vaccine. on armistice day, as we remember those who gave their lives for our country and those who still serve, will be prime minister give a positive response to the living in our shoes report to make life better for armed forces families? these this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk wonderful people put up with more and around the world. together we stand! separation, moving family homes, and worry about the safety of their loved ones and anyone else and pro—democracy lawmakers in hong kong looking after them should be a national priority. our armed say they will resign en masse, after china said only those it services simply could not function regards as patriots can serve. without the support of their families and i thank him for what mass testing and a "travel window" will be created in england to allow he's doing and also to raise this university students to spend issue and the comprehensive piece of christmas with their families. research that he refers to. we are i fully expect that students will take up any offers we put on the table because they don't making good progress, mr speaker, want to endanger their families increasing childcare provision for in any way and we have outlined armed services families and also a programme and a plan support for employment of partners that is as safe as possible for them of members of the armed services. to be able to do that. the prince of wales will attend support for employment of partners of members of the armed servicesm order to allow the safe exit of a special armistice day service vulnerable members... at westminster abbey to mark 100 years since the burial of the unknown warrior.

we believe prime minister questions and keir starmer‘s questions to borisjohnson and keir starmer‘s questions to boris johnson focus on the and keir starmer‘s questions to borisjohnson focus on the amount of money spent by the government to external pr consultants through the pandemic. we will catch up with the we are taking you straight to weather with said keith lucas. downing street. this is the first of a weekly i pressure brings a mist and fog for session of scientists taking questions about coronavirus some of us, but we is about to take place are turning to something much more at downing street. jonathan van tam is one of the u nsettled are turning to something much more unsettled through not just are turning to something much more unsettled through notjust today but into the remainder of the week as speakers. let's begin. well. a windy day ahead today with some rain around that is the traditional vaccine sequence particularly heavy across north and under velleman timeline for a western parts of the uk. don't let vaccine in peacetime, if you like, there are first of all the red boxes active weather front that has been heading in from the atlantic. lots of isomers on the map as well so which are design and process really strong gusty winds, development stages and finally, one gets to the point where it is time particularly through exposed parts of the irish sea coast. we could see to do clinical trials in humans. 50, even 60 mph gusts. heavy rain these pass sequentially through for scotland, could be some flooding phase one, which are small studies, here. through this evening and into focusing on initial safety, and they the net, that band of rain and squally winds push is particularly heavy across north and western parts are focusing on dosage. phase two of the uk. don't let active weather

front that has been heading in from the atlantic. lots of isomers on the studies, which follow, focus on map as well so really strong gusty winds, particularly through exposed determining whether vaccines can parts of the irish sea coast. we generate an immune response and by could see 50, even 60 mph gusts. heavy rain for scotland, could be that, i mean can elicit antibodies some flooding here. through this evening and into the net, that band of rain and squally winds window of quieter weather, less windy than in humans. those phase two studies today, a bit more sunshine around too, but more cloud and rain working in from the west later any day. are not so small, they are temperature cooler than recent days medium—sized. if successful, and it stays pretty and set up right can do. —— unsettled right through companies then move on to phase three, which are trials in the real the weekend too. world, if you like, where what we are looking for is a signal that the vaccines not only generate antibodies, as we have seen in phase two but also protect people from real—life disease that is out there, from disease. those trials are very big indeed. typically, for the vaccine studies in the covid arena, these studies are 30,000 — 50,000 hello. individuals per phase three trial, they are very large. safety a second lockdown makes more young

people vulnerable to being groomed and recruited by extremist groups. assessment actually takes place in all of those clinical trials all the that's the warning from uk counter terrorism policing. way through. if you are successful they're concerned that extremists have used the pandemic to spread hate, at every stage, and there is often a disinformation and encourage violence. decision point in between the stages emma glasbey reports within a company, there is a from bradford on the efforts being made there to stop regulatory filing, and the regulator people being radicalised. lockdown, part two. in any given country, in our case, the nhra, performs a review. 0nly again, we're told to stay at home. again, some will be isolated. after that has been done can there as the pandemic continues, people have so many more questions, more concerns. be large—scale production and distribution. that is the normal 0nline activity is soaring, but there's now a warning peacetime route to bringing a vaccine into human use. next slide, of a growing risk online that vulnerable people could be targeted by extremists and radicalised. please. but in the case of the covid—i9 pandemic, everyone knows i am concerned. the first lockdown shows us that there was an increase, that this is a public health and i have no doubt that that emergency. we are in a much more will repeat this time. counterterrorism police say they're seeing more extremist groups online difficult position but as you can exploiting the pandemic. see, there is some slight variation misinformation from a raft on how they clinical trials are put of groups with different together. there are still the design and process stages. there still has backgrounds, extreme

right—wing groups talking about accelerationism. this is the concept that society's to bea and process stages. there still has to be a clinical trial breaking down and they're calling to people to come out and commit authorisation. and there still has more crime to be phase one, phase two, and in order to accelerate that. phase three studies. they are no similarly, daesh and al-qaeda view this as an opportunity to say, smallerjust phase three studies. they are no smaller just because phase three studies. they are no smallerjust because this is a "look, emergency services public health emergency. the are stretched right now, so let's go for it, this standards are no lowerjust because is the time for attack", this is a public health emergency. calling for activists to arm themselves and attack members of the public. and the phase three trials are still in the midst of coronavirus, it's very big. where the differences are, harder to work with communities, but it's also vital. andi we can't close our eyes very big. where the differences are, and i hope you can see these on the to what's going on around the world and unfortunately, slide, is firstly that the trials tensions are rising in communities. this is the mothers overla p, slide, is firstly that the trials overlap, companies and governments against radicalisation make decisions to move onto the next programme in bradford, part of the government's phase whilst just completing prevent strategy. these mums are ambassadors in their communities. make decisions to move onto the next phase whilstjust completing the last faces of the previous trial. so they're talking about the risks of extremists targeting young people. phase one, phase two and phase three we've seen things that have been circulating on whatsapp. have been brought closer together, posted out to people. overlapping, but they have not changed in terms of size and reach. we've seen things on social media platforms, and we've seen that division. and the data from each of those we need to continue having honest

conversations because if we don't phases individually can go forwards have these conversations now, to the regulator in terms of a that hate and concern is just rolling regulatory review. in other going to fuel up in people. words, the regulator can start to syca tells me the course look at things earlier than they would normally do. and the companies is about raising awareness with mums and communities, have made decisions to begin especially around the risks of young people being groomed. large—scale production at risk. by i have got a strong bond with my children, at risk, i mean at risk to them, but that brought me closer because my two sons that if their product then does not have special needs. something you don't think make it through phase three trials, of as a mum with children they will literally have to destroy with special needs, you don't think anybody can take all that they have made. they can't advantage of my child. talk of divisions and tensions can use it. but they recognise the add to anxiety at a difficult time, but those tackling extremist views public health emergency and have been prepared to make those kind of say we have to confront it investment decisions in the hope and make sure people look that the trials will be successful. that is really the big differences out for those at risk. between where we are traditionally with vaccines, and where we are now the children's commissioner for england says the state with vaccines, and where we are now with covid—i9. i am now going to is failing the most vulnerable children in care — because it doesn't know pass over, and dr ray will tell you what to do with them. ministers say that children should

not be bounced around a system that a bit more about how vaccines are doesn't meet their needs. anne longfield says a lack of action regulated and authorised for human by the government has allowed use. thank you. the medicines and the care system to fall into crisis. she spoke earlier to my health care products regulatory colleague annita mcveigh. they have experienced agency is the uk's independent high levels of neglect, abuse and exploitation, regulator. 0ur role is to ensure so they have very, very complex needs. that medicines, advices and vaccines what we are looking at here work and are safe for use. the in the reports we published today, safety of the public will always at the heart of it, is the chronic come first. a covid—i9 vaccine will lack of places for children only be approved once it has met in residential care. robust standards of effectiveness, the department for education safety a nd are saying that children under the age of 16 should not be living robust standards of effectiveness, safety and quality —— safety and in unregulated homes, presumably the sort of situation quality, right through the tests and trials. for us, the mhra, to approve you are talking about in a hotel a vaccine, how do we approach this? temporarily and the dfe says our bold, broad 0ur teams of scientists and and independently led care review will launch as soon as possible and will support improvements. clinicians carefully, methodically, does this area need another review scientifically rigorously review all or are you already clear of the data on safety effectiveness on what needs to be done to sort and quality. we ask questions as to out the system? i think there are two things. what does the vaccine contain? how yes, we need a review because it is a wider issue. does it work in a body? what level i'm just looking at those children in residential care,

of protection does it provide? and but also there are many children the data we look at include all the who are in foster care. they need to look at results from the laboratory studies, the whole totality. but there needs to be urgent action the clinical trials, the with those in residential care. manufacturing and quality controls, i put these reports forward, i have and testing the product. our taken three years to research this. i think the evidence is clear and there have been very independent national institute for critical reports from people biological standards and control does that. the public can be very like the national audit office and the public accounts committee. so, government really does need to step into the frame now confident that all of those tests are done to the very highest and take responsibility. yes, of course local councils standards. since this is a national have their own responsibilities, emergency, you have but ultimately, if that is not standards. since this is a national emergency, you have seen standards. since this is a national emergency, you have seen that we undertake a rolling review, in real happening, government needs to step up and they need to make sure time, looking at the packages of they know how many places data as soon as they become are needed, that there is a plan in place and available. that means the final importantly, funding there. decision on the balance of benefit it's been announced that mass and risk can be taken in the testing of students at welsh shortest time possible. we go one universities will be rolled in time for the christmas holidays. step further and we consult our —— rolled out in time for the national expert advisory body, the christmas holidays. commission on human medicines, and in person teaching is to end this will also critically review the by the 8th december to allow anyone testing positive to self—isolate for fourteen days if data using its expert working group, they test positive. it follows a similar plan which has been set up including a

to test all students at universities in england. the welsh education minister kirsty wide range of disciplines, williams revealed more details at a briefing earlier: immunology, vaccine ology, clinical pharmacology and epidemiology to name but a few. that will be a christmas and the winter holidays are an important time for many really robust process that the families and it is especially public and patients can have important if you're living away home. christmas may be one of the confidence in. our work does not stop there, though, once the vaccine is deployed, we have a range of few times in any year when you can tools and methodologies to spend time with the people closest to you. we have been working closely continually monitor benefit risk and clinical use. the tried and trusted with the university sector to agree a set of principles that will allow yellow card scheme is a way in which all students living in a term time eve ryo ne yellow card scheme is a way in which everyone can report. in a nutshell, accommodation to travel home for the holidays if they wished to do so at ourjobis everyone can report. in a nutshell, ourjob is to work to the highest the end of the current term. to make possible standards, to work this possible, we have agreed great independently, and safety is our three measures to enable welsh watchword. thank you very much. i universities to manage this movement at the end of term as safe as will come back in at this point, and possible. firstly, universities will conclude the majority of in—person teaching in the week leading up to say that there are lots of different the 8th of december. there will come types of covid—i9 vaccines in of course, be some exceptions, such development. 0n the next slide, you

as medical students and trainee can see the kinds of vaccines where teachers on placements. we are the uk has an agreement with one or asking students who are planning to more companies for a supply, to a travel to make arrangements to move on from the attempt on accommodation total of 350 million doses if all of by the 9th of december at the latest. secondly, we are working those products and trials were to with universities to sign up to a work. but many of them are still in new asymptomatic mass testing pilot to explore the use of a new lateral development of phase three trials, and we don't know the results yet, and we don't flow devices. these tests enable know the results yet, and we don't know the results yet, and we don't quicker results and can attest large know the outcomes from the numbers of people. people finding independent regulatory processes. so just to give you a flavour of the kind of vaccines that potentially cases faster, reducing the cases of may come through over the next year transmission in the community, orso, including university staff who work may come through over the next year or so, there are the messenger rna tirelessly to support the site at this time. we are working with vaccines, that was the subject of the pfizer announcement on monday. universities to roll out the pilot by the end of term and we would these vaccines essentially sent a coded message to the immune system, encourage students and staff if they wa nt to encourage students and staff if they want to to sign up for the to tell it to make covid antibodies. asymptomatic testing to give added reassurance around returning home and spending time with loved ones at there are the adenoviral vector the end of term. thirdly, we will be vaccines, which insert the covid

asking students who wish to return spike protein, the key antigen, the home to follow a simple set of key protein which allows humans to guidelines. these will help students consider what they should do and recognise the virus and allows the allow them to take actions based on virus to bind with the human cell, their individual circumstances. those are inserted into a harmless, students, indeed all of us, must or weakened common cold virus and first and foremost follow welsh government guidelines. let me be that again stimulates antibody clear, no one should travel if they production. then there are the have symptoms, a positive test or if protein adjuvant vaccines, which are they have been asked to self—isolate slightly older technology and they bya they have been asked to self—isolate by a contact racer. 0f are effectively pieces of the covid they have been asked to self—isolate by a contact racer. of course, many virus protein broken up when given people from wales will be setting at universities elsewhere in the united kingdom. 0ver universities elsewhere in the united kingdom. over the last few weeks and with an adjuvant, they stimulate months, i have worked with my cou nterpa rts months, i have worked with my counterparts and other governments antibody production. finally, there to coordinate our approaches. i am sure that families across wales will is the option of a whole virus welcome the announcement by other approach, which is where you take governments to ensure that welsh the virus and you kill it and then stu d e nts governments to ensure that welsh students studying in other parts of the united kingdom can return home it is safely injectable and it safely. we will also be stimulates antibody production. communicating directly with those of there are many different approaches, our students directly outside of wales to welcome them home and many different manufacturers, and we're just at the beginning of the remind them about how they can keep

journey. it is that complexity of themselves safe when they do so. i what we hope we will have soon, am also greatly encourage that we versus what we hope we will have are seeing a steady decline in cases at university. evidence shows a within 9—12 months, that makes the transmission is not taking place in job of thejoint teaching and learning environments within 9—12 months, that makes the job of the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation very and universities are operating covid challenging indeed, but a terribly secure and universities are operating covid secure campuses. 0ur universities importantjob have also agreed to develop a phased challenging indeed, but a terribly important job in terms challenging indeed, but a terribly importantjob in terms of then exit from campus and university determining after authorisation who should receive the vaccine. towns to reduce pressure on public professor limb is here to explain to transport and travel infrastructure. you professor limb is here to explain to you some more they need to balance people's rights professor limb is here to explain to you some more about that. thank you for joining and support their well—being with you some more about that. thank you the desire to protect our families, forjoining us. you some more about that. thank you for joining us. —— you some more about that. thank you forjoining us. —— thank you very friends and communities from the much, as professor jonathan risk of infection remains a very challenging. i am grateful to our forjoining us. —— thank you very much, as professorjonathan van tam says, the jc vi much, as professorjonathan van tam says, thejc vi is an independent universities for their staff and expert committee and we are their students for their very committed to advise the secretary of positive engagement on these difficult issues. the welsh state on the provision of vaccination and immunisation. during education minister kirsty williams. this pandemic, we have been meeting weekly recently to appraise ourselves of all the available let's get more reaction now scientific information that is to the plan to get students home releva nt scientific information that is relevant and to be able to make the from english universities in time for christmas.

best possible recommendation in the the operation will involve mass most timely manner. this is all on coronavirus testing and a planned travel window in early december. earlier i spoke to two students an independent basis. ijust want to to get their reaction. holly madden is a 2nd year student at the university of nottingham, studying english literature and enoch mukungu is a 2nd year describe the current interim student of history and politics recommendation from the jc vi at warwick university. they told me what they regarding the priority groups for made of the plan. vaccination when the covid vaccine becomes available. the current phase it sends a relieving, but i think after months of false hope from both that we will suggest or recommend is university and the government, do not know how much i trust it. what a phase where we prioritise the most do you not trust? i feel like every vulnerable individuals in society, time the university have been like, specifically people who are most you can go back to school, blended likely to die from severe covid learning will work, on the learning will be just as good, every time we infections. we take into account the become to experience it, it never important role of the nhs and social lives up to expectations i do not ca re important role of the nhs and social care as well. a further know how reliable this is and it consideration in our prioritisation will work the same way they say it will work the same way they say it will work. if it does not work in is that the programme needs to be terms of if you're not protesting, recognisable, it needs to be understandable to everybody, and it would you go home anyway? how would you feel about that? —— if you're needs to be deliverable. we have not offered testing. i have a sister reviewed data on how the pandemic is who is asthmatic at my home in progressing in the uk, the risk

london so i would be very worried about going home, but at the same factors associated with severe disease from covid—i9, and timei about going home, but at the same time i do not know if i want to be stuck in a university town that has mathematical models that have looked been deserted by everyone else going on by the christmas holidays. would at different vaccination strategies you be prepared to stay there for and how those might work. i will christmas? i think... rationally, just come onto the priority groups as they are defined at the moment you be prepared to stay there for christmas? ithink... rationally, i feel like i should say yes, but i andi as they are defined at the moment and ijust as they are defined at the moment and i just want to underline that think deep down i would go home these are interim current because i do not know if i could face the loneliness of it. that is recommendations and they may change as we get more information. at the perfectly understandable. holly, what are your thoughts on being able very top of our priority list our to potentially get it out and get ca re very top of our priority list our care home residents and people who home from the 2nd of december?” work in care homes. this reflects would say that there is definitely a kind of aspect of it that is, you the devastating impact of covid—i9 in ourcare the devastating impact of covid—i9 in our care homes as we all know. know, well we'll get tested? there following on from care home is certainly a level of uncertainty residents, we will prioritise older in that regard because the tests we re in that regard because the tests were only announced in the last few individuals, going down age bands, down from 80 plus, to 60 plus. the days, i personally had already started planning a covid christmas, if that makes sense? i was planning reason for this is that age is by on going home with enough time to far the strongest risk factor

associated with severe covid—i9 isolate for two weeks before christmas day anyway just disease. following on from those who isolate for two weeks before christmas day anywayjust so that i are aged 65 and above, we will then can see people if that's legal at that point. but also, i really like prioritise individuals, particularly adults, i should say, who have an my housemates. if it is that it is underlying health condition that illegal or whatever, i would my housemates. if it is that it is illegal or whatever, iwould be more puts them at risk of covid—i9 than happy to have a christmas here. disease. following on from there, we what has... are both in your will keep going down the age bands seconder, what has this year been my to individuals who are 50 years and compared with last year? holly?m above. that describes phase one of has been completely different. in so the programme, and phase one, as i say, is aimed at protecting the most many ways. i think the biggest difference that i sort of thought of vulnerable. if phase one is going into the year would be like, completed, then we will have oh, clubs are shut because when it protected hopefully over 99% of was august and september, we had not those individuals who are at risk of moved into tier 3, the rule of six dying from covid—i9. we have not decided yet on who else should be had not been admitted that point. i vaccinated beyond phase one. that is did not go to any madhouse parties. not to say that they should not be but you can still see friends, go to vaccinated but simply that we have the pub, meet up in small groups and not decided yet on prioritisation. things that. but there is the kind that is because we need more of smaller things of going into a information hopefully on the seminar room, you have to whiten

vaccines, who they are good for, and everything and time is cut down whether they protect against because you have to give yourself 20 transmission or infection. so these minutes to clean —— wipe down other recommendations will come in due course. thank you. so that everything. some of the aspects are different. in york, some students concludes our opening remarks from feel their needs have not been the table. i think we now have overlooked. how do you feel? i com pletely overlooked. how do you feel? i completely agree with them. we were questions, fergus walsh is first, just to remind all of the colleagues mis—sold a dream. government and joining via zoom or teams that we do university said things would be normal, things would be as normal as we can make them, you can come back, have a hard stop today at 10:45am come to university, live on campus, because of the remembrance we will try to provide the best expense possible for you but by the observance and therefore, we have to time we got here we had to lockdown move at reasonable pace through for two weeks and at the events are these questions and i hope you will forgive us if we do that. fergus cancelled. 0ther for two weeks and at the events are cancelled. other universities had walsh, please. yes, a question, some in—person events, but harris had no in—person events, but harris had no in—person events, but harris had no in—person events for pastures. we are ina in—person events for pastures. we are in a lockdown again but... people might be concerned that authorisation might be rushed of nothing has been the same as last year and nothing has been the same as last yearandi nothing has been the same as last covid vaccines. can you reassure year and i feel bad for them. in terms of being there, some have people that safety won't be questioned whether it is an experience that is worth having compromised and to professor van right now but there is a bisley not

tam, do you think it might be a good much outside of it. i guess that idea if the prime minister and this being a university there is a people like yourself were first in protection that you're not any job the queue for a covid vaccine, and market. how do you feel about that might be a mark of confidence certain setting it out and what ina that might be a mark of confidence in a covid vaccine? thank you, this happens on the benefits of the mirror not? i guess it is the grim truth of the whole thing. you're damned if you do, damned if you isa in a covid vaccine? thank you, this is a critically important point, although we have adapted our don't. many people i know university processes to undertake our rigorous may have been better off this year review of effectiveness and safety either deferred a year, dropped out, we nt ina either deferred a year, dropped out, went home and spent time with their review of effectiveness and safety in a rolling way, there is families, rather than facing the absolutely no chance that we will mental health nightmare that has been stuck in a room of a group of compromise on standards of safety or people that you do not now practically well and flat means you effectiveness, and the steps that do not get along with. in a canned help to reassure on that include our independent expert advisory committee, which is an even greater to some of the most challenging layer of independence. and so the prisons in england and wales as part of a £100m government package designed to boost security across the prison estate. question was, would i be prepared to the government say it's haveit? question was, would i be prepared to have it? so i am a 56—year—old with the biggest investment ever in tackling crime in prison, following a sharp increase in prison violence over the last few years. one, i think we would say, medium to

the bbc was given special high risk condition. if i could access to see the dogs in training and at work. rightly and morally be at the very 0ur reporterjohn 0wen front of the queue, then i would do so, because i absolutely trust the has the story. judgment of the mhra on safety and in training for duty — the detection dogs destined to sniff efficacy. but that clearly isn't right, we have to target the most out crime on the inside. with their ultra—sensitive noses, these canine investigators high—risk individuals in society. are capable of finding drugs, alcohol and even mobile phones, as they demonstrated while searching that is how it should be in terms of these mock cells at a training facility in suffolk. our system. but if i could be at the front of the queue, then i would be. let me say this to you, i think the and their extraordinary abilities have made them a key part of a government drive to increase mumm test is very important, here. security in prisons across england and wales. my mumm test is very important, here. my mum is 78, she will be 79 shortly andi my mum is 78, she will be 79 shortly and i have already said to her, make violent crime in prisons has risen sure, when you are called, that you dramatically in recent years, and so too have discoveries are ready, be ready to take this up, of prohibited items like drugs and weapons that are thought to fuel that violence. it is really important for you in response, the government because of your age and just... be has embarked on a £100 million plan to crack down ready to be called! i hope that on criminality behind bars. helps. thank you. emily morgan from and as part of that effort, 176 newly trained sniffer dogs

are being sent to some of the uk's most notorious prisons. itv's. hello, biotech macro told us but the scale of the challenge is stark. yesterday that if we don't fulfil in fact, according to the ministry our order quickly or in a timely ofjustice, there were 267 prisoner manner, the doses will go to other on prisoner assaults per 1000 countries. so any delay in improving prisoners in england and wales in 2019—20. meanwhile, over the last several the vaccine could obviously years, discoveries of contraband like alcohol and mobile phones, jeopardise our supply. i just drugs, weapons and tobacco wondered whether you are preparing have all increased. to supply the vaccine before it is licensed, and also, if i may, ijust the mount prison in hertfordshire is one of ten prisons wondered, when you think phase one where the new sniffer dogs are set of your implementation could be to be deployed, and dogs are already an essential part of prison life here. finished. 0k, thank you. so the the dogs are the first line of security in a jail. monty is my passive dog and he's commercial details of how we have placed the order with pfizer found large quantities of cannabis, tobacco, biontech are a matter that the vaccine task force has been dealing heroin. with. we have the option to order up every visitor to the prison is searched with a passive to 40 with. we have the option to order up detection dog like monty. to a0 million doses. we will not use come forward, please. anything until the mhra has made its here, prison staff demonstrate how

adjudication on safety and the searches are carried out. every visitor is checked effectiveness. do i think we will methodically for contra band, then move at pace to keep up with and nobody is granted entry until dog and handler are satisfied. then move at pace to keep up with the volumes that are supplied to us? meanwhile, so—called active dogs i absolutely do. the secretary of are used to search cells for signs state has, i know, has set a of illicit activity, challenge to the nhs that the only as prisoners devise ever more sophisticated methods rate—limiting step for how quickly of evading detection, we can deliver vaccine to the ranging from the use of airtight containers to posting high—risk groups which thejcvi has drug—soaked paper into prison. so, the dogs are absolutely critical identified should be the rate at which the vaccine can be produced and delivered to us, not the speed to trying to stop that drugs trade in prison. at which the nhs can deliver. 0n the newly trained dogs will bring the total number working across the prison estate to over that point, remember that the nhs 800, and may prove crucial in the government's effort to turn the tide on prison security. does an astonishing job in terms of john 0wen, bbc news. vaccinating essentially the same kind of population groups against the flu every september, october, the bbc has discovered that domestic workers in spain have been kept locked inside their employers november. this year, update is homes since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. women have told us they have been really high and moving very fast unable go outside for many months, indeed. from that —— uptake is while more than 20,000 have been fired. really high. from that perspective, 0ur europe correspondent, jean mackenzie has

this exclusive report. i have every confidence that the system knows how important vaccinations are, and covid—i9 vaccinations are, and covid—i9 vaccinations and they will move at the required speed. next question, thomas moore, sky. thank you very isabella is one of thousands of women in spain working as a live—in cleaner. much, professor van tam, they're too often mistreated thomas moore, sky. thank you very much, professorvan tam, a thomas moore, sky. thank you very much, professor van tam, a vaccine thatis much, professor van tam, a vaccine that is 90% effective still leaves and now many are trapped. 10% vulnerable to disease. 532 people died yesterday, 10% may still have died even if all had had the vaccine. can we return to normal by and for months, isabella had to refuse sexual requests. easter, as some have suggested, if 53 people per day are still dying from covid? can i also ask, it looks what happened when like a lot of people under 50 who the lockdown started? may well be at low risk of death but still face potentially lifelong debilitating effects of long covid won't get the vaccine in the first phase. what circumstances would they

receive a vaccine, which, as we now two weeks into the lockdown, she was fired without notice, know, 90% effective ? but many women are still receive a vaccine, which, as we now know, 90% effective? thanks, thomas. know, 9096 effective? thanks, thomas. how soon are we going to return to living these nightmares. we've heard from workers normal and what role will vaccines play in that? at this point, i don't who been kept locked inside their employer‘ homes since the start of the pandemic. think those questions can be i've managed to speak answered. we don't yet know what the to one of them, maria, using audio messages. programmatic effect of rolling out the vaccine to the high—risk groups that we have outlined will be. that will take time for those effects to be seen. vaccine delivery is not what's it been like, being locked in the house now for so many months? going to be instant across all of those groups. vaccine production is not going to be instant across all of those groups. we don't yet know if this vaccine is going to prevent transmission as well as preventing illness, and from that perspective, spain has more domestic workers it would be wrong of me to give you than any other country in europe. it's a huge part of the culture a sense that whoever told you that and because most of them live we will be completely back to normal in the houses with their by easter is right. i don't think i employers, they are

know the answer to that. i think i just so vulnerable to can tell you that i am very hopeful exploitation and abuse. that over time, vaccines will make a very important difference to how we and, crucially, domestic have to live with covid—i9 in the workers do not have the same legal rights as other long run. but as i said on monday at workers in spain. the prime minister's briefing, will these vaccines be a get out clause edith has set up a union for the current second wave that we for domestic workers and during the pandemic, are in? absolutely not. we are going she has been contacted to have to push the second wave down by around 100 women who have been kept inside like maria. by the non—pharmaceutical interventions, social distancing, staying at home, all of the things we're doing right now. is no short cut to the future you and i both aspire to. i have friends and collea g u es the spanish government didn't aspire to. i have friends and colleagues whom i personally know want to be interviewed, who have had covid, and but told us they do need to improve the rights of domestic workers and that u nfortu nately, who have had covid, and unfortunately, are still suffering cases of women being locked from the longer term effects of in houses are unacceptable. covid. iam

from the longer term effects of covid. i am well aware of how important that is. in phase two of the programme, it is likely that we will prioritise individuals who may suffer because of the need for hospitalisation because of covid, or prince charles, perhaps because of long covid. but the duchess of cornwall and the prime minister havejoined those attending a special armistice day service at westminster abbey. that has not been decided yet. the it was held to commemorate one reason it has not been decided this hundred years since the burial because we need to also balance the of the unknown warrior whose possible prioritisation of remains are interred there. individuals who might be commemorations have also been held at the edinburgh transmitting covid instead. that is gardens of remembrance, a different model, a different cardiff national war memorial, strategy, if you well. until we have belfast belfast city hall and national arboretum enough data, it is difficult to in staffordshire. at 11 o'clock a two—minute silence was held, followed balance the two approaches appropriately. the information will by lance sergeant stuart laing come but we are not there yet. thank from the 1st battalion welsh guards performing the last post. you. victoria macdonald, channel a music: last post news. thank you very much. as with the flu vaccines, will people be able tojump the queue and by the vaccine privately? and also, how

confident are you about any of the vaccines in development having been tested adequately on the older age group? 0k, tested adequately on the older age group? ok, so the first question was about jumping the queue group? ok, so the first question was aboutjumping the queue and in terms next it's the bbc news of private, paid for access. i am a at one with simon mccoy. but first, the weather with sarah keith lucas. doctor. i have worked for or around hello. this week started on a mild and fairly settled note. the nhs for most of my career. 0ne we had some mist and some fog around. but today is a transition day of the things i like about the nhs to something much more unsettled. is that it is there for everybody, many of us got a lot of cloud around in the skies, irrespective of their level of some outbreaks of rain around, too. wealth or who they are in society. so an unsettled picture notjust today, but for the next few days really as well. that is a really, really important it's going to be turning principle to me personally. i think particularly windy later today with some heavy rain, especially in the north and the west. and that's all courtesy of this everybody understands that, that weather front that's these are commodities that are going been working its way in from the west already. to be needed t be used for public a real squeeze in those isobars as well, showing that things are going health purposes —— to be used for to turn increasingly windy. still quite mild out there — public health purposes in the first temperatures about 12 to 15 degrees.

instance. i don't know of any plans but the rain will be from any manufacturer's, and particularly heavy across parts certainly don't have any inkling of northern ireland, western scotland, too, where there's likely to be some that we would contemplate that kind flooding for the likes of dumfries and galloway up towards the western isles. of arrangement for the uk. 0f gusts of wind also feature — 50, perhaps 60 mile per hour gusts, particularly around these exposed course, that is a ministerial irish sea coast. decision. it is not a clinical decision. it is not a clinical decision. it is not a clinical decision. i am giving you my views and into this evening and overnight, asa this band of rain with its squally decision. i am giving you my views as a clinician that i think these winds works eastwards across the uk, vaccines need to be prioritised for so we're all going to be seeing some those who need them, not those who wet weather overnight and those can those who need them, not those who ca n afford those who need them, not those who gusty winds may well be can afford to pay for them rattling some windows. privately. did you ask another the wind and rain just lingering in the east through the early hours of thursday morning, further question? i did and thank followed by clearer skies and just a few showers heading in from the west. you for the answer, there has been a but it's going to be a frost—free night with temperatures down into single figures for many of us — discussion around how different around about seven to nine degrees. now heading through the day older people's immune systems are on thursday, a brief ridge of higher and how they react if only to pressure and then we're going to be vaccines. yes. i just seeing the next weather front moving and how they react if only to vaccines. yes. ijust wondered in from the atlantic later because we have had no detail from in the day, so actually, the pfizer biontech study on who not a bad day on thursday. a bit of a window of less they have tested it on or on the windy weather, certainly, some sunshine around, but the cloud building from the west other trials. i wonder what you know through the day and the rain working in across northern ireland about this? so i certainly know that and western scotland

during the course of the afternoon. all of the companies developing temperatures a little bit cooler than recent days — covid—i9 vaccines, including pfizer between about ten to 13 degrees. through thursday night biontech are very sensitised to the and into friday, then, that weather front gets a move on, fa ct biontech are very sensitised to the fact that we will want to give these moving its way eastward, so another spell of quite windy vaccines not just in weather with some showery rain through thursday night fact that we will want to give these vaccines notjust in the uk, but frankly right across europe, i was and into friday as well. ona during friday, it looks like that frankly right across europe, i was on a call with many european weather front clears away countries the other day, and they with sunshine and showers moving are having the same approach as we in from the north—west as well. are, essentially, that we will need a little bit cooler than it has been recently, but still mild enough to give these vaccines to older for the time of year, about nine to 13 degrees. people and it is a first and looking towards the weekend, and that unsettled theme immunological principle that sometimes, vaccines don't work as certainly continues. well in the elderly as they do in several more areas of low pressure younger adults. i know that all of lining up from the atlantic. lots of isobars on the map as well, so things are looking pretty unsettled through much of the week the companies are focused on making ahead, some heavy showers sure they have adequate data and an through the weekend, bye—bye. adequate readout on how the vaccines work in older people. what i have seen work in older people. what i have seen of immunogenicity, that is, the ability to create antibodies, is that the vaccines i have seen the

data on, and these are in the public domain, these papers, show good responses in the elderly. but that isa responses in the elderly. but that is a matter which the mhra i am sure will look at and i am sure which jcvi will take into account. i don't know if you would like to add anything on that? i would like to reassure you anything on that? i would like to reassure you that we will look extremely carefully at effectiveness and safety in older people and it will certainly be one of the central issues our independent expert advisory committee, the commission on even medicines, will be looking at and advising on. —— human medicines. i would like to mention the points that june medicines. i would like to mention the points thatjune has raised. because vaccines may act differently in older people, that may of course impact on how we prioritise the use of vaccines, and as new vaccines become available, we may prioritise them differently for different people. thanks for the question,

victoria. now tom whipple of the times. you're watching a bbc news where we will stick with this downing street briefing — but we're saying goodbye to viewers on bbc two. hopes for a family christmas, do we have an idea that if we said as plans are outlined to get yes tomorrow, how many of these students home for the holidays doses would be with us when? and secondly, we have not seen the pfizer data in any detail yet, to see who the 9a pfizer data in any detail yet, to see who the 94 cases are and what age categories they fall into. have you guys seen the data yet?! age categories they fall into. have you guys seen the data yet? a very simple answer from me to your second question is no. i have only seen the data from pfizer from the early studies that have been published either on preprint or in peer—reviewed journals. i have not seen any peer—reviewed journals. i have not seen any data that you have not seen, actually. iwould seen any data that you have not seen, actually. i would expect the first people to see that will be the regulator, the mhra, and on

quantities, iam... not regulator, the mhra, and on quantities, i am... not aware that pfizer biontech are publicising the individual contracts that they might have and they are certainly not publicising to us the different contracts they might have with other governments. i can say that we have an agreement for a0 million doses in total, which will cover two doses per person for 20 million citizens and that we are working with that company to understand what the volumes of delivery over time will look like. pfizer have said that they expect to be able to make a total of 50 million doses this year, and obviously, a lot more in 2021. june, would you like to comment on the data? i can confirm that we have started our rolling review on quality data, but we have not had yet the full clinical trial data that you are talking about and

clearly, we a re that you are talking about and clearly, we are in a state of readiness to start our rigorous reviews of safety and effectiveness the minute it reaches us. thank you, tom. sarah bosley of the guardian. thank you for taking my question. the pfizer biontech vaccine that everyone has got very excited about is said to be 90% efficacious from the interim results but what if the oxford astrazeneca vaccine that we expect to come along, which we have bought a lot more of, turns out to be, say, 50%, substantially lower? could we see a scenario where populations here or around the world think they are getting an inferior vaccine? and also, could i ask will there be any priority for vaccination of black, asian and minority ethnic communities, given that we think they have been worse affected? thank you, i think most of the question is a question for the

professor to answer, but on the 90% point, that is an interim point estimate of effectiveness based upon the first cut of the data in the pfizer biontech phase three trial. searching through my notes for the pfizer press release, but i am absolutely certain that they intend to go on to 19a... i'm sorry, i beg your pardon, 16a confirmed cases before they complete the trial. so the point i am trying to make to view is that the 90% is a first estimate of effectiveness. it could change up and it could change down by the time the final results from the trial are in. i think it will be like that with all of the vaccines, they will do an interim readout,

which will give us a sense of how effective these vaccines are, but we won't have any finalised figures for quite some time and we will want to be delivering them long before we have the absolutely final data which to my mind, might well be as late as the summer next year. we have been focused quite a lot on vaccines and how we might give the vaccine, which is not surprising given the press release from pfizer, but i would like to turn that around for a moment. as a clinician, my concern is people and who are the most vulnerable. ultimately, we probably want to see from the jay z vdi are recommendations for a particular group of people, what vaccines are most suitable. so for the older people, what vaccines we might recommend. there might be

vaccines which are better for certain people. that is the way i would like to look at the problem, rather than focusing on the vaccine and how we might use the vaccine. on your second question about privatisation of black, asian and minority ethnic groups, that is really important —— prioritisation of those groups. we know there has beena of those groups. we know there has been a disproportionate representation among black and minority ethnic groups for severe covid disease. the underlying factors behind that association are complex and multiple. they include social factors and societal factors, some of which for example are occupations singer that we know there aren't more black, asian and minority ethnic groups represented in health and social care, for instance. there are differences in the amounts of health conditions that some ethnic groups have. there are differences in terms of how big households are, whether they are multi—general households are not ——

multi—generational households. a lot of these social and societal factors also describe health inequalities. and one of the opportunities we should take with this vaccination programme is to try mitigate these health inequalities. that is done not simply by prioritisation, but by tailoring our implementation in such a way that every patient group is able to have access to vaccines to the best advantage. that may mean we have special implementation programme is delivered by local community leaders who understand and can engage with communities and communicate in the correct way and make sure nobody has poor access to vaccines, perhaps by having flexible modes of delivery. but all of these

processes, in terms of implementation, will help reduce health inequalities, which is a really important point which has been raised by the covid pandemic. thanks, wei shen. 0n the point of a versus b, you could be making a decision based on interim estimates of vaccine effectiveness rather than final ones. the big win for us as a society and as a collection of individuals living together is that we need speed of delivery and we need very high uptake in the groups that wei shen is picking out as being the most at risk of dying or having complicated disease. so it is speed and also high uptake that are important. and in this space, we have to understand that it would be very easy to let the public become the enemy of the good hair. kate

pickle from the daily mail. hi, the reports are that you are aiming to vaccinate 1 million people a week. matt hancock himself has said this isa matt hancock himself has said this is a mammoth logistical challenge, and with the difficulties we have already seen with ppe, for example, how confident are you that this will go smoothly? also, how confident are you that this can be delivered without another impact on gp services? you're quite right, it's a mammoth challenge. the point i have just made to sarah bosley was that we need speed and high uptake to get the big win here. the nhs will be giving journalists and the public a proper briefing on their plans for roll—out and speed next week, so i am not going to steal their thunder

by getting into the details. what i can say, picking up on remarks i have already made, you would instinctively, if you didn't understand, just how many months people have been thinking about this for, you would instinctively have worries about whether we have the refrigeration type and capacity required? do we have the transport systems required to move vaccine around? do we have the needles and syringes to do this programme at speed and pace? the answer to which is, iam speed and pace? the answer to which is, i am very reassured on all of those points. an absolute army of people have been working on this for months behind the scenes, quietly, well away from media attention, but working at quite some speed. and the models we will need to deliver that high—volume, high impact vaccination

programme will have to be innovative. so there will be some form of mass vaccination approach. there will be some form of mobile, p°p‘up there will be some form of mobile, pop—up vaccination centres. there will be the standard method of delivery that worked successfully every year for flu, and there will also have to be domiciliary and home visits for the extremely frail and housebound. those models will have to be combined and people will have to be combined and people will have to work intelligently, based on the community they are serving. and that is going to be very different in rural lincolnshire than it is in a big inner city centre in nottingham or birmingham, for example. those are all things the nhs has a firm grip of, and the secretary of state has set this challenge that the one thing that should slow us down in this space is when we can get the deliveries of the vaccines that are

authorised, not whether we can mount the response to get those to people who need them in accordance with that priority ordering you have already heard about. thank you. finally, nick mcdermott at the sun. a slightly leading question following up on the numbers, but on the flu vaccination programme, we are going at record speed and the nhs is delivering 150,000 plus flu vaccines a day to vaccinate the same numberof vaccines a day to vaccinate the same number of people for covid would be two vaccines. so that would be 300,000 per day at the same rate. how confident are you, professor van tam, that that could be done if we had enough stock? and can you give usa had enough stock? and can you give us a rough timescale of how long the phase one would take in a perfect world ? phase one would take in a perfect world? and a quick question for

doctor rain. lots of focus on pfizer, but we don't have the full results. we may soon have the full astrazeneca results. is there a chance, and how good is it that astrazeneca may pick pfizer to the post and we may start vaccinating with that first? i will take the first bit of that question. i understand that people are doing lots of kitchen mathematics on how this can be done and what would be required. iam this can be done and what would be required. i am going to fend off your question and say that the nhs will answer that properly next week. but i am nevertheless convinced that the enormous nhs team behind this has grasped the nettle and understands the scale and challenge

of the project and is up for it. if you think about the british medical association, i am a member, you think about the british medical association, iam a member, bma you think about the british medical association, i am a member, bma has said strong supportive things in the last few days about how seriously it ta kes last few days about how seriously it takes this and how it will require a mobilisation effort to do this. but health professionals get that and they understand that this is one of they understand that this is one of the most important, if not the most important vaccination programmes we have done for decades. from that perspective, i don't mind telling you that i have had the conversation at home that if i can help with this on some evenings and weekends, doing extra vaccination sessions, and i am going to. that's a given, if i can

be useful. and i think people approaching this with that attitude. june. approaching this with that attitude. june. you have asked whether another vaccine might pick the post and take over the lead. we have heard such encouraging results this week. i can't predict these things. we haven't got to that clinical review yet, but the same high standards of safety, effectiveness and quality will be adhered to by the mhra, whatever vaccine candidate comes to us. there is perhaps a question in your mind, how can we handle multiple? this would be a great position to be in. i can assure you that we have scaled up with teams notjust of that we have scaled up with teams not just of scientists and clinicians, but our capacity to undertake the inspections and to fulfil the requirements for releasing batches. so we are at the

ready. no one is going to predict the future at this point, but the same high standards of safety, effectiveness and quality will apply whatever vaccine candidate comes to us. thank you. any final remarks you would like to make before i close the conference? i think simply to say to the viewers that this is an enormous public health step that we are taking. hugely encouraged by the data coming through, and that the regulator, who is independent from government, will be taking every step to make sure we conduct our review in the shortest time, but to the same high standards. thank you. wei shen? i would say roughly the same thing. the jcvi is in the process of reviewing all the information regularly, and we are independent and we will make our recommendations to the secretary of

state in a timely manner. thank you both forjoining me and for being so helpful with answering the questions. i hope that has been useful. this briefing is now closed. studio: so the deputy chief medical officer studio: so the deputy chief medical 0fficerfor england, studio: so the deputy chief medical officer for england, jonathan van tam, ending that lengthy briefing, the first of what we understand will be regular briefings on covid—19 and implementation of any vaccine or immunisation programme. let me pick out a few of the key lines. professor va n out a few of the key lines. professor van tam explained the timeline for accelerated vaccine development, saying the standards are no lower, even though this is a public health emergency. he was asked by our medical editor fergus walsh if he and the politicians should be among the first to receive it to demonstrate confidence in the vaccine. professor van tam said if he could, morally, he would be, but he could, morally, he would be, but he shouldn't get the vaccine first, others were more needy. he cited what he called the mum test, and said he had already told his mother,

who is in her 70s, to be ready when she is called for a vaccination. we also heard from the chair of the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation, professor wei shen lim, who went through the priority list for phase one of the vaccination programme when it begins. he said they hadn't yet decided on which other groups of people should be vaccinated beyond phase one. just a few of the key lines, but a lot of information in that briefing. we also heard from professor va n that briefing. we also heard from professor van tam that different models of vaccination would be used. for example, at gps', there would be mobile vaccinations as well as home visits for vulnerable people. we will have more coverage and everything that happened throughout the day. now let's move to some

other breaking news. all opposition lawmakers in hong kong are resigning after four of their members were expelled from the territory's legislative council. their dismissal came shortly after beijing gave the hong kong authorities the power to remove any legislator deemed a threat to national security without first seeking approval from the courts. the measure is the latest restriction on freedoms in the territory, following the imposition of a national security law in june targeting dissent. the decision made by the central government seemed to say that all the separate power will be taken away and all the power will be centralised in the chief executive. of course, the chief executive is the puppet of the central government. that is the basic argument why we say that today is the end of one country, two systems.

earlier hong kong's chief executive, carrie lam, explained why the four lawmakers were expelled. translation: we have doubts about their ability to perform their duties. if they are unable to uphold the basic law and to support the hong kong sar, they are not qualified to be legislators. if we allow such persons to be legislators, it is a blatant deviance from article 10a. one of the four expelled lawmakers, alvin yeung, has been tweeting his reaction to being unseated. he says "it's my honour having served as a hong kong legislator. i might not be given the same opportunity in the future. but i have faith the talented and courageous youth will help build our city for better. i love hong kong, this is a firm conviction that i will not yield to any new challenges

now and ahead." a plan to get students home from english universities in time for christmas has been published by the government. the operation will involve mass coronavirus testing and a planned travel window in early december. wales and northern ireland are expected to announce similar plans in the coming days. details of how university students in scotland will be able to return home for christmas are to be announced later today, with a mass covid testing scheme expected. in england, the uk government has now nominated the week following england's national lockdown as a designated "student travel window", and students are strongly advised to travel during this period. universities have been told to allocate their students travel slots during the week of 3 to 9 december. universities will have to move all teaching online from 9 december, so students can study from home. and as many students as possible will be offered rapid result covid tests. these are set to begin at the end of november, and universities in areas with higher rates of the disease will be prioritised.

any student who tests positive for covid will be required to self—isolate — but the timing means they would still be able to get back for the christmas holidays. in scotland, details of how university students should be able to return home for christmas will be announced at holyrood later today. the bbc understands students are to be tested twice, five days apart, with those testing negative on both occasions able to travel home. details on plans for universities in wales and norther ireland are still to be announced — but are expected soon. more now on plans in england, danjohnson has this report. a negative test result could be the passport students need for the journey home at christmas, with a week set aside at the end of england's lockdown as a travel window to return to their families. departures will be staggered by universities to manage the numbers moving each day.

it should lift the question mark that's been hanging over christmas for so many students, like millie in bournemouth, hoping to head home to essex. me and a lot of my friends are quite stressed about it, really, because there's so much talk about whether we can actually go home or whether we'll have to stay here at uni and not be with our families at christmas, so it's quite hard, really, not knowing what we're going to be able to do. durham's one of the pilot universities that's trialled a self—test system for 850 of its students and 60 staff. so far, only five cases have been confirmed. it's the same sort of rapid result test that will be rolled out across campuses, prioritised for areas where the virus is circulating more. any students testing positive will have to follow normal isolation rules but they should be able to do that, recover and still get home in time for christmas. obviously, all of these measures

are designed to help protect their loved ones and communities, and we have seen that the majority of students have abided by the rules and regulations, so i fully expect that students will take up any offers we put on the table because they don't want to endanger their families in any way and we have outlined a programme that is as safe as possible for them to be able to do that. i think any testing is good news. part of the challenge is that anybody travelling between two quite distant parts of the country may be carrying the virus from one part of the country to another, and so ensuring that people who are travelling across the country are as free of the virus as we possibly can ensure that they are is important. this guidance applies to students in england, but the other nations are expected to make an announcement soon. teaching will move entirely online from december, so learning can carry on at home, but there are some questions about the impact a positive test result could have on a student household or in halls of residence, and making enough tests available to deliver results reliably on time

will be a challenge. joe biden has said president trump's refusal to concede the election is an "embarrassment" that will reflect poorly on his legacy. but the president—elect has insisted nothing will stop the transition of power, as david willis reports. if problems with the transition are getting to him, joe biden isn't letting it show. we're beginning the transition. we're well under way. the ability for the administration in any way by failure to recognise our win does not change the dynamic at all and what we are able to do. citing claims of voter fraud, president trump is currently withholding millions of dollars in funding that is intended

to facilitate the transfer of power. and although his campaign has yet to provide any evidence of such abuse, the president is still refusing to concede. ijust think it is an embarrassment, quite frankly. the only thing that... how can i say this tactfully? ithink it... ..will not help the president's legacy. i had the opportunity... this time four years ago, a newly elected donald trump was being welcomed to the white house by barack 0bama. there may be no such welcome forjoe biden with senior republicans refusing to accept his victory, and the secretary of state making this extraordinary claim. there will be a smooth transition to a second trump administration, all right? we are ready. the world is watching what is taking place. america's allies are meanwhile

acknowledging what the trump administration will not. britain's borisjohnson among the first to offer joe biden his congratulations, along with france's emannuel macron. both men spoke of working on shared priorities, chief among them, the coronavirus and climate change. david willis, bbc news, los angeles. you're watching bbc news. now we say goodbye to viewers around the world. commemoration events are taking place around the world to mark armistice day — the day world war i ended in 1918. french president emmanuel macron led events in paris. however, services to remember those who served and died in the conflict were slightly different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. the usual military parade was cancelled and wreath—laying ceremonies were restricted to 10 people with social distancing measures in place.

we're coming up to 11 o'clock on armistice day. members of the royal family, the prince of wales and the duchess of cornwall, are arriving at westminster abbey, where a special event is taking place to commemorate the burial of the unknown warrior 100 years ago. warrior 100 years ago. huw edwards is there. some of those who will be taking pa rt some of those who will be taking part in the service, the prince of wales and the duchess of cornwall, have just arrived at westminster abbey, being presented to the archbishop of canterbury and to the chapter at westminster abbey, that is the senior clergy who look after the key elements of the life of westminster abbey, passing just behind the grave of the unknown

warrior and being presented to the seniorfigures including warrior and being presented to the senior figures including the warrior and being presented to the seniorfigures including the canon theologian and the sub dean and others who have of course been working hard to make this service working hard to make this service work in challenging circumstances. and the dean of westminster, who spoke to us a short while ago, who has been here forjust a year. he was installed in november of 2019. and the prince is of course here in his capacity as admiral of the fleet and as the air chief, colonel of the welsh guard. the prince has of course been intimately linked with all branches of the armed forces. the duchess of cornwall, who the other day at the festival of remembrance was paying tribute to the work of nurses in these past seven or eight months during the pandemic. they will take their place on the left—hand side of the grave of the unknown warrior, and the prince later will be placing his

wreath on the grade. and the duchess also has a posy which she will place on the grave. the congregation has been arriving in the past few minutes. we saw the prime minister a short time ago. and the opposition leader, the labour leader sir keir starmer, has taken his place in the nave. he has been leader since april of this year. and we have other familiarfigures from of this year. and we have other familiar figures from the political and civic world. we have of course ben wallace, the gentleman closest to the camera, who is the secretary of state for defence. behind him is then considered that, the commissioner of the metropolitan police, —— dame cressida dick, representing all the policemen and women working in london right now. the service chief is with us too. we have the combination of four of them

today representing of course the army and the air force and the navy and the chief of the defence staff, overlooking all the armed services. there are two minutes to 11 o'clock, when the bells of big ben will strike and we were all full silent for the traditional two—minute —— we will all full silent for the two—minute silence to remember the events of 100 years ago, to remember those lost in the great war and all conflicts, and the millions of people affected. the service chiefs are standing silently, waiting for the stroke of big ben. and among the congregation today, i am delighted

to say, is andrew railton, who is seated within the congregation. he is the great—grandson of the reverend david railton, and it's wonderful to have him with us today. he isa wonderful to have him with us today. he is a student at bristol and the family is very proud of his presence in the abbey today. the scene in whitehall, which on sunday of course was bathed in sunshine, her majesty the queen looking on as the prince of wales placed his wreath at the cenotaph. the events of course here at westminster abbey and in whitehall will be replicated across the nation in the home nations,

england, scotland, wales and northern ireland, where the two—minute silence will be observed. big ben chimes the hour

music: last post

the last post sounded in whitehall which is the signal for the service to begin with the choir.

# holy is the true light, and passing wonderful, # lending radiance to them # that endured in the heat of conflict # from christ they inherit a home of unfading splendour, the prince of wales lays his rees, as his great grandfather did on this

day in 1920. as his great grandfather did on this day in1920. —— as his great grandfather did on this day in 1920. —— lays his rees. # alleluia, alleluia. # coverage of that service marking the centenary of the burial of the unknown warrior continues on bbc one with huw edwards at westminster abbey. 0ur correspondent sarah campbell is outside westminster abbey.

a very different commemoration at this year because of the times that we are in, quite poignant to see everybody there in their masks and around the country, although people will not have been able to necessarily do what they normally do, people will have been observing that silence. yes, indeed. the abbey here was given a special dispensation to hold this service. of course, place of worship across england certainly closed due to the pandemic here outside the abbey, although no members of the public we re although no members of the public were invited. certainly everyone still, there are some here now, stopped still to observe that two minute silence and as you say, very much a socially distance to ceremony. normally, at a service like that at the abbey, you would expect more than 2000 members of the congregation. todayjust 80. that service is continuing. there will be readings from the prime minister, borisjohnson. the

readings from the prime minister, boris johnson. the reverend, readings from the prime minister, borisjohnson. the reverend, dean of westminster, speaking at the moment. and the reason that it was felt so important this year to hold the service is because, as you say, it is the centenary of the burial of the unknown warrior. this and identified, never been identified, body of a serviceman who was brought over from france, brought body of a serviceman who was brought overfrom france, brought over. there was a huge procession through london. king george v placed a wreath on the coffin and it was brought to westminster abbey and it was buried and it was a time back in 1920 when the country was suffering a huge mourning and grief because so many people had died during the first world war and of course that bodies remained in a foreign field, they were never identified. the place of their death was not known, so place of their death was not known, so it was really felt that they needed to be a place in the uk that those families that were not able to visit a grave could focus on and

thatis visit a grave could focus on and that is why the grave of the unknown warrior was so significant back then and has continued to be as a place to remember the fallen during the war in all of those years since. today we remember that centenary, the burial 100 years ago and all of those who have fallen in war in all the years since. thank you, sarah. yes, we remember. thank you. a plan to get students home from english universities in time for christmas has been published by the government. the operation will involve mass coronavirus testing and a planned travel window in early december. scotland and wales are expected to announce similar plans in the coming days. 0ur education correspondent dan johnson reports. a negative test result could be the passport students need for the journey home at christmas, with a week set aside at the end of england's lockdown as a travel window to return to their families. departures will be staggered by universities to manage

the numbers moving each day. it should lift the question mark that's been hanging over christmas for so many students, like millie in bournemouth, hoping to head home to essex. me and a lot of my friends are quite stressed about it, really, because there's so much talk about whether we can actually go home or whether we'll have to stay here at uni and not be with our families at christmas, so it's quite hard, really, not knowing what we're going to be able to do. durham's one of the pilot universities that's trialled a self—test system for 850 of its students and 60 staff. so far, only five cases have been confirmed. it's the same sort of rapid result test that will be rolled out across campuses, prioritised for areas where the virus is circulating more. any students testing positive will have to follow normal isolation rules but they should be able to do that, recover and still get home in time for christmas. obviously, all of these measures are designed to help

protect their loved ones and communities, and we have seen that the majority of students have abided by the rules and regulations, so i fully expect that students will take up any offers we put on the table because they don't want to endanger their families in any way and we have outlined a programme that is as safe as possible for them to be able to do that. i think any testing is good news. part of the challenge is that anybody travelling between two quite distant parts of the country may be carrying the virus from one part of the country to another, and so ensuring that people who are travelling across the country are as free of the virus as we possibly can ensure that they are is important. this guidance applies to students in england, but the other nations are expected to make an announcement soon. teaching will move entirely online from december, so learning can carry on at home, but there are some questions about the impact a positive test result could have on a student

household or in halls of residence, and making enough tests available to deliver results reliably on time will be a challenge. the children's commissioner for england says the state is failing the most vulnerable children in care, because it doesn't know what to do with them. ministers say that children should not be bounced around a system that doesn't meet their needs. anne longfield says a lack of action by the government has allowed the care system to fall into crisis. they have experienced high levels of neglect, abuse and exploitation, so they have very, very complex needs. what we are looking at here in the reports we published today, at the heart of it, is the chronic lack of places for children in residential care. the department for education are saying that children under the age of 16 should not be living in unregulated homes,

presumably the sort of situation you are talking about in a hotel temporarily and the dfe says our bold, broad and independently led care review will launch as soon as possible and will support improvementss. does this area need another review or are you already clear on what needs to be done to sort out the system? i think there are two things. yes, we need a review because it is a wider issue. i'm just looking at those children in residential care, but also there are many children who are in foster care. they need to look at the whole totality. but there needs to be urgent action with those in residential care. i put these reports forward, i have taken three years to research this. i think the evidence is clear and there have been very critical reports from people like the national audit office and the public accounts committee. so, government really does need to step into the frame now and take responsibility. yes, of course local councils have their own responsibilities, but ultimately, if that is not happening, government needs to step up and they need to make sure they know how many places

are needed, that there is a plan in place and importantly, funding there. the north of england has been hit harder by coronavirus than the rest of the country, according to a new study. the research, led by the universities of newcastle, manchester, york and liverpool found that pre—existing inequalities were made worse by the pandemic. the report also found more people in northern england died of the virus between march and july than elsewhere in the country. dying of all causes and also specifically of covid—19. we'll be speaking to the author of that report later this hour. conservative backbenchers have formed a group to oppose any extension to the lockdown in england. the covid recovery group, made up of 50 mp5, says shutdowns are destroying the economy and leading to "untold" health problems. the group also wants more scrutiny of the government's scientific advisers.

it's goodbye now to viewers watching on bbc two. earlier this morning there was a briefing from the deputy chief medical officer on vaccination at that news yesterday that a vaccine is potentially going to be rolled out before the end of this year. the deputy chief medical officer has said everyone offered a coronavirus vaccine should take it as soon as possible. speaking at a briefing at downing street, jonathan van—tam said a vaccine would only be authorised when it's shown to be safe and effective. ifi if i could, rightly and morally, be at the very front of the queue, then i would do so, because i absolutely trust thejudgment i would do so, because i absolutely trust the judgment of the nhra on its safety and efficacy, bits that clearly is not right. we have to

target the most highest risk individuals in society and that is how it should be in terms of our system, but if i could be at the front of the queue, then i would be. let me say to you this, i think the mum test is very important here. my mum test is very important here. my mum will be 79 shortly and i have already said to her, mum, make sure when you are called you are ready. jonathan van tam are talking about the importance of having the vaccine. 0ur health reporter jim reed joins me now. there are various pieces of evidence and polling to indicate people are feeling a bit nervous about the prospect of a vaccine, albeit that there is excitement at its coming along. it felt like this briefing was very along. it felt like this briefing was very much designed to address those concerns. very much so, it is reassurance really. reassurance very directly from all of the three

people involved. actually, polls suggest between one in ten and one in five people say that they would be reluctant to take this vaccine, so be reluctant to take this vaccine, so you be reluctant to take this vaccine, so you can see be reluctant to take this vaccine, so you can see what the health authorities and government have to do. they have to offer this kind of reassurance. we had it from jonathan van tam here. interestingly, we also heard from doctorjun ray, the person who runs the nhra, which is the organisation which will eventually approve the organisation which will eventually a pprove a ny the organisation which will eventually approve any potential vaccine. they were talking about how ordinarily, when a new drug is developed, it goes through three phases and then all of that data is handed over to the nhra, which look at it and decide if it is safe enough to be used by the public, but because of coronavirus, that process is being changed. they are doing something that is a rolling review, they look at the date as it becomes available on them in the last piece of the puzzle is handed over, they have already done most of the work is the idea. there are issues and questions around safety without new process. doctor raine today was

talking about how this was a really robust process that patients can have confidence in full top reassurance again and you will hear more of that going forward. what have they said about who will get the vaccine and when? this was really interesting, we also had from a professor from the really interesting, we also had from a professorfrom the biomedical research centre in nottingham but sits on something called thejc vi, thatis sits on something called thejc vi, that is the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation. the ugly vaccination and immunisation. the roup vaccination and immunisation. the f vaccination and immunisation. the ugly group of experts that advise ministers on how this vaccine should be rolled out. he was talking about the different age groups, the different people in society that are likely to get at first, so he talks about at the top care home residents, people who work in care homes and then although it individual starting at 80 plus, going down 60 plus. after that you have adults, underlying health conditions. then go down to people at the age of 50 and at that point it is called phase one of this roll—out. at that point it kind of stopped and he says they think they

will have protected 99% of those at risk of dying as they stop there. they have not decided about under 50s. we did hearfrom matthew hancock talking about how we do not think children will get this back to nation, so it is really that group of young adults in the middle that we are not quite sure about at the moment. what is the critical mass of people who are offered the vaccine, what are the critical mass that we need to take it in order to be effective? that is the question we are not sure yet. that is what will hopefully come out of some of this research that we are still waiting on at the moment. generally in society, we talk about maybe 80% being a level of the herd immunity, but we are talking about different diseases there, because coronavirus is so new, wejust diseases there, because coronavirus is so new, we just do diseases there, because coronavirus is so new, wejust do not diseases there, because coronavirus is so new, we just do not have the a nswer to is so new, we just do not have the answer to that question. some other interesting stuff that came up today, someone asked a question of the doctors and jonathan van tam about potential queue jumping. would it be possible for someone to buy

this vaccine privately and therefore jump this vaccine privately and therefore jump the queue? he said that it is a decision not for me, but for ministers. but he was strongly negative on that point. he said he did not think, he did not have an inkling we could contemplate that in the uk. all these questions that we are not quite sure the answer of yet that will come up as we go through this process of discovering how this vaccine is going to be rolled out. yes, because obviously the private testing is available in a way that nhs testing was not available as widely. also, at vaccines will be coming along and that will change the picture in terms of availability for the bats or other vaccines. yes, this was not just for the bats or other vaccines. yes, this was notjust about for the bats or other vaccines. yes, this was not just about the for the bats or other vaccines. yes, this was notjust about the pfizer vaccine we had about this week, it was about vaccines in general. we are waiting for the next set of scientific clinical results which come or should come from the astrazeneca 0xford come or should come from the astrazeneca oxford university vaccine. that could come in a matter of weeks. there is a real difference

between both those vaccines, they work in different ways. interestingly, some of the challenges around rolling out the biontech pfizer vaccine, are very different from the oxford university one. the american one needs to be kept at a much lower temperature, -70. that kept at a much lower temperature, —70. that is not the case with the 0xford —70. that is not the case with the oxford university vaccine, so it might well be the case that even though we had about this pfizer vaccine first, it is the oxford vaccine first, it is the oxford vaccine which might become available soon vaccine which might become available soon to the general population. we will have to wait and see what those clinical results show when the published. we expect in the next few weeks. all opposition lawmakers in hong kong are resigning after four of their members were expelled from the territory's legislative council. their dismissal came shortly after beijing gave the hong kong authorities the power to remove any legislator deemed a threat to national security, without first seeking approval from the courts. the measure is the latest restriction on freedoms in the territory, following the imposition of a national

security law in june targeting dissent. at a news conference, the chairman of the democratic party, wu chi—wai, explained why the lawmakers would step down. this decision made by the central government seemed to say that all the separate power will be taken away and all the power will be centralised in the chief executive, of course. the chief executive is the puppet of the central government, so as a result, that is the basic argument why we say that today is the end of the one country, two systems. earlier hong kong's chief executive, carrie lam, explained why the four lawmakers were expelled. translation: we have doubts about their ability to perform their duties. if they are unable to uphold the basic law and to support the hong kong sar, of course they are not qualified to be legislators.

if we allow such persons to be legislators, it is a blatant deviance from article 10a. let's speak to our diplomatic correspondent, james landale. does this mark at the moment when hong kong's autonomy ended? does this mark at the moment when hong kong's autonomy ended7m does this mark at the moment when hong kong's autonomy ended? it is certainly a body blow to what we used to call it democracy in hong kong. clearly when you have at the central authority dismissing elected representatives at will, that is undemocratic and i think it poses a big question for the uk is the former colonial power but also other countries around the world. a lot of western countries in particular, joe biden and others will be talking about the need to strengthen democracy around the world. here is the case in point, here is the issue on which western governments and liberal democracies need to work out what their strategy is going to be,

because the path that the chinese authorities have been taken is well predicted, flagged up, this isjust the latest stage in a tightening control of beijing over hong kong. the decision by those lawmakers to resign after the four expulsions is an interesting one. they said they would where this to happen. but is ita sign would where this to happen. but is it a sign of a lack of resistance going forward in terms of what the strategy is going to be?|j going forward in terms of what the strategy is going to be? i think they probably took the decision that if they are going to hang it, they will hang together. one of the things they do have is a group is the ability to decide whether or not to act collectively and that is exacting what they have just done. i should just let you know that i've just got some reaction from lord patten, the last governor of hong kong who said that what happened this morning was yet another example of the chinese communist party

trampling on what is left of democracy in hong kong. 0nce trampling on what is left of democracy in hong kong. once again he said xijinping's regime has devastated its total hostility to democratic accountability and those who wish to stand up for it. what rider reaction has there been in hong kong. has there been much of an exodus since all of this started to u nfold exodus since all of this started to unfold over the because the patio? —— why don't reaction. unfold over the because the patio? -- why don't reaction. -- over the past year. people have been thinking long and hard of whether they wish to stay in hong kong or whether to go to another country. some have generally been thinking about coming to the uk, particularly after the british government offered to so often these are restrictions that particular hong kong passport, people in hong kong who hold british passports, but also people in hong kong have been looking to move to other countries elsewhere, canada, australia, other countries where they have familial links. it is clearly a n they have familial links. it is

clearly an issue. there's caley going to be a movement of some section of the population in hong kong, the interesting question is how much is it and what is it due to damage hong kong's viability as an economic powerhouse? that is the question that in the past the west has always said that the chinese will not want to mess around with hong kong too much because it is such a golden goose that lays golden eggs and yet what we have seen over the last 12 months is actually, it seems that the priority in beijing is that it is asserting control is more important than maintaining economic strength. you mentioned the position that britain is in and chris patten's comments having been at the last governor of hong kong. it has been clear for some time that hong kong will not honour the treaty that was signed with the uk in 198a that was signed with the uk in 198a that promised a high degree of autonomy to hong kong for at least 50 yea rs. autonomy to hong kong for at least 50 years. how is the uk government likely to respond now?|j

50 years. how is the uk government likely to respond now? i would expect some kind of a statement later today. i would expect it to be pretty robust. 0ne later today. i would expect it to be pretty robust. one thing that this government has been doing fairly forthrightly since it came to power is to come out in defence of democracy, whether it is in belarus as we saw in democracy, whether it is in belarus as we saw in recent democracy, whether it is in belarus as we saw in recent weeks but also in terms of hong kong. 0ne as we saw in recent weeks but also in terms of hong kong. one thing we know the government is doing at the moment, it is preparing what is called magnitsky sanctions which is sanctions it can impose which it has emphasised in russian and saudi individuals and others around the world. they are yet to do so in hong kong. we know it is in the process of being prepared, be surprised if they come out with an immediate one, but that is the kind of robust response at the garment is trying to come up with to impose a cost on what is happening in hong kong.

whether beijing takes any notice of that remains to be seen, because thus far, beijing has not taken much account of what the international community had said in response to x activities in hong kong. thank you, james. the treasury is being challenged to help thousands of home owners trapped on legacy high interest rate mortgages, the so called "mortgage prisoners". they are people whose circumstances have changed, and with stricter lending rules, cannot move to cheaper deals. let's get more on this from our economics correspondent andy verity. interest rates are at record lows, so interest rates are at record lows, so what situation are people find themselves in in terms of the rates they are paying on their mortgages? it means nothing to them essentially. interest rates are at record lows because they cannot access those record lows. they're still paying legacy interest rates from before the financial crash, which may be two or three times the rate that you can get on a competitive market and the reason for this is typically around about

200, 200 for this is typically around about 200,200 50,000 of them took out mortgages with northern rock, bradford and the like in the run—up to 2008 before the financial crash happened. does make a 250,000. at that time you could get loans for example at 110% of the value of your home, it was completely legitimate and above board and the mortgage lenders were selling it were regulated, but now a lot of these mortgage are stuck in the situation and they cannot remortgage. after the financial crash they brought a new affordability criteria which ironically mean they cannot get a cheaper mortgage. there been told they cannot afford to pay less. for example because their loan is too high against the value of their home, the mortgage lenders do not like that's a loan to value being too high or because of other reasons, but this effectively means that although a lot of people are struggling, they are having to pay two or three times what you want i would pay and sometimes that amounts

to 50, 60, £70,000 over ten years. these people are trapped in a mortgages. they are much more likely to default on their mortgage and there is no campaign, the london school of economic has produced a report suggesting solutions which the treasury has promised it will consider to try to help these mortgage skate. i asked martin lewis ta ke mortgage skate. i asked martin lewis take spain where he is banging the drum —— to answer why he is banging the drum. entire financial life is on hold and it isa entire financial life is on hold and it is a catastrophic impact on their finances and often their mental health. these are the foot forgotten victims of the financial crash. the government bails at the banks out but it did not bail out the victims of those policy who now well over a decade later in the midst of another

financial catastrophe are still in the exact same boat and many cannot cope any more. and adding to what martin said just that, many of these people are key workers on the front line of the pandemic who feel if we are heroes, why are we being exploited in our mortgages? why can we not be allowed to escape? the lse has proposed several practical solutions to the government which at modest solutions to the government which at m od est cost solutions to the government which at modest cost could help these people, for example by offering them a help to buy style loan to lower their loa n to to buy style loan to lower their loan to value so they can't remortgage. they are saying the government must consider these escape routes now for top —— cannot remortgage. especially when the coronavirus shutdown is putting them underan coronavirus shutdown is putting them under an extra financial squeeze. thanks, andy. now, the weather with carol. for some of us it is going to be pretty wet and windy day and we have a weather front producing some squally outbreaks of rain and gusty winds, gusting ahead of this band of

rain and along it as well. pushing further east, we have some brighter conditions, but the sunshine increasingly turning hazy through the course of the day as cloud arrives and at the is also picking up. the strongest winds will be in the north, west and along the english channel. because we are at indicated in those black circles. through the evening and overnight, rain and gusty winds push steadily eastwards. leaving some dry conditions behind with some showers, some clear skies, the wind is easing and cooler in the west any unite that has just gone. at that band of rain clears quite quickly tomorrow morning except for the northern isles where it will be slower to clear and there will be a lot of dry weather, some sunshine, but it will not last in western areas as the cloud increases, the wind increases under the rain moves in. hello this is bbc news with joanna gosling. the headlines: mass testing and a "travel window" will be created in england to allow university students to spend

christmas with their families. i fully expect that students will take up any offers we put on the table because they don't want to endanger their families in any way and we have outlined a programme and a plan that is as safe as possible for them to be able to do that. government medical advisers say the public can have confidence in the safety of any coronavirus vaccine that is approved by the regulator. ifi if i could, rightly and morally be at the very front of the queue, then i would do so because i absolutely trust thejudgment i would do so because i absolutely trust the judgment of the nhra on safety a nd trust the judgment of the nhra on safety and efficacy —— mhra. together we stand! pro—democracy lawmakers in hong kong say they will resign en masse, after china said only those it regards as patriots can serve.

music: last post and paying tribute those who lost their lives in conflict. the prince of wales lays a wreath at westminster abbey to mark 100 years since the burial of the unknown warrior. sport and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre, here's jane dougal. good morning. the issue of racism in football has come to the fore yet again, following the resignation of greg clarke as fa chair after he used outdated and offensive comments in a parliamentary select committee hearing. former player iffy 0noura, who's the equalities executive for the professional footballers' association, says the turmoil of 2020 provides a great opportunity for change. we know what kind of things have happened throughout the world this year and this still feels

transformative, still feels year and this still feels tra nsformative, still feels like there is an opportunity to do some good things now, all that has come out of the us and over here so all eyes now are going to ramp up the pressure, but it is an opportunity and we hope that they would take it now because it is an important time to send that really strong message. aston villa and england defender tyrone mings says clarke's comments demonstrated there was still "a long way to go" in dealing with equality and diversity. mings was speaking while on international duty, as england prepare for their friendly against the republic of ireland tomorrow. he was asked what it would mean for a black man or woman to be put in charge. it would be a huge step, that's what it would be. and it would be everything that a lot of people have worked for — a lot of people more senior than myself, a lot of people who have been fighting this cause for a lot longer than myself. but ultimately...that isn't what we're asking for. we're not necessarily asking for the next chairman or chief to be black.

what we're asking for is equal opportunities for both black and white people. darlington defender nicky hunt has been given the all clear and released from hospital this morning after suffering what was feared to be a serious head injury last night. hunt was knocked unconscious in a collision with a boston player in their nations league north match. he was treated on the pitch for more than an hour before being taken to accident and emergency. darlington said he was released from hospital at around 5am and then returned home to rest with his family. the match was abandoned. cyclist dylan groenewegen has been banned for nine months for causing a crash that left his competitor fabiojakobsen in a coma. groenewegen deviated from his line in the final metres of the opening stage of the tour of poland in august, sending his fellow dutchman into the barrier, which then collapsed. jakobsen was badly injured and needed facial reconstruction surgery. neither rider has raced since, with jakobsen's treatment ongoing, and groenewegen suspended by his team.

he posted a message on social media accepting the ban, apologising, and calling the incident a "black page" in his career. the west indies cricket squad has been banned from training and confined to their hotel rooms after breaching quarantine rules in new zealand. they haven't played since the tour to england this summer and they're in new zealand for three t20s and two test matches, but security footage from their hotel in christchurch showed players sharing food and socialising outside their two separate biosecu re bubbles. the windies had been given special dispensation to train during their mandatory 1a—day isolation period. the masters isn't the only significant golf tournament starting tomorrow, the saudi ladies international is the first women's event to be held in the country. and the only arab professional on the ladies' european tour says saudi arabia is making "improvements". that's despite criticisms from human rights organisations that the country is trying to "sportswash" its reputation.

moroccan professional maha haddioui believes it's a huge step forward. you can always come matter where you go in the world, look at the flaws or decide to look at what is getting better, what is improving and usually by looking at what is improving, this is where you keep improving. i mean, it is always about looking at the glass half empty, you know, half full, and to me it is definitely half full. that's all the sport for now. you can find more on all those stories on the bbc sport website. news, a senior british cycling coach has been sacked for gross misconduct and a long term pattern of inappropriate relationships with riders. that is all for now. a study has concluded that the north of england has been hit harder by coronavirus than the rest of england. the report — by the northern health science alliance and other organisations — found that pre—existing health and economic inequalities had got worse.

the government says it's already given councils more than £300 million to help tackle the virus. clare bambra is professor of public health at newcastle university and the author of that report. shejoins me now. welcome, thank you very much for joining us. first of all, can you just quantify how much harder the north has been hit, in particular the area called at the northern powerhouse, compared with the rest of the country? good morning. in our report to be found the covid—19 deaths during the first wave of the pandemic there were more than 12 additional deaths per 100,000 in the northern powerhouse compared to the west of england and there was also almost 60 per 100,000 deaths from all—cause mortality. almost 60 per 100,000 deaths from all-cause mortality. why would that be? it is quite complicated. one of the aspects as desperation, but we also think there are other things going on —— deprivation. there is a long—standing north—south health

divide and we have noticed in the past decade that life expectancy in at the most deprived but are they not had lagged behind equally deprived parts in the south. we think that part of it will be to do with an unequal burden of clinical risk factors such as diabetes, and lung disease. prior to the national lockdown in england, we had the localiser markdowns and the negotiations between central government and local leadership on what measures —— localiser markdowns. 0n what measures —— localiser markdowns. on what measures towns and cities should be affected by. hearing today what your report has found, how does what was going on feed into this and how the priorities, what the priorities have been and should be? the lockdown that happened in march, which would be relevant for our data, arguably

happened in line with what was happening for london and at the south and perhaps did not last as long as it needed to for people in the north and that is potentially why we had the second spike. in terms of what we need to do now, we need to ensure that the tools that we do have are used equitably, ie, to places that have most need, for example, when the vaccine comes online, there is a case for targeting neighbourhoods and parts ofa targeting neighbourhoods and parts of a country that have the highest burden of covid—19 and where populations are at highest risk. that is interesting. no one has said that, actually, because currently the discussions around where the vaccine should go first has focused very much on age, vulnerability and people who are on the front line, but you think there should be regional choices made?” but you think there should be regional choices made? i agree with any clinically vulnerable and people on the front line, but when we are starting to go down, we need to think how the vaccine can be used to stop more original outbreaks as a way of doing mass vaccination for

example, ina way of doing mass vaccination for example, in a particularly vulnerable communities and neighbourhoods, notjust vulnerable communities and neighbourhoods, not just vulnerable individuals. and in terms of catching up, the northern powerhouse initiative goes back to the coalition government from 2010 to 2015 with the idea of equalising the playing field. how much progress has directionally been? and what needs to be done going forward? vaccination potentially making a difference, what else is needed in terms of support? the divides between the north and south are now playing it and being exacerbated by covid—19 and unfortunately there has been very little progress before the pandemic and the pandemic is arguably making it worse and reports suggest that. in the short term, we need to think what we can do with the tools we have for the pandemic, but any longer term we need to think very much about how we properly regulate regions and reduce regional inequalities, —— level up the regions and reduce inequalities in

terms of how we improve public health, particularly in the north. professor, thank you very much. last month heathrow lost its place as europe's busiest airport, after being overtaken by paris's charles de gaulle. but will the good news about the coronavirus vaccine spell an upturn in the fortunes of the airport, and the airlines that fly from it? sima kotecha joins me now. goodman, joanna. at the aviation industry has come to a standstill because of obvious reasons there have been fewer people flying due to the pandemic. this month's a result, october's results reflect that picture. an 82% decline in passenger numbers and we know that heathrow has made a £1.5 billion loss in the first nine months of this year. to talk to us about this, we are joined by the ceo of heathrow on the line. good to see you, john. news of a

vaccine, we saw on monday that the markets were voting because of this news. tell me what it could mean for you and your industry. well, the vaccine is the only thing that will bring this terrible pandemic to an end and so the announcement that there is a viable vaccine that will be available soon is fantastic news. but it will take some time before this really takes effect and we see the full impact and we take the uk alone, there is a massive challenge to vaccinate a million people a week, but even at that rate, it will ta ke week, but even at that rate, it will take one year and you the entire population. of course, we are a global hub airport, we had a global passenger base and the recovery of heathrow's business and the economic role be pay for the uk will depend a lot on how the pandemic is brought under control around the world. this is where we need to be planning for an intermediate step before the world is fully vaccinated and that

is why it is so important that we move just testing as an alternative to the blanket ia a quarantine that we can't have that will allow people to it back to normal. that is not just people going on holiday, also people doing business because a lot of our passenger base is a business people, british exporters going around the world, services, professionals going around the world and unless they can fly, the uk economy is really being held back. and john, we had from the transport secretary recently about this task force that has been put together to hope and initiate this testing on upon arrival is when people arrive into the country. something you have been calling forfor a into the country. something you have been calling for for a while. the government would argue it is doing just that, it is doing as instructed. well, we have not had a decision yet. we know there is an intention to bring in testing, but what we want to hear is that it will come in with effect from the

beginning of december when the lockdown comes to an end. that means we can start to put the measures in place now so that we have the testing facilities at the airport if needed, we have... we know how to integrate the track and trace system so that is another lockdown is lifted, we are good to go. that is going to be really important for getting ahead of the christmas peak because it is a very important time for the economy as a whole and a lot of people will want to be able to travel before we get into christmas. that will send a strong signal that britain is open for business. thank you, john holland k, there, the chief executive of heathrow airport talking about if there is testing when passengers arrive at the airport, that will increase consummate confidence because we know some people are just not feeling that it is safe enough to fly, to go abroad and obviously, that two—week isolation period is also putting some people off. ——

some people from going on holiday in the first place. joanna. thank you very much. the headlines on bbc news... mass testing and a "travel window" will be created in england to allow university students to spend christmas with their families. government medical advisers say the public can have confidence in the safety of any coronavirus vaccine that is approved by the regulator. together we stand! pro—democracy lawmakers in hong kong say they will resign en masse, after china said only those it regards as patriots can serve. some reaction from the foreign secretary and what is happening in hong kong. he says, china's arbitrary decision to remove legislators from their positions represents a further assault on the high degree of autonomy and freedom is under the uk china joint declaration. this campaign to harass, stifle and disqualify

democratic opposition it tarnishes china's international reputation and undermine's hong kong's long—term stability. that is what is happening to the a plan to get students home from english universities in time for christmas has been published by the government. the operation will involve mass coronavirus testing and a planned travel window in early december. wales and northern ireland are expected to announce similar plans in the coming days. let's speak to labour's shadow education minister, emma hardy. thank you forjoining us. what do you make of this plan for students to be tested and for students to be able to go home from the 2nd of december, unless they get a positive test? it is something we have been calling for a very very long time and feels like we are living it late on to issue this guidance universities are many universities have already started their plans right now. there are a few concerns. talking about mass testing, but yet

to stipulate which universities and which students are going to be a priority over which students should be tested first, for example. lots of questions about that. there is also the general question around the mass movement of students within a short time frame and whether our public transport system will be able to deal with potentially millions of stu d e nts to deal with potentially millions of students relocating at a particular time. there are questions and concerns around the types of tests that the students will be taking before they return home to begin with and what we really need is this advice and guidance to be supplied much earlier on so that they could have planned for this more gradually over a longer period of time. it does feel a bit last minute and it does, unfortunately, feel a little bit rushed. it fails to recognise that students are not one homogenous group. there are many students who are commuter students how this guidance would not be appropriate for so therefore, what is the sort of advice for those commuter stu d e nts of advice for those commuter students out there who do not actually live away from home at the moment? there seems to be quite a number of holes in the guidance that

the government had just issued and as many questions generated from it as many questions generated from it as it tried to answer. can you give me your understanding of the situation because i am wondering whether there is a slight change in what should happen if somebody tests positive in a living environment, what should happen with the others in that living environment? because it certainly sounds, from what the government is saying today, that if one individual test positive, they have self—isolate to for ten days, but if the others are living with them test negative, they are logical back on? that has come of course, a com plete back on? that has come of course, a complete difference from what currently applies. —— they are allowed to go back. it generates as many questions as it answers because thatis many questions as it answers because that is not clear. the message by the general population, of course, is if one person in your house will test positive, everybody must self—isolate. that does need answering and quite quickly. it needs to be offering that reassu ra nces to needs to be offering that

reassurances to the communities where these gents have come from that they are not going to be bringing the virus back to those areas because we have —— where the stu d e nts areas because we have —— where the students have come from there was a spike in the number of covered cases among student populations. that number has actually declined. they may have fewer cases are covered in the area they are leaving to return toa the area they are leaving to return to a area with higher levels. it does feel throughout this crisis that they have pushed a lot of these problems onto universities and almost wash their hands of them and said, well, this is a problem for you to deal with. yes, we are pleased that we have the guidance that we have been asking for for a long time, but it does need to be a bit clearer and i am hoping there is some supplementary guidance and to use the government's term, that will be released in due course. your party leader sir keir starmer said it would be absolute madness to end the lockdown on 2nd of december cases still to be rising. how does

that feed into what is happening with students? we need to look at what happens if they locks and ends on 2nd of december as a penance of sites. are we going back to the tier system ? are sites. are we going back to the tier system? are we going to be... sorry to interrupt, i am just wondering because they point from what the government to sing today as it will end on the 2nd of december and stu d e nts end on the 2nd of december and students can move around. do you think that is the correct position? having already heard from your party leader saying it would be madness for the lockdown to end if circumstances were not right? this is why the importance, excuse me, testing comes for front once the government are not saying all stu d e nts government are not saying all students are going to be tested when you look in the small print of the guidance. they talk about testing of stu d e nts guidance. they talk about testing of students in some areas more than others and are yet to stipulate which universities get to the tests and which do not. some universities have their own testing system is operating at the moment which has applied for and paid for by the

university, but obviously that is not available throughout the country. we would be keen to know if the government are keen and saying that they are going to end lockdown on 2nd of december and allows stu d e nts to on 2nd of december and allows students to return home, then surely we need to insist that all students will be tested before they return home. then very briefly, if all stu d e nts home. then very briefly, if all students cannot or do not tested, should they be allowed home? then we need to look at whether they have been able to piece self—isolated and what symptoms they are displaying at the time and whether those universities have their own system of testing available for the stu d e nts of testing available for the students in the first place. this is where the confusion just keeps coming. we do not clearly understand who needs to be isolating and not isolating during the system. we do not understand which students need to be tested and which do not. and what priority of students living in different areas. there are a lot more questions of that need to be a nswer more questions of that need to be answer because we do not want communities to be worried and

concerned about the returning stu d e nts to concerned about the returning students to the returning areas of the community. we have to be thinking all of the time about communication and we not do not want to see any friction braking because there is concern about this number of millions of students during a one—week time window. of millions of students during a one-week time window. emma hardy, shadow education minister. joining me now is holly madden, she is a 2nd year student at the university of nottingham, studying english literature. and enoch mukungu is a 2nd year student of history and politics at warwick universit. how do you feel about the testing and being able to go home after the 2nd of december? i do not trust it. every time the university has sought have been like, you can go back to

school, blended learning, online learning will be just as good and every time we experience it has never lived up to expectation so i do not know how reliable and how this will work the way they say it will work. so if it does not work, you're not offered testing, would you're not offered testing, would you go home anyway? how would you feel about that? at home my home in london, i have a sister who is asthmatic so i would be very wedded about going home —— are very worried. but i do not want to know be stuck in a deserted university time where everyone else has gone home for holidays. would you be prepared to stay there for christmas? i think... irrationally, i feel like i should say yes, but deep down i feel like i would end up going home because i do not know if i could face the loneliness of it. that is perfectly understandable. holly, what are your thoughts on being able to get a testing go home from the 2nd of december?”

being able to get a testing go home from the 2nd of december? i would say there is definitely a kind of aspect of it is a well we'll get tested? there is certainly a level of uncertainty in that regard but because the tests were only announced in the past few days, i personally had already started planning a covid christmas, if that makes sense. i was planning on going home with enough time to isolate for two we e ks home with enough time to isolate for two weeks before christmas day anyway, just so that i can see people if that is legal at that point. but also, i really like my housemates. if it is that it is illegal or whatever, i would housemates. if it is that it is illegal or whatever, iwould be more than happy to have a christmas here. you're both in your second year, what has this year been like compared with last year questioning holly? it has been completely different in so many ways. i think the biggest difference that i sort of thought of in going into the year

whidbey clubs are shut because when it was august, september we had not moved into tier 3 and a real sex had not been fully implemented. i never personally went to any madhouse parties or anything —— the second that had not been invented yet. but then there is kind of the —— de rule of six had not been implemented. there are so many aspects of university life that are just completely altered. some students have been saying that their needs have been saying that their needs have really not been met, they have been overlooked. how do you feel?” com pletely been overlooked. how do you feel?” completely agree with them. i feel it was mis—sold. government and universities said things would be normal, as noble as we connect them, you can come back to university, and

yet by the time we got here, had to lockdown for two weeks, all the events were cancelled. we had no events were cancelled. we had no events or pressures are nowhere lockdown again and obviously that has this whole testing situation coming up. i feel has this whole testing situation coming up. ifeel nothing has been at the same as last year and i feel very bad for them. in terms of actually being there, some have questioned whether it is an experience that is worth having right now, but there is obviously not much outside of it. at least being at university there is a protection that you're not any job market. how do you feel about setting it out and seeing what happens and the benefits of being there are not? it is the grim truth of the whole thing, damned if you do, damned if you don't. i honestly feel, many people university may have been better off deferring or dropping out, went home and with theirfamilies rather dropping out, went home and with their families rather than facing their families rather than facing the mental health nightmare being stuck in a room of people you do not

know particular well, a group of that makes you longer get along with. thank you both very much for joining us, enoch and holly, wishing you all the very best. we will bring a pen isa you all the very best. we will bring a pen is a plasma questions from the commons in a few moments, firstly whether with carol. we have a weather front producing some squally outbreaks of rain and gusty winds. gusty ahead of this band of rain and gusty along it as well. pushed further east, we have some brighter conditions, but the sunshine increasingly turning hazy through the course of the day as a cloud arrives and the breeze picking up. the strongest winds will always be in the north, west and also along the english channel. the gusts we are looking at, indicated in those black circles. as we head through the evening and overnight, the rain and gusty winds push steadily eastwards. they leave some dry conditions behind with a few

showers. some clear skies, winds easing, cooler anywhere spanning eight that has gone. that band of rain clears quite quickly tomorrow morning, except the northern isles when it will be slow to clear. a lot of dry weather, some sunshine, but it will not last in wetter areas as the cloud increases, the wind strengthens and the rain moves in.

this is bbc news. the headlines: mass testing and a "travel window" will be created in england to allow university students to spend christmas with theirfamilies. and this is the scene live in the house of commons where prime minister's questions is about to get underway. i know the whole house will want to join me in sending our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the rabbi who sadly passed away on saturday. his leadership had a profound impact on our whole country and across the world, may his memory bea and across the world, may his memory be a blessing. mr speaker, this morning i attended the service at westminster abbey to mark the centenary westminster abbey to mark the ce nte nary of westminster abbey to mark the centenary of the tomb of the unknown warrior. assist day allows us to

give thanks to all of those who have served and continue to serve and those who have given their lives in service to this country for arm assist day. according to home office figures, just 12% of windrush victims have received compensation and nine people have died waiting. this is two and half years after the windrush task force was set up. what will the government to do, both... and what with the prime minister to both this injustice and also ensure that no others who have come to the uk to live and work do not suffer in the same way as the windrush victims? well, the honourable lady is right to raise this issue and what happened to the windrush generation was a disgrace and a scandal and we are doing our best collectively to make amends. i can tell her i have met members of that generation and this government is

taking steps to accelerate the payment and make sure that those who are in line with payments are given every opportunity and all the information they need to get the compensation they deserve. can associate myself with the remarks of the prime minister in respect for our service men and women past and present in protecting our peace? with regard to our battle against covid—19, senior church leaders have this past week issued a call for prayer across our nation. the prime minister i know is it very well aware of the persecution suffered by cou ntless aware of the persecution suffered by countless people of faith across the world for one thing to pray and ma nifest world for one thing to pray and manifest their faith. —— wanting to pray. will hejoin me in supporting our church leader's call for prayer and in championing the universal human right for the freedom of

religious belief wherever one lives? yes, indeed. ithink religious belief wherever one lives? yes, indeed. i think my honourable friend for the works to does to champion the cause and we all know that when freedom of belief is under attack, other human rights are under attack, other human rights are under attack as well and we will continue to work closely with like—minded partners to stand up for members of such marginalised communities. we now come to the leader of the opposition, the right honourable keir starmer. can ijoin opposition, the right honourable keir starmer. can i join with the prime minister with his comments and also send all of our thoughts with those affected by the terrible events in saudi arabia at this morning. can i welcome the victory of biden and harris. can i also welcome the fantastic news about a possible breakthrough in the vaccine? it is early days, but this will give hope to millions of people that there is light at the end of the tunnel. mr speaker, today is arm

assist day and i'm sure the whole house willjoin me in praising the remarkable work of the veterans charities such as help for heroes and the royal british legion. legion. like many other charities, help for heroes has seen a significant drop in funding in this pandemic and they are having to take very difficult decisions about redundancies and keeping open recovery ce ntres redundancies and keeping open recovery centres for veterans. can the prime minister committed today that the government will do whatever it can to make sure our armed force charities have the support that they need so they can carry on supporting our veterans? yes, indeed, mr speaker. i echo entirely what the right honourable gentleman says about help for heroes. it is a quite remarkable charity and does wonderful things for veterans. in these difficult times, many charities are, of course, finding it tough. in addition to what the government is doing to support

charities in cutting vat and cutting business rates on their premises and cutting vat on their shops, mr speaker, i would also urge everybody, wherever possible, to make online contributions to charities that are currently struggling. keir starmer. ithank the prime ministerfor his reply. the truth is, the chancellor's package for forces' charities was just £6 million during this pandemic. that is just not sufficient. can i ask the prime minister to reconsider that support on their behalf? because at the same time, we've all seen this weekend that the government can find a £670,000 for pr consultants. and, mr speaker, that is the tip of the iceberg. new research today shows the government has spent at least £130 million of taxpayers' money on pr companies and bats this year alone. does the prime minister think that that is a reasonable use of taxpayers' money? —— and that is this year alone. mr speaker, i think

he is referring to the vaccine taco stark. and other days in which the labour party has attacked the vaccine task force, he should pay tribute —— vaccine task force. for securing a0 million doses. the expenditure which he refers to is to help raise awareness of vaccines to fight the anti—vaxxers and persuade the people of this country to take pa rt the people of this country to take part in trials, without which we can't have vaccines! you should take it back. mr speaker, nobody is attacking individuals, everybody is supporting the vaccine. £130 million, prime minister, there is a real question about the way contracts are being awarded. about basic transparency and accountability. i know the prime minister doesn't like that. this is not the prime minister's money, it is taxpayers' money. the prime minister may well not know the value of the pound in his pocket but the people who send us here do and they

expect us to spend it wisely. let me illustrate an example of the government's lax attitude to taxpayers' money. earlier this year, the government paid about £150 million to a company to deliver facemasks. can the prime minister tell the house house were provided to nhs workers that were usable on the front line under that contract? —— tell the house. the front line under that contract? -- tell the house. we are in the middle of a global pandemic, mr speaker, in which this government has so far secured and delivered 32 billion items of personal protective equipment. and yes it is absolutely correct, mr speaker, that it has been necessary to work with the private sector and manufacturers who provide equipment such as this, some of them more effectively than others but it is the private sector that, in the end, makes the ppe and it is the private sector that provides the testing equipment and it is the

private sector that, no matter how much the party opposite may hate them, that provides the vaccines and them, that provides the vaccines and the scientific breakthroughs, mr speaker. the answer is none stop not single facemask. at a cost of 150 million. —— nota single facemask. at a cost of 150 million. —— not a single facemask. that is not isolated. we already know consultants are being paid £7,000 a day to work on test and trace and a company called randox has been given a contract without process for £3a7 million. they had to recall 750,000 process for £3a7 million. they had to recall 750 , 000 unused process for £3a7 million. they had to recall 750,000 unused covid tests earlier this summer on safety grounds. there is a sharp contrast between the way the government sprays money at companies who don't deliver and their reluctance to provide long—term support to businesses and working people at the sharp end of this crisis. the chancellor spent months saying that extending furlough was, "not the

kind of certainty that british businesses or british workers need", only then to do a u—turn at the last minute. yesterday's unemployment figures show the cost of that delay. redundancies up by a record 181,000 in the last quarter. what the prime minister's message to those that have lost their jobs minister's message to those that have lost theirjobs because of the chancellor's delay? mr speaker, with great respect to the right honourable gentleman, he knows full well that the furlough programme has continued throughout this pandemic. it went right the way through to 0ctober. it's now going through to march and is one of the most generous programmes in march and is one of the most generous programmes in the world. 80% of income supported by this government. an overall package of £210 billion, mr speaker, going into supportjobs, £210 billion, mr speaker, going into support jobs, families and livelihoods throughout this country. this country can be very proud of the way we looked after the entire

population. and we are going to continue to do so. he should bear in mind, mrspeaker, continue to do so. he should bear in mind, mr speaker, that the net effect of those furlough programmes, all the provision that we have made, is disproportionately beneficial for the poorest and neediest in society. which is what one nation conservatism is all about, mr speaker. mr speaker, the prime minister must know that because the fellow wasn't extended until the last minute, thousands of people we re last minute, thousands of people were laid off. the figures tell a different story. redundancies, record high, 1801000, 700 80,000 off the payroll since march, vanessa saint unemployment is rising sharply -- 780,000. the british saint unemployment is rising sharply —— 780,000. the british people are paying the price for the mistakes of the prime minister and chancellor. if they had contracts to companies that could deliver, public money would have been saved. if they extended furlough sooner, jobs would have been saved. if they brought in a circuit breaker when the science

said so, lives would have been saved. let me deal with another mistake. the chancellor's repeatedly failed to close gaps in support for the self—employed. millions are affected by this. it's bad enough to have made that mistake in march. but seven months on, the institute for fiscal studies says the scheme remains, their words, "wasteful and badly targeted for the self—employed", the institute of directors, a great many self—employed continue to be left out in the cold". after seven months and so many warnings, why is the chancellor and prime minister still failing our self—employed ? chancellor and prime minister still failing our self-employed? mr speaker, unquestionably, this pandemic has been hard on the people of this country and unquestionably, there are people who have suffered throughout the pandemic. and people whose livelihoods have suffered. but we have done everything that we possibly can to help. as for the self—employed, mr speaker, 2.6 million of them have received

support at a cost of £13 billion. quite right, mr speaker. we have also, as he knows, operated universal credit and that will continue until next year. —— up rated. he championed universal credit now and calls for it to be extended. he stood on a manifesto to abolish universal credit! mr speaker, the prime leicesterjust doesn't get it. i know very well that the self—employment income support scheme has been extended —— the prime ministerjust. but the prime minister must know that that the scheme simply doesn't apply to millions of self—employed people. they've been left out for seven months. there is a real human cost to this. this week on lbc, spoke to a self—employed photographer called chris. he said to me, "our industry has been devastated, there are 3 million of us who have fallen through the cracks, our businesses

are falling, absolutely falling and crashing each day." he asked me to raise that with the chancellor and i will do the next best thing. what would the prime minister say to chris and millions like him who are desperately waiting for the chancellor to address this injustice? mr speaker, what i would say to chris and what i say to our right honourable gentleman and the whole country is the best way to get hisjob working again, the best whole country is the best way to get his job working again, the best way to get this country back on its feet, is to continue on the path that we are driving the virus down. and i'm grateful... i'm grateful to the people... this is a week since we went into the tough water measures we are now in we went into the tough water measures we are now in and i am grateful to the people of this country for the sacrifices we are making —— tough autumn measures. and particularly to the people of liverpool and elsewhere who are now taking part, tens of thousands of people in liverpool, taking part in the mass testing work that is going on there. it's fantastic news that we now have the realistic prospect

ofa we now have the realistic prospect of a vaccine, mr speaker. but science has given us two big boxing gloves, as it were, with which to pummel this virus. but neither of them is capable of delivering a knockout blow on its own. that is why this country needs to continue to work hard, to keep discipline, and to observe the measures that we have put in. i'm grateful to the party opposite for the support that they are now giving for those measures. that is the way to do it, mr speaker. hands, face, space, follow the guidance, protect the nhs and save lives. let's head to tewkesbury with lawrence robertson. thank you, mr speaker. as we, and all countries across the world, tackle the pandemic, is it not right that we also have to secure our post—eu future and aren't we doing that by securing help for our rural communities and, indeed, securing

our borders? absolutely. i thank my right honourable friend, and i can tell him that the landmark immigration bill received royal assent today thanks to this house paving the way for the fulfilling of our manifesto commitment to end free movement and have a new, fair, points—based immigration system, mr speaker. 0ne of the advantages of leaving the european union which the gentleman opposite would of course like to reverse. up to scotland to the leader of the snp, ian blackford. thank you, mr speaker. can i associate myself with the remarks of the prime minister on the death of rabbijonathan the prime minister on the death of rabbi jonathan sacks, and the prime minister on the death of rabbijonathan sacks, and of course, this being armistice day that we commemorate the day on the 11th hour of the 11th month when the guns fell silent, and all of those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice in

conflict since then. and i would wish to send our best wishes tojoe biden and kamala harris and we look forward to the leadership they will show on the initiatives of climate change and fighting back against covid among other things. mr speaker, the office of national statistics report published yesterday demonstrate what the snp have been warning about for months, that the uk faces a growing tory unemployment crisis. it is now beyond doubt that the chancellor's last—minute furlough u—turn came far too late for thousands who have already lost their jobs too late for thousands who have already lost theirjobs as a result of tory cuts and delays that took place. uk unemployment has now risen to a.8%. redundancies are at a record high. nearly 800,000 fewer people are in employment. to support those who have lost their incomes, will the prime minister now commit to make the £20 uplift to universal credit permanent and extend it to

legacy benefits so that no one, no one, prime minister, is left behind? mr speaker, i one, prime minister, is left behind? mrspeaker, iam one, prime minister, is left behind? mr speaker, i am delighted that the right honourable gentleman, leader of the scottish national is, is now supporting universal credit, because he was opposed to it at the last election. yes of course that uplift continues, mr speaker, until march, and i'm delighted to say that the furlough scheme is being extended right the way through to march as well, and that was what has protected people across the whole of the united kingdom, protecting jobs and livelihoods in exactly the way that he and i would both want. let's return to ian blackford. thank you, mr speaker. can i respectfully say to the prime minister, the idea is that the prime minister tries to a nswer that the prime minister tries to answer the question that has been put to him, and it is shameful that the prime minister still refuses to give a commitment to the operating

of the £20 to universal credit, and the snp will continue to demand a permanent u—turn on tory plans to cut universal credit. another group that have been left behind by this premise to other 3 million people who have been completely excluded from uk government support. since the start of this crisis, the prime minister has repeatedly refused to lift a finger to help these families. can i say to him in the run—up to christmas, the forgotten millions will be amongst those who are struggling to get by and worried about their future. so can are struggling to get by and worried about theirfuture. so can i are struggling to get by and worried about their future. so can i ask the prime minister, will he finally fixed the serious gaps in his support schemes, or will he make it a bitter winterfor millions support schemes, or will he make it a bitter winter for millions of families across the united kingdom? mr speaker, the right honourable gentleman knows, i hope, that we are not only continuing with the uprating of universal credit until next year, we have invested 210 billion, as i say, injobs and

livelihoods, but we also just brought forward a winter support package, mr speaker, for the poorest and neediest, supporting people, young people, kids who need school meals, supporting people throughout our society, throughout the tough period of covid, as i think the entire country would expect. that is the right thing to do, and we will continue to do it, mr speaker. as we continue to do it, mr speaker. as we continue to do it, mr speaker. as we continue to protect the nhs to help save lives, regional airports are playing a critical role delivering medical supplies and equipment across the uk. yet an extra airport in my constituency of east devon, overall passenger numbers are at some 5% of normal. regional airports are facing month multi—million pound as us rates bills, and are asking for a payment holiday similar to businesses in retail and hospitality including supermarket giants. what assurances can my right honourable friend give east devon's aircraft engineers, cabin crew and pilots at the government will look to temporarily scrapped business rate so our

temporarily scrapped business rate so our regional airports can keep the country connected throughout this pandemic was white i'm sure my right honourable friend the chancellor will have heard his words, and i thank him for what he said. he is quite right to champion regional airports in the aviation business. i can tell him that the bank of england's covid corporate finance facility is helping to support the airlines current liquidity problems with the sector down £1.8 billion in support, and we are also in the department of transport giving support to particular regional airports in order, mr speaker, to keep them going in these tough times. west wales and the valleys received direct economic investment during the 2014 multi—annual financial framework. this support will come to an end on the matter of weeks, and yet they have yet to publish the alternative proposals despite all the promises of not a penny less. when will he level with the people

of carmarthen that the british government are about to pick our pockets? on the contrary, the uk government is continuing to support all parts of the uk and will now as he knows have the opportunity to fund projects with our own money rather than siphoning it through brussels. and the quantum, mr speaker, will be identical, and i can tell him that in addition, through the barnett formula, the uk cove na nt has through the barnett formula, the uk covenant has already given the welsh government 2.a billion in capital funding alone this year. whilst we are rightly focused on battling covid, we should not ignore humanitarian injustices and the plight of persecuted minorities. 0n remembrance sunday, 82—year—old ahmed khan was shot dead. his crime

in pakistani law, to belong to a creed that is hated for all. does my friend agree with me that hatred preached on the streets of pakistan ends up in britain, and it is in our own interest that state—supported persecution must end?” own interest that state—supported persecution must end? i can agree with my honourable friend, and i can tell him that that is why the minister for south asia recently raised this very issue with pakistan's human rights minister, and we urge the government of pakistan to guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens. unfortunately we have recent scene the largest increase in welsh unemployment for 50 years. the hospitality and events sectors have been dealt a heavy blow by covid—19, but we cannot forget about the businesses and their supply chains. many have not been eligible for grant support, bounce back loans and

the furlough scheme, although welcome, do not offer them support over the winter months. will the prime minister therefore raise this matter with the chancellor and bring forward a package that offers businesses in the supply chain some hope? he raises an excellent point, and one of the things we are looking at together with local authorities and welsh tourist authorities is ways of making sure that we keep a tourist season going throughout the tough winter months. christmas is a time forjoy tough winter months. christmas is a time for joy and tough winter months. christmas is a time forjoy and the celebration of hope. in rhondda valley, for the christmas festival in dinnington, and even my own annual christmas ca rd and even my own annual christmas card competition, there is something for everyone in rather valley. in the spirit of christmas and giving, will the prime minister assure me that families and friends will be reunited and be able to celebrate this most important, happy and holy occasion as we usually do? all i can

say is that more intensively we together follow the rules, the say is that more intensively we togetherfollow the rules, the more we follow the guidance in this tough period leading up to the 2nd of december, the bigger the chance collectively we will have of as normal a christmas as possible, mr speaker, and get things open in time for christmas as well. let's head up to ealing north withjames murray. mr speaker, on sunday, a constituent e—mailed me about the track and trace system. her family had received multiple calls asking for the same information, and there was confusion as the operative admitted they were struggling with london postcodes and local names. last week the former health secretary, the conservative chair of the health sector legacy said that contact tracing would orz be more difficult and localised model. has the current outsourced model been a total waste of time and taxpayers' money? we are

looking into the issue of repeat calls, but to say that the test and trace calls, but to say that the test and tra ce syste m calls, but to say that the test and trace system has been a waste of time and money which is i think what i heard time and money which is i think what iheard him time and money which is i think what i heard him say, i couldn't disagree more. this is something that has enabled us to locate where the disease is surging, to take appropriate measures and to allow people in huge numbers to get tested, more people tested in this country than any other country in europe. i think the pcr test that nhs test and trace have been conducting has been a real value in fighting the disease, and now, mr speaker, we are rolling out the lateral flow, the rapid speaker, we are rolling out the lateralflow, the rapid turnaround test as well. let's head up to yorkshire withjulian test as well. let's head up to yorkshire with julian sturdy. thank you, mr speaker. with yesterday's positive news on the covid vaccine of the roll—out of mass testing, and as the virus figures continue to fall as the virus figures continue to fa ll locally as the virus figures continue to fall locally well below the level at when we were put into tier 2, can the prime minister give york some

hope to sustain our great city by clearly outlining the criteria under which we can escape immediately into tier1 which we can escape immediately into tier 1 from the 2nd of december? and will he also urge the council to ta ke will he also urge the council to take up the government offer of mass testing? yes, i urge your counsel and councils across the land to take up and councils across the land to take up this offer of mass lateral flow testing. i think it is a very, very exciting possibility, it is one of the boxing gloves that we hope to wield to pummel this disease into submission. the other is the prospect of a vaccine. and that is what we will do continuously throughout the weeks and months ahead. but i must stress that the way to get ourselves in the best position to achieve that, mr speaker, is to make these current restrictions work so that we can come out well, back into the tiers on december the 2nd. the prime minister will doubtless recall

meeting my constituent aboard his crab boat when he visited injuly. i know he told the prime minister that the problems caused by the migration advisory committee classing deckhands as unskilled labour. since this conversation, which must have landed quite well because he was allowed back onto dry land safely, the migration advisory committee has change their advice so that deckhands are now regarded as skilled labour for whom visas can be issued. the home secretary, u nfortu nately, refuses issued. the home secretary, unfortunately, refuses to implement that advice. will he put the home secretary straight on this one, please come and get it sorted? i'm grateful to the right honourable gentleman, it is something which i have a keen interest because i had a wonderful day, wonderful morning on that crab boat. prodigious quantities of crab that they were selling to china as i recollect, and i will make sure that the home secretary is immediately seized on

the matter and we take it forward. this is one of the things we are now able to do things are taking back control, mr speaker, of our immigration system which alas his party opposed for so long, and his party, mr speaker, would reverse if they could. i strongly welcome the introduction of the security and investment bill today. does the prime minister agree with me that when countries trample human rights at home and threaten our allies abroad they shouldn't expect to be able to buy up strategically important industries in this country with no scrutiny, not least where they refuse the same kind of investments in their own countries? yes, mr speaker. 0ne investments in their own countries? yes, mr speaker. one of the many merits of the excellent conversation i had yesterday with president—elect joe biden was that we were strongly agreed on the need for the united kingdom and the united states to stand together, to stick up for our

values around the world, to stick up for human rights and stick up for global free for human rights and stick up for globalfree trade for human rights and stick up for global free trade and nato, and to work together in the fight against climate change mr speaker, and it was refreshing, i say, to have that conversation and i look forward to many more. the prime minister spoke for many of us when he took a call yesterday to congratulate president—electjoe biden and vice president—elect, harris on their emphatic win in the us presidential election. so does the prime minister now have any advice for his erstwhile best friend president trump, his continuing refusal to accept the result is both embarrassing for him and dangerous for american democracy. mr speaker, i had for american democracy. mr speaker, ihad and for american democracy. mr speaker, i had and have a good relationship with the previous president, i do not resile from that, it is the duty of all british prime ministers to have a good relationship with the white house. i am delighted to find

the many areas in which the incoming biden harris administration is able to make common cause with us. in particular it was extremely exciting to talk to president—elect biden about what he wants to do at the cot 26 summit next year, in which as you know the uk is leading the world in driving down carbon emissions and tackling climate change. this armistice day restrictions means we can't mark the occasion with services as we normally would. the veterans associations are following the guidance to mark the day ina following the guidance to mark the day in a covid way. will my right honourable friend join me in praising them, the royal british legion and everyone across the united kingdom who are doing their best to make sure they can pay tribute to those who make the ultimate sacrifice? indeed. it was a really impressive to see the way the royal british legion across the

country organised covid secure memorials in the way that they did. as we salute our veterans, i want to remind the house we have launched a new railcard for remind the house we have launched a new railca rd for veterans remind the house we have launched a new railcard for veterans and families entitling their users to substantial reductions in railfares and we are introducing a national insurance break for employers of vetera ns, insurance break for employers of veterans, mr speaker, in theirfirst year of employment. thank you, mr speaker. every day, there is a new story about dodgy contracts signed by this government. the search by trussell, the greater provider shows the government takes 02:31:42,158 --> 2147483052:52:37,021 an average of two and a half months 2147483052:52:37,021 --> 00:00:01,187 to - on armistice - as we