is a particular group and has a particular coherence. it is not something that ourjapanese friends have yet raised with me and it is an idea that we are thinking about but we have a fantastic relationship with japan and a very close defence and security

partnership and that might indeed be a very productive way to build on it but we don't have to work within the five eyes. you have been very poor —— forward in pushing for the international alliance, will you bring in any new or existing administration for this alliance? yes, as you know, we had the summit which raised $9 billion for global vaccines especially for covid and one of the things the uk is going to do with the g7 is to bring the world back together after covid because it has been a disaster, fights at airports over ppe, the borders which have sprung up around the world, the sequestering of stocks of drugs and you have seen a return to

nationalism and nationalist priorities which has been very depressing for those who believe in globalism and believing internationalism and we certainly wa nt to internationalism and we certainly want to use our g7 presidency, organisations like the who, i think they are of huge value to the world, and in free trade which we talked about earlier, and on health matters and in the fight against climate change... one last question, ifi made. you will agree that tariffs are attacks on the british people in that case. i certainly agree with that. what advice would you get from the foreign office on the impact of your latest statement, the statement from the secretary of state for northern ireland on the anglo us

issues and a possible joe biden administration? if i did get any advise, it would not be right to talk about the advice that good at civil servants give to ministers, but since i'm not aware of such advice i can tell you that i'm not aware of such advice. would it be odd if the foreign office had not given advice on a change in an international treaty? i am given advice on a change in an international treaty? lam not given advice on a change in an international treaty? i am not aware of such advice but if i was i would not tell you. will that do? moving on. are you looking to amend the international development act of 2002? if by that do you mean, do we wa nt to 2002? if by that do you mean, do we want to move away from the 0.7? no, the act of itself —— in itself in terms of what constitutes aid. what we wa nt

terms of what constitutes aid. what we want to do, and i'm afraid i will have to reserve my position on amending the act, and go away and come back to you further on the particulars, but what we want to do certainly is to make sure and it may not be necessary to amend the act, but what we want to do is make sure that money is better spent on serving the interests of £16 billion worth of uk taxpayers money, it is better spent on serving the diplomatic, the political, the values of the uk, and indeed the commercial and employment, the jobs interests of the uk, as well, and i see no contradiction... the integrated review states it wrote

has a no specific focus so which regions will lose out and who will fill in the gaps? —— states it has a no specific focus. you are asking a line to choose between its covers. we are not going to get into the game of the prioritisation —— a lion to choose between its cubs. this will be subject to... i don't accept that id at all and if you look at what we have been doing, when i was foreign secretary, we opened embassies around the world and that will continue —— i don't accept that idea at all. global britain needs to be more open looking and outward —looking than ever before. be more open looking and outward -looking than ever before. the integrated review says that britain will have an indo pacific focus so that means it will be shifting away from other countries, so which countries are they going to be? i've just rejected that logic and i don't think that is true. ok. i look

forward to that future. the prime minister is committed to girls education so it was shocking that the first project that was cancelled by the summer cuts was a rwandan girls project. it begs the question, who actually has oversight of it now and why is his priority and your priorities being ignored?” and why is his priority and your priorities being ignored? i wasn't aware of the cut and changes she has referred to and i will look into that. 12 years of quality education for every girl in the world remains one of the most important thing is the uk can campaign for and will continue to do so. so why was that ignored by the minister or the civil servant who made those cuts? sarah, i'm having to —— i'm going to have to go away and look at that, i can't give an explanation, but we are

massively committed to supporting 12 yea rs of massively committed to supporting 12 years of quality education for every girl in the world. there is scarcely anything more beneficial for the future of the planet. it does concern me and others that with such a serious shift in our policies internationally, that you don't seem to know who has got strategic oversight. the foreign secretary is in charge of the barguil and he has accountability. —— in charge of the fcdo. last question, are you frightened of parliamentary inscrutability on foreign aid? not at all. in fact, i relish it, because i think it is extremely important. may i say, i know that there may be some suggestion that

there may be some suggestion that the fcdo scrutiny committee, the former dfid scrutiny committee should be bundled into the foreign affa i rs should be bundled into the foreign affairs committee, and i perfectly understand why parliamentarians should want to have a separate group that can look at development issues evenif that can look at development issues even if you are ultimately interrogating people from the same department, and that is often the way in life, anyway. it is a matter for parliament and i'm not going to impose my own views on parliament but i have sympathy with that approach. i'm grateful for your support. we have strayed a little late and we still have one select committee chair to go. if we can steal a bit more of your time i would be immensely proud.” steal a bit more of your time i would be immensely proud. i could not leave without being interrogated

further. it would be totally wrong. when you say there should be a separate group, presumably you mean there might be a separate committee. idid there might be a separate committee. i did indeed mean that but that is for parliament. can you guarantee that the payroll won't be whipped against it and it will be a free vote for parliament to decide? yes, parliament should decide. i genuinely think... these are large budgets, and it is a very important matter. i want fcdo, everybody in it to be animated by the same idealism and the same spirit that dfid has and the same spirit that dfid has andi and the same spirit that dfid has and i see no and the same spirit that dfid has and i see no reason and the same spirit that dfid has and i see no reason why. that very much reflects the review of this committee, now tobias ellwood. thank you for agreeing to taking a view more questions, especially from the

perspective of the mod. i have three questions which should not take too long. the first, simply, you can just nod, that would be fantastic. increased budgets! the sector has been hurt by the epidemic. you support they received has been significantly impacted. this could meet with the chancellor and some of the service charities in order to see what we can be done to make sure that our great heroes are not forgotten? secondly, relating, going back to covid... forgotten? secondly, relating, going back to covid. .. yes is the answer to that. thank you. it's a good start. for them to the government's response to covid—19, please could make great use of our fine armed forces? it is not a mark of a failure to lean on the versatile skills more so than we are currently

giving, when you're faced with