this is bbc news — the british foreign secretary is in washington hoping to keep a us trade deal alive. to avoid a second lockdown' and that testing was a problem it is under threat because the government was working on some congress members doesn't like the changes to the brexit divorce bill. before people run down the uk's the top diplomats tried to put a positive spin effort, it is worth bearing in mind but in the end its congress that that we are testing adam more will get the final say. population than france and germany hurricanes don't have to be and conducted more tests than any fast to be catastrophic — other european country. just ask the people of the us gulf but there are warnings states as they meet sally. that the coronavirus testing system is in crisis, also in the programme... even where infection rates are highest there are now complaints responding to a question of confusion and delays from the bbc‘s ownjon sopel and despite evidence to the contrary i cannot understand why it is going the white house press secretary insists the us has had fewer deaths from the virus pandemic compared on so i cannot understand why it is going to other countries. on so long. like, people cannot get a test. it is extremely stressful and we are already dealing with the none upsetting time, and people are being treated poorly. they've onlyjust gone back to class but already hundreds of pupils are sent home over covid fears — teachers want

priority testing for schools in wales another area is placed under lockdown restrictions— people will not be able to enter or leave rhondda cynon taf from 6pm tomorrow. conservative mps have expressed reservations about a controversial new bill surrounding the brexit withdrawal agreement. an environmental first, withdrawal agreement. an environmentalfirst, making single—use plastic and of something that will not damage the planet. many are united that the coronavirus testing system is a breaking point. borisjohnson blended boris johnson blended on borisjohnson blended on results being delayed. daily cases continue to rise in the uk withjust

being delayed. daily cases continue to rise in the uk with just under 4000 positive tests recorded with the rights of almost a thousand of the rights of almost a thousand of the previous day. there were also 20 further deaths reported. in bolton today some had been able to book a test, but reports there are reports of delays and confusion. many arrived asking for a test and hospital bosses have never urged residents not to do it unless absolutely necessary. our health correspondent reports. in bolton today, some had been able to book a test, but reports suggested that didn't last long. testing capacity ran out in bolton and many of the other worst affected areas. others never made it past the front gate. even in the town with the highest infection rates in the country, this confusion about how to get a test.

turning me away, said you need to go online and book an appointment but nobody ever told me that. it wasn't clear online or i didn't know. we haven't got a clue. it is difficult, if you can't get a test, what are you meant to do? i have tried. i couldn't get through. my room, bedroom, tv there, where my baby would normally sleep. ryan has been stuck in this bedroom for seven days, isolating from his baby son and partner, he has got all the key symptoms of covid—i9 but for a week now he has been unable to book a test. it is chaos. you can't have a testing system that when it needs to be used by any member of the public, no matter what their age, demographic, whatever, they should be able to get a test wherever they are in the country. i can't understand why

it is going on so long. here in bolton, the town that has the highest infection rate in the country, this testing centre seems to be working relatively smoothly. but the government has put extra resources into testing centres in hotspots like this so there are more slots available. but the infection rate across the north west of england has risen dramatically and that is putting real pressure on the system. tracing those who have been in contact with people who test positive is the other key part of the programme and that too is facing problems. in greater manchester last week more than 3500 contacts were missed. there has been a relentless focus on fixing the system. this is what we have put forward today. we are prepared to play our part. testing, tracing and isolating are vital elements in containing covid—i9. this evening in the worst hit areas of the uk, it looks like this strategy is facing real problems. as we've heard the demand for tests has gone up over the last couple of weeks. but does that account

for the problems — some would say crisis — in the testing regime across the uk? our health editor, hugh pym, has been taking a close look at how the testing system works. long rates and frustrations on the testing centre today. further evidence of the immense strain on the wall system. then we had enough test to do about 50 people. trying repeatedly to book a test but cannot, she and two of her children have symptoms. a test but cannot, she and two of her children have symptomsm extremely stressful and is added to a lot of what is an upsetting time for us is what we are managing poorly. trying to get through and trying to hope that we find attached

somewhere and it isjust really frustrating, to be honest. the governments is the uk's testing more than other leading european countries and that is the case of the number expressed relative to the population. there are some smaller european nations doing more. but laboratories analysing the test here are struggling to keep up with the work load, the government says new la bs work load, the government says new labs are coming on stream but not for a few weeks. here is how much community testing, not including nhs is gone up in recent weeks. september one, there are over hundred 19,000 tests processed, that capacity and the ability to handle those tests was 156,000. then over the next couple of weeks, demand soared with 163,000 tests protest in one day —— processed. it would've gone up one day —— processed. it would've gone up a one day —— processed. it would've gone up a bit over the next few days, but it does show how type things have become. when health

experts said that this should have been anticipated a few months ago. the surge in demand for testing was extremely predictable. particularly because the expected covid—19 cases to increase as the autumn comes and also we were expecting covid—19 like symptoms such as the common cold and flu to increase as well. both of those combined for an increased amountand those combined for an increased amount and testing. back in july, people were being encouraged to get tests. if you're just worried, you have a temperature, you have a cough or distant sure that you feel right, the sensible thing to do in this covid—19 world is to get a test. now, it is very different. capacity is much tighter and only those with symptoms like high temperature should book a test. confusion over what to do, it may of well added to the recent surge.

the head of the body representing uk lab scientists has told bbc scotland that uk government labs processing coronavirus tests are shrouded in secrecy and staff based there are not allowed to discuss their work. allan wilson, president of the institute of biomedical scientists, also suspects the uk government is overstating its capacity to process covid tests. in an interview with the nine, the scientist said he s frustrated at the lack of information his organisation has been given about the uk governments lighthouse labs. despite that this lighthouse lab was established under a trait of secrecy run by the uk government, we really can't get much information on how they are run and measuring capacity and that is the frustration across the country. because we think we can do this, run this better or if we had those resources, and yet, because it is shrugged and some

secrecy, we because it is shrugged and some secrecy, we do not know what is happening within those labs and what we are calling for his a removal of that shroud of secrecy over the labs and also to engage with the nhs labs and also to engage with the nhs labs and work collaboratively together to maximise thejoint and work collaboratively together to maximise the joint capacity and trade delivered testing in an efficient manner. our political correspondent iain watson is at westminster this evening. the prime minister is saying and doing everything he can to avoid a second lockdown of the testing was a problem, the government was working on itand problem, the government was working on it and others are describing this isa on it and others are describing this is a crisis. on the question of the second full national lockdown, he said it would be financially disastrous. first and foremost in his mind, when he said that, rather than perhaps some of the other

affects which people are facing, increasing restrictions in some parts of the country, already. of course, in order to avoid a lockdown again, if the number of cases are beginning to increase, and effective track and trace system is essential and it got quite a lot of criticism from fellow mps, including conservative mps on the liaison committee which is a senior committee which is a senior committee of the members of parliament were government ministers, some former government ministers, some former government ministers, who were questioning him on how quickly the problems in the track and trace system would've been sorted out and he suggested that 500,000 tests a day by the end of october and saying, he understood the frustrations that people felt with the system, but he did not think the system is failing and compared to many other european countries, the uk was doing more

countries. and there's disconnect between his suggestion that things cannot go to the right direction in the views of many peoples constituents and those talking to a member of parliament are finding it very difficult to be tested locally near their own home if they've got symptoms. talking about this a little further left for the panel of experts, a big day when it comes to brexit as well for the government and the internal market —— internal market bill. there has been good news for the government and also batten is about resignations. the good news is that it was physical rebellion by members of parliament and quite and that members of parliament to former law officers and some of these powerful commons committees. in effect, it's a bit of compromise, submit quality u—turn,

but the leading person as a lawyer and suggested that one way out of the government dilemma would be to quite simply be with, to allow people to vote to override that brea ks people to vote to override that breaks a deal in relation to northern ireland rather than allow government ministers to do so. so, the government has considered that they're going to change the legislation next week and will put in place the so—called parliamentary lock and it is generally expected that members of parliament might be a bit more sceptical and less keen to use the particular power than the government ministers negotiating with brussels. the trouble is that the legislation, as the government says, still breaching international law and a willingness to breach international law and that is going, brussels is still calling for this to be withdrawn entirely. on the

resignation, i should to be withdrawn entirely. on the resignation, ishould mention, this potentially significant because so far, all of the law officers in this has stood firm. but the scottish advocate general has resigned and since in circumstances around this because northern ireland secretary claims of the government is breaching international law and he tried to reinterpret this and suggest that the government could stay within the law and is contradicted again by the northern ireland secretary and insisted that the other law officers did see this asa the other law officers did see this as a potential breach of international law and that means it's position is untenable. he gave us it's position is untenable. he gave us remix of nation to downing street and took a long time to decide whether they were going to let him go or not, but several hours later, it was announced that he was going and he said he was to get increasingly difficult to reconcile his responsibilities as a law officer with the government policy objectives, in other words, officer with the government policy objectives, in otherwords, he officer with the government policy objectives, in other words, he was

being asked to back something which breached international law and there we re breached international law and there were not going to take his interpretation of it and he left stumpi interpretation of it and he left stump i think you so much for talking to a big day in westminster. gavin willimason, the education secretary for england, told mps today that children should only be given a test if they display coronavirus symptoms. the government announced that from tomorrow there will be a dedicated advice line for schools, nurseries and colleges if there is a case of coronavirus. our education correspondent elaine dunkley reports. these children are feeling fit and well and ready for school, but this primary school has had a confirmed case of coronavirus. 43 children and four members of staff already home, self—isolating. we've got a whole year of this, i'm convinced of that, and we need to have better testing, access to testing, so parents aren't pushed around all over the country. results need to come back quicker.

at the moment, we're seeing tests take as long as four days. i'm feeling absolutely fine. mrs lawrence teaches children in year two and also does supply work. she's found getting a test difficult and is currently at home. it's like fastest fingers won the test. we tried on saturday night, we couldn't get anything, we tried on sunday morning, we had to do the whole thing again. as a supply teacher, i wouldn't be earning any money at all. as a contracted teacher, i'm earning money, but i can't do the job that i want to do. this is the time of year when children catch colds and sniffles. the problem for parents is recognising when it could be coronavirus. the guidance to schools is a child should be at home if they have a new, continuous cough for an hour or three coughing episodes in 24 hours. a temperature and a change in taste and smell are also symptoms. people only with symptoms are the ones that should actually be doing the testing, so if a child and their contacts

have been sent home, it's not that all those children that are sent home should be getting the testing. children have been back at school for just a matter of weeks. parents are worried about the disruption. it is quite hard to keep up and quite hard to know what is right and wrong. generally, i think there is a feeling you have to get back to life. it can be very difficult at the minute, luckily my wife is working from home just now so we can do different drop—offs and pick—ups for the kids. the government has launched a new service for schools to report cases of coronavirus but teachers are warning that it is testing which is vital to keeping schools open. who's the non—executive chair of the coventry and warwickshire health and care partnership and non—executive director of royal free hospitals.

and also i'm joined by dr amir khan, who's a gp in leeds. iati i at ijust need to start with when it comes to who should be tested, what symptoms does one have to display? or should one have an think, iam not display? or should one have an think, i am not sure about this, i should get tested because there so much confusion as to when someone should get tested. yes, and the symptoms of which you should get tested a re symptoms of which you should get tested are fever and temperature in a new persistent cough and a loss in your sense of smell or taste. that is when you should get tested and we don't know whether the temperature could be the common cold or the coronavirus and that is why it is important to get tested. if you're a contact important to get tested. if you're a co nta ct of important to get tested. if you're a

contact of others people but do not display any symptoms yourself, then you do not have to test butjust stuff i sleep you do not have to get tested. only those who have the trio of symptoms. one of those trio of symptoms, i say, of symptoms. one of those trio of symptoms, isay, that of symptoms. one of those trio of symptoms, i say, that gets tested. we discover like that it is straightforward, but we are seeing these lack of testing facilities and people not being able to get tests when they feel that they need them. what is your understanding of the complications here? the system is failing people it is a great concern because they're reaching the point of the year were this would be more and more demand. i think it isjust failing us, to skip speaking to you. so, the system is failing but is that the it or the way the labs are

working. what is your understanding? it is exceeding the capacity, it is a barrier of planning, we knew this was about to happen. we are just going to try to check your line because our it is failing at the irony is not lost on me. let'sjust focus on you, than. we are discussing the symptoms and when it comes to getting a test, especially within your practice, are you finding ita within your practice, are you finding it a very large amounts in september if you coming come again requesting a test? a lot of my patients, staff, family and friends, i work patients, staff, family and friends, iwork in patients, staff, family and friends, i work in bradford, which is the coronavirus hotspot and it's a place where they need to be increasing the amount of testing because it has seen amount of testing because it has seen local restrictions, but the people that i come to contact with

are really struggling to get tests donein are really struggling to get tests done ina are really struggling to get tests done in a timely fashion and also get the results back. and that is a real problem and i agree with the professor. it is a capacity issue in its said that pupil being tested without symptoms, this is the time but lots of people will have temperatures at the cross, they do not have, people are mingling again after a period of not mingling and so after a period of not mingling and so viruses will spread fairly rapidly and it is impossible to know whether it is a coronavirus or a common cold without getting a test, but will we are seeing in a know it is happening in a&e, people are being so frustrated by a system that they are coming to our doors and saying that my child has going to temperature, i cannot get a test, can check to see if he's got coronavirus. i can check to see if he's got coronavirus. i can can check to see if he's got coronavirus. i can do a test but i can give them the once over and make sure that it is nothing more serious going on but the gps do not have access to testing, unfortunately.

explained to us, we have had so many questions as you can imagine, so i'm going to pick up on some of the questions from our viewers, if somebody is testing positive, somebody is testing positive, somebody within his social bubble is tested positive, does anybody within that social bubble, till they get tested, developed a all have to suffice late for those two weeks was blue, yes, they do. and they do need to get tested if they display symptoms but it it's just the case of self isolation. if you do get tested, even though you have been in contact with someone and yet you are negative, one assumes you no longer of the self—isolate? negative, one assumes you no longer of the self-isolate? if you do not have any symptoms and get tested, there may be a period, an incubation period where you have not got the symptoms there's not enough buyers

to be picked up on those tests. that is what we do not test in airports and people just returning from countries because in the very early stages, you may not have a positive test. you can get a false negative test, which is why the onus is on the symptoms rather than being tested because you are a contact. the staple that you mentioned, pretty clear, both children, it is just so come up with these stomach aches and everything that they have, is there anything we should be looking out for, is that potential the diarrhoea or upset stomach, stomach aches, status of the guy be added to the list? yes, there's a potential that the coronavirus can actually go through to the bowels in the good system and give you gastrointestinal symptoms, that is definitely known and there is evidence for that. and at the

moment, that doesn't fall into the category and so, we have not advised that there will be a thing but at the moment, a new persistent because in the sense of smell or taste, that's not to say but that will not come in, but the evidence is not there yet as was the government are concerned. talk us through, when it comes to the best thing that we can do is still washing your hands and going back to that message from the very beginning. this was on the forefront of our minds, we were washing her hands and socially distancing in the restrainer to wear masks and that brought the numbers down in the initial phase of the pandemic, now it is creeping back up, locked down east, we are re—engaging with society, it is not necessarily in the forefront of our minds like it was back in march and april, but that is the only way we are going to get this down again

until a vaccine arrives. when we get backing from shopping or going out, we her hands, people may have become complacent over time, but hygiene, mask wearing and social distancing is still our most important weapons in the arsenal against the coronavirus until we get a vaccine. back on the line with us. back to this situation with the testing, goes about saying that there are issues with that. your understanding of where the crux of the problem lies? the problems is to be lack of capacity plus, understand their logistical issues in the test arrives at the labs. you need to sort out these problems, its responsibility of the government that set up these labs. we will have

to bring you back at some point because it is fascinating what you're saying but we are so frustrated not to be able to hear the full sentence. we have problems with their it system, but thank you. thank you so much for your time and advice as well. we have lots on a website, so do check that out. many of us are aware of the environmental dangers of 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 that 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. our capsules were made of protein and 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 fossilfuels. 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 40 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. now it's time for a look at the weather with tomaz shaffernacker the heat of the last few days has well and truly gone now. the biggest drop in temperatures was across northern parts of the uk today. tomorrow, it's going to be pleasantly warm across the uk, it's going to remain settled this is what it looks like there this evening and overnight. we have a wea k cold evening and overnight. we have a weak cold front crossing the country, air coming weak cold front crossing the country, aircoming in weak cold front crossing the country, air coming in across the uk in temperatures in the northeast of the country dipping into single

figures and around about 15 to 16 degrees in the channel islands. tomorrow might start off cloudy and wa nted tomorrow might start off cloudy and wanted to places, but on the whole, it is going to be a beautiful sunny day, pleasantly warm as well. temperatures across the south around 20 degrees in the lowlands of scotland, just a bit of clarity in the northwest and the wind will be late for many of us and it will feel 00:29:23,461 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 very nice indeed. goodbye.