this is bbc news. these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. the speaker of the house of commons rejects mps�* demand for an urgent government statement on whether schools in england will fully re—open before easter. what i want the government to do is to set out a route map and what i mean by that is set out what the conditions need to be before children can go back to school more fully. it's the start of the fourth week in lockdown in england — and how are doing? let me know — it's @vicderbyshire on twitter and instagram or email victoria@bbc.co.uk. riot police clash with demonstrators unhappy about new coronavirus restrictions in the netherlands. the president of mexico says he's tested positive for coronavirus. it comes as the country grapples with an upsurge in infections, with deaths nearing 150,000.

debenhams is to disappear from the uk high street with the loss of 12,000 jobs. the fast fashion retailer boohoo has bought the brand and website, but not the stores. a whistle—blower has raised new concerns about the safety of boeing's 737 max aircraft, which was grounded world—wide following two crashes in which 346 people died. and meet michael mckenzie, who's been fostering children for more than ten years. we'll be speaking to him as figures show a huge increase in children entering care in england and wales during the pandemic. hello, and welcome if you're watching in the uk or around the world.

mps in the uk are demanding clarity from the government on when schools in england willfully reopen — after health secretary matt hancock refused to guarantee that it would happen before easter. the chair of the education select committee, robert halfon, had asked for an urgent question in the house of commons — he said the "engine of government" should be working towards reopening, but the speaker has denied his request. meanwhile, senior ministers are preparing to discuss whether to require travellers arriving in the uk to pay to quarantine in a hotel. that's because of the new brazil and south african variants, of which there are currently 86 known cases in the uk. scientists fear that vaccines may work less well against them. in the uk, the latest figures show that more than 6.3 million people have had a first vaccine dose, and on saturday a daily record of 491,970 were injected. the figures suggest that the programme is on course to meet the target of vaccinating the most vulnerable

groups by mid—february, with at least one dose. our first report is from our political correspondent chris mason. when will all children in england be back in the classroom? senior conservative mps are demanding that the government sets out its plan for fully reopening schools. robert halfon, who chairs the education select committee, has tweeted that he wants clarity and a route map to get children learning again at school. he wants a minister to come to parliament to set out what is going on. what i'd like the government to do, to set out today, if the speaker grants me my urgent question, is to say, one, what the conditions are, but also whether or not they've done an impact on the mental health, educational attainment, safeguarding hazards, the risk to children continuing being at home. 0ne senior figure involved in very regular conversations with the department for education

told me there was an unwritten acknowledgement that the idea of schools fully reopening after the february half term had been "written off". there is a huge swell of unknowns about how the coronavirus and its new variants will progress. there is hope, as far as the vaccines are concerned, but the expectation this week is the number of people being jabbed per day will level off because of limits around supply and within government, there is an attempt to manage our expectations, with one minister saying that an ease in the restrictions is a long, long, long way off. and, in fact, it's tightening them that's coming next here at the border, after pictures like this, from heathrow airport, the government is expected to make people arriving from high—risk countries stay in a hotel for ten days at their own expense. this will apply at the very least

to foreigners — maybe everyone. chris mason, bbc news. let's talk to our political correspondentjessica parker in westminster. so, what are the government going to do about these demands for a timetable for when school fully reopen? timetable for when school fully reo en? ., , timetable for when school fully reoen? ., , ., , reopen? that is an interesting question- _ reopen? that is an interesting question- as _ reopen? that is an interesting question. as we _ reopen? that is an interesting question. as we know, - reopen? that is an interesting question. as we know, the - reopen? that is an interesting - question. as we know, the urgent question. as we know, the urgent question has been turned down. that would have forced a government minister to come to the house of commons and face mps and answer detailed questions about what the government's plan is. of course, we do tend to get press conferences now at certain points through the week so i'm sure this question will keep recurring. i think pressure is going to build on the government. i spoke to build on the government. i spoke to one tory mp who described themselves as livid about the situation with schools. they really think the government needs to start looking at a staggered return to the school is pretty much right away. what ministers have been saying as their number one priority, when they

can start to lift lockdown restrictions, we'll be bringing back schools. worth saying some children of key workers, for example, some vulnerable children are still at school but the majority, they are home learning, which puts quite a strain on families as parents are also trying potentially to work at the same time. but i think the government will keep facing questions on this over the coming weeks. it is interesting, if you listen to what the health secretary matt hancock yesterday was saying, so reluctant to really be pinned down on a timetable on this. asked about whether schools might return after half time, too early to know, the health secretary said the set by easter? 0f the health secretary said the set by easter? of course, i hope. after easter? of course, i hope. after easter? i think the tension here is that some conservative mps, they want to see a timetable or a set of criteria by which the situation can be judged and schools can start returning but the government of course perhaps reluctant to set out a timetable, for fear that they might have to go along and change it. ., ~ , ., , .

it. ok, thank you very much, jessica. it. ok, thank you very much, jessica- the _ it. ok, thank you very much, jessica. the leader _ it. ok, thank you very much, jessica. the leader of - it. ok, thank you very much, jessica. the leader of the - it. ok, thank you very much, - jessica. the leader of the labour jessica. the leader of the labour party is self—isolating. we have a tweet we can show you. professor sonia blandford is one of the country's leading experts on social mobility and is the ceo of achievement for all, a not—for—profit organisation aiming to improve outcomes for all children and young people in the education system. hello good morning to you. as the months go by, what are the implications for children of remaining out of school? well, we know from — remaining out of school? well, we know from the _ remaining out of school? well, we know from the research _ remaining out of school? well, we know from the research that - remaining out of school? well, we know from the research that was l remaining out of school? well, we - know from the research that was done following on from the lockdown in march that the previous ten years of closing the gap is now in question. we had improved outcomes for

vulnerable and disadvantaged children over that period and that is now, as i say, in question. it is... we are putting the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in our communities at risk. those vulnerable children and children of key workers are able to go to school. it is children of key workers are able to go to school-— go to school. it is not all. those who are going — go to school. it is not all. those who are going to _ go to school. it is not all. those who are going to school - go to school. it is not all. those who are going to school are - go to school. it is not all. those who are going to school are the| go to school. it is not all. those - who are going to school are the ones that have education, health and care plans. there are those on the cusp of vulnerability, those that have difficulties with learning, though special educational needs are under review rather than having an e h c plan. many of the children that are on the cusp of special education needs, many of their children, an increasing number of children that are disadvantaged are now falling backin are disadvantaged are now falling back in their learning. we understand the tremendous investment thatis understand the tremendous investment that is being done by the leaders and the teachers and the parents and the carers themselves but the stress that they are under and the pressure

at the moment is negating previous investments in improving outcomes for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.— for the most vulnerable and disadvantaaed. ~ ., , ., disadvantaged. what is the solution, in our disadvantaged. what is the solution, in your view? — disadvantaged. what is the solution, in your view? what _ disadvantaged. what is the solution, in your view? what is _ disadvantaged. what is the solution, in your view? what is the _ disadvantaged. what is the solution, in your view? what is the solution, l in your view? what is the solution, in your view? what is the solution, in your view?— in your view? sorry, apologies, i didn't hear— in your view? sorry, apologies, i didn't hear your _ in your view? sorry, apologies, i didn't hear your question - in your view? sorry, apologies, i didn't hear your question but - in your view? sorry, apologies, i didn't hear your question but i i didn't hear your question but i think the solution, as indicated today, is to have a route map but it needs also to drill down into the detail of what additional support is available for all of vulnerable or disadvantaged children. what additional support is there for teachers and leaders, so that every single learner in the community is supported. we are providing support for our coaches for a significant number of teachers and leaders as we go through this lockdown that we are currently experiencing. we provided that support in guiding and providing that extra capacity, which is what is needed within the system.

thank you very much for talking to us. thank you, professor sonia blandford. more now on potential new travel restrictions in the uk — senior ministers will discuss whether to require travellers arriving into the country to pay to quarantine in a hotel. it comes amid concerns of new brazilian and south african variants of coronavirus. let's speak to tony smith, former head of uk border force, now an international border security consultant. hello to you, mr smith. do these quarantine hotels work? timer;r hello to you, mr smith. do these quarantine hotels work? they do. good morning. — quarantine hotels work? they do. good morning, victoria _ quarantine hotels work? they do. good morning, victoria is- quarantine hotels work? they do. good morning, victoria is that - quarantine hotels work? they do. | good morning, victoria is that they do in other countries. australia has done that and some others also, where when you do arrive in the country, you will be required to go to a specified location. that may be a hotel. in some countries they are using university campuses. that is in order to make sure the quarantine rules are properly observed. as you know, in this country, you are required to fill out a passenger locator form and tell us where you're going to be staying. you do

have to declare you are going to self—isolate but there is no real enforcement around that. so it is an option and it is something that is going on in other parts of the world right now. going on in other parts of the world riaht now. ., ., ., i. right now. how would anyone in fawcett? well, _ right now. how would anyone in fawcett? well, i _ right now. how would anyone in fawcett? well, ithink- right now. how would anyone in fawcett? well, i think the - right now. how would anyone in fawcett? well, i think the first | fawcett? well, i think the first thin is fawcett? well, i think the first thing is to _ fawcett? well, i think the first thing is to look _ fawcett? well, i think the first thing is to look at _ fawcett? well, i think the first thing is to look at who - fawcett? well, i think the first thing is to look at who we - fawcett? well, i think the first thing is to look at who we let l fawcett? well, i think the first i thing is to look at who we let into the country at all. what we haven't done here is restrict access to the country by way of nationality. if you want to go to australia these days, you can't go there unless you are an australian or a family member. so that reduces the numbers. then even if you do go there, when you book yourflight, it then even if you do go there, when you book your flight, it will be made clear to you that you will not be able to leave the airport and go directly to your home and part of the arrangement will have to be to go to a designated location. when you land there, you will have to have a testable symptoms. if you have a testable symptoms. if you have symptoms, you will go to a location which approved for health reasons. if you don't, you go to a hotel well you will be required to

go there, stay in your hotel room and go through a test two days and then a few days later and then after that you will be allowed to proceed into the community, where you would follow the same rules and regulations as everyone else. that is how it is working there. we haven't gone that far yet in this country but obviously in order to keep out a new variant or a new strain that would undermine all the good work already done, i am sure thatis good work already done, i am sure that is what the government are seriously considering right now. thank you very much for talking to us, tony smith. the dutch prime minister, mark rutte, has condemned violent protests against the nighttime curfew in the netherlands this weekend. police clashed with demonstators who are angry about new coronavirus restrictions in the country. there were protests in eindhoven and amsterdam and dozens were arrested, as anna holligan reports. burning bicycles were built as a barricade. in eindhoven, they wore facemasks to avoid detection and hurled rocks to repel the riot

police, who eventually used tear gas to clear the streets. families stopped to stare, while others steered clear. the roads were blocked and supermarkets looted as frustration turned to opportunism. the netherlands has just entered its toughest lockdown since the start of the pandemic. while the number of daily covid—i9 cases have generally been falling, there are considerable concerns about the risks posed by the new variants first detected in the uk, south africa and south america. on saturday, all flights from these places were banned. there is resentment too. this liberal nation that enjoyed a relatively relaxed lockdown during the first wave has been forced to change its tune and is now facing one of the toughest in the world. there were also protests in denmark at the weekend.

hundreds of people joined a mass anti—lockdown demonstration in copenhagen. police were out in force, and up to nine people were arrested. denmark has introduced new travel restrictions. in france — the top scientific adviser says the country probably needs a third coronavirus lockdown. earlier this month, france brought forward the start of its nightly curfew to 6pm, but since then, the average number of new infections has increased from 18,000 per day to more than 20,000. the mexican president, andres manuel lopez 0brador, has become the latest world leader to contract covid—19. the president said he had mild symptoms. critics have accused him of downplaying the virus because he's resisted pressure to wear masks or introduce tougher covid restrictions. 150,000 mexicans have died with the disease — the fourth highest total in the world. but, mr lopez 0brador said

he would still be talking by phone to president putin later today, to to discuss the possibility of mexico receiving the russian—made sputnik vee vaccine. 0ur central america correspondent will grant reports. president andres manuel lopez 0brador is in his late 60s but is generally considered to be in good health and has no known underlying conditions. he told mexicans of his diagnosis via twitter. "i regret to inform you that i've contracted covid—19", he wrote, before saying that he only had mild symptoms and that, "as always, i'm optimistic". the irony of the president's diagnosis hasn't been lost on his critics, of which there are many when it comes to his handling of the pandemic. he's repeatedly been accused of playing down the gravity of the situation, especially early on when he failed to wear a facemask in public. now, hospitals in mexico city are at breaking point, with almost all icu beds currently occupied.

there is a widespread shortage of oxygen supplies and both the infection rate and the death rate from covid are among the worst in the world. translation: we were looking for hospitals all day _ and there was no room in any. this was the only place that would receive us and, unfortunately, my family member did not survive. with the health crisis spiralling, there is also a bleak economic outlook in mexico, but many are frustrated at what they see as a greater emphasis on keeping the economy moving than on controlling the pandemic. mexicans on all sides will want to see the president make a speedy recovery, however, now the extent of the problem has been brought home to him in his own personalfight with this disease. will grant, bbc news. the headlines on bbc news... the speaker of the house of commons rejects mps' demand

for an urgent government statement on whether schools in england will fully re—open before easter. debenhams is to disappear from the uk high street with the loss of 12,000 jobs. the fast fashion retailer boohoo has bought the brand and website — but not the shops. riot police clash with demonstrators unhappy about new restrictions in the netherlands. councils in england are being given £23 million to counter fake stories and misinformation around the coronavirus vaccine. the money will be shared between 60 councils and targeted towards groups including people with disabilities, the elderly and those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, who are more likely to suffer the worst effects of the virus. the government said the funding will help save lives. the online fashion retailer boohoo this morning confirmed that it has bought the debenhams brand and website. the significance of that is that

debenhams is now certain to lose its high street presence. the deal is worth £55 million, but boohoo won't be taking on any of debenhams' 118 stores or 12,000 staff. the 2a2—year—old chain is already in the process of closing down, after administrators failed to secure a rescue deal. let's talk to our business presenter ben thompson. so, that is it for debenhams on the high street, then?— high street, then? yes, victoria, ou are high street, then? yes, victoria, you are right- — high street, then? yes, victoria, you are right. it _ high street, then? yes, victoria, you are right. it feels _ high street, then? yes, victoria, you are right. it feels like - high street, then? yes, victoria, you are right. it feels like the - high street, then? yes, victoria, | you are right. it feels like the end of the road as far as those big department stores on high streets up and down the uk are concerned because now 2112 years after the first one opened, it seems that those staff will no longer be going to those stores. customers will find they have to shop online if they are to find those brands. what has happened is boohoo has paid £55 million for the retailer but, as you

say, it will not take on the stores or its stock or staff. it really is a theme that is common across the high street at the moment, that big traditional stores are finding it too expensive to pay the rent and the rates and the overheads that go with running a physical store. when they have cheaper rivals more nimble and able to keep their costs down. the likes of boohoo and asos have taken the advantage. and also primark taking business away from big stores like debenhams. it has been said those stores mean very little to many people. they have maybe passed their prime and failed to keep up with the changing way we shop. debenhams was already in trouble before the pandemic force many more of us to shop online than ever before. it has been in and out of administration a number of times, been looking for a buyer for most of the last couple of years. a far cry from the heyday in the mid—19 90s,

early 2000s when debenhams was valued at more than £1.7 billion. it gives you a sense now, being sold for £55 million of quite that fall from grace. it has been in private equity hands. they were accused of stripping lots of value out of it, paying themselves big dividends and loading up the company with a lot of debt. they sold off a lot of stores and then released them back on big, long expensive leases that have proved to be so inflexible as the way we shop has changed. so, as you say, those stores, 124 they originally had, they already told us they weren't going to open six of them, leaving 118. today the news them, leaving 118. today the news the 118 will not open either. what the 118 will not open either. what the firm wants to do is try and sell off some of the remaining stock it does have, with the hope of generating a bit of cash but the new buyer will not take on those stores, those locations, that stock or the 12,000 staff. those locations, that stock or the 12.000 staff-— those locations, that stock or the 12,000 staff. ., ~ y a 12,000 staff. thank you very much. and thank you _ 12,000 staff. thank you very much. and thank you to _ 12,000 staff. thank you very much. and thank you to you _ 12,000 staff. thank you very much. and thank you to you for _ 12,000 staff. thank you very much. and thank you to you for your- and thank you to you for your messages. how are you doing as you

enter, for some people, the fourth people in lockdown? for some it is longer than that. carys says i agree with the lockdown but i am so sick and tired of it. i am trying to just get on. the snow yesterday helped. some novelty for me. paul says i'm not great, to be honest. if it wasn't the dog, i would probably spend all day in bed. tony says i'm doing 0k, thank you. i am using this time to save money and staying safe and following the government guidance, only going out for a central shopping and exercise. phil puts it like this on twitter, i'm breathing and working from home. pretty lucky in the circumstances, thanks for asking. collett says i am counting my blessings, to be honest. there are way too many deaths in the uk. jean says i have been working from home since last march. every day feels like groundhog day but it could be worse. how are you? if you want to message me, ion instagram and twitter or you can e—mail.

nearly 8,000 workers died with coronavirus last year, that's according to figures from the office for national statistics. the 0ns said 7,961 people aged between 20 and 64 died with the virus between march and december last year. plant workers, security guards and taxi drivers were some of the worst affected professions amongst men. care workers, home carers and those working on assembly—lines were among the worst affected professions for women. with me is shaz saleem, the chairman of the west midlands private hire drivers association — and paddy lillis, general secretary of the shop workers union, usdaw. thank you forjoining us. paddy lillis, what do you make of the figures out today? it is lillis, what do you make of the figures out today?— figures out today? it is no surprise. _ figures out today? it is no surprise, sadly, _ figures out today? it is no surprise, sadly, when - figures out today? it is no surprise, sadly, when you figures out today? it is no - surprise, sadly, when you have people — surprise, sadly, when you have people public facing then there is obviousiy— people public facing then there is obviously a risk. we have been

calling — obviously a risk. we have been calling on— obviously a risk. we have been calling on the government to do a risk assessment with the joint committee on immunisation to ensure at the _ committee on immunisation to ensure at the next _ committee on immunisation to ensure at the next phase, those public face workers. _ at the next phase, those public face workers, supermarket workers, taxi drivers. _ workers, supermarket workers, taxi drivers. hus— workers, supermarket workers, taxi drivers, bus drivers, police, all those — drivers, bus drivers, police, all ihose who— drivers, bus drivers, police, all those who public face are at risk, putting _ those who public face are at risk, putting risk— those who public face are at risk, putting risk to their cells and families _ putting risk to their cells and families. it is really important these — families. it is really important these are _ families. it is really important these are looked at in a risk assessment was that we these are looked at in a risk assessment was tha- ~' ., , ., assessment was that we know they are at risk, what — assessment was that we know they are at risk, what would _ assessment was that we know they are at risk, what would you _ assessment was that we know they are at risk, what would you do _ assessment was that we know they are at risk, what would you do if— assessment was that we know they are at risk, what would you do if there - at risk, what would you do if there was a risk assessment? you minimise the risk to individuals. _ was a risk assessment? you minimise the risk to individuals. again, - was a risk assessment? you minimise the risk to individuals. again, we - the risk to individuals. again, we have _ the risk to individuals. again, we have been— the risk to individuals. again, we have been working closely with government to make... with government to make... with government and employers to make sure the _ government and employers to make sure the guidelines are there, sociat— sure the guidelines are there, social distancing, two metres. sadly that has_ social distancing, two metres. sadly that has slipped badly over the last number— that has slipped badly over the last number of— that has slipped badly over the last number of months. ensuring in terms of retait— number of months. ensuring in terms of retail stores that the numbers are reduced inside stores and there are reduced inside stores and there are screens — are reduced inside stores and there are screens and sanitisation to wash

your hands — are screens and sanitisation to wash your hands. all the regulations are reinforced — your hands. all the regulations are reinforced to the general public to keep people safe. shaz reinforced to the general public to keep people safe.— reinforced to the general public to keep people safe. shaz saleem, good mornin: to keep people safe. shaz saleem, good morning to you- _ keep people safe. shaz saleem, good morning to you. how _ keep people safe. shaz saleem, good morning to you. how risky _ keep people safe. shaz saleem, good morning to you. how risky is - keep people safe. shaz saleem, good morning to you. how risky is it - morning to you. how risky is it being a taxi driver in this pandemic?— being a taxi driver in this pandemic? being a taxi driver in this andemic? ., ., ., , ., pandemic? there are two factors that sto ou pandemic? there are two factors that stop you have — pandemic? there are two factors that stop you have a _ pandemic? there are two factors that stop you have a hackney _ pandemic? there are two factors that stop you have a hackney taxi - pandemic? there are two factors that stop you have a hackney taxi vehicle l stop you have a hackney taxi vehicle and then a private hire vehicle. at least in a hackney taxi, you have a protective screen or already placed. but in private hire, you are at odds with the customer. we said we are restricting passengers to a maximum of two passengers per vehicle. and we have been very fortunate, we have been allowed a protective screen providing customers in the back, which give some protection for our drivers. but there are some councils out there in the west midlands, for example, that do not allow the screen. my advice and i would stress the point that we need to be allowing the screen. who;

the point that we need to be allowing the screen. why would they not allow the — allowing the screen. why would they not allow the screen _ allowing the screen. why would they not allow the screen is? _ allowing the screen. why would they not allow the screen is? i _ allowing the screen. why would they not allow the screen is? i don't - not allow the screen is? i don't know. not allow the screen is? i don't know- they _ not allow the screen is? i don't know. they are _ not allow the screen is? i don't know. they are trying - not allow the screen is? i don't know. they are trying to - not allow the screen is? i don't know. they are trying to say, l not allow the screen is? i don't l know. they are trying to say, the council is arguing there is a safety factor. ijust... in the current climate we are in, coronaviruses such a huge factor. that is ridiculous not to be allowing protective screens. we have been very fortunate, they allowed us to have that screen protecting our drivers and customers. but i'm seriously concerned about some councils that are not allowing these screens. i councils that are not allowing these screens. ., councils that are not allowing these screens. . , ., , ., , screens. i am 'ust reading some news in from the screens. i am just reading some news in from the prime _ screens. i am just reading some news in from the prime minister, _ screens. i am just reading some news in from the prime minister, who - screens. i am just reading some news in from the prime minister, who has l in from the prime minister, who has been speaking this morning. he says that the government will be looking at the potential of relaxing some measures, some restrictions, before mid february. what is your reaction to that, paddy lillis? disappointing. this virus is

spreading like wildfire across the country — spreading like wildfire across the country it — spreading like wildfire across the country. it is a time now to ensure we do _ country. it is a time now to ensure we do everything we can to eradicate it. we do everything we can to eradicate it we _ we do everything we can to eradicate it we have _ we do everything we can to eradicate it. we have seen the mistakes over the last— it. we have seen the mistakes over the last ten— it. we have seen the mistakes over the last ten months, we are in, we are out _ the last ten months, we are in, we are out eat— the last ten months, we are in, we are out. eat 0ut the last ten months, we are in, we are out. eat out to help 0ut the last ten months, we are in, we are out. eat out to help out and relaxation — are out. eat out to help out and relaxation at christmas and seen the terrible _ relaxation at christmas and seen the terrible death toll following the christmas... letting families come together~ — christmas... letting families come together~ i— christmas... letting families come together. i think this is a real mistake _ together. i think this is a real mistake. we have to be guided by the science _ mistake. we have to be guided by the science and _ mistake. we have to be guided by the science and the medical practitioners and they are saying there _ practitioners and they are saying there should be very stringent restrictions on movement of people whilst _ restrictions on movement of people whilst this— restrictions on movement of people whilst this virus is here. we need to concentrate on getting the vaccination out as quickly as possible _ vaccination out as quickly as possible across the piece to give us a chance _ possible across the piece to give us a chance of— possible across the piece to give us a chance of eradicating this. easing the restrictions now is not going to help _ the restrictions now is not going to help it _ the restrictions now is not going to help it is — the restrictions now is not going to help. it is going to make the situation _ help. it is going to make the situation 1000 help. it is going to make the situation1000 times worse. he help. it is going to make the situation 1000 times worse. he only said we are — situation 1000 times worse. he only said we are looking _ situation 1000 times worse. he only said we are looking at _ situation 1000 times worse. he only said we are looking at the _ situation 1000 times worse. he only said we are looking at the potentiall said we are looking at the potential of relaxing some measures. shaz saleem, can i ask you financially

how private hire drivers have been doing since the first lockdown last march? ,, , ., march? struggling. there is no den in: march? struggling. there is no denying that- _ march? struggling. there is no denying that. we _ march? struggling. there is no denying that. we have - march? struggling. there is no denying that. we have lost - march? struggling. there is no| denying that. we have lost 80% march? struggling. there is no - denying that. we have lost 80% of our work from lockdown we understand the concerns. at the moment, with the concerns. at the moment, with the new lockdown measures, we have been focusing on key workers, prioritising those. everyjob that comes through, we are asking is essential view to be travelling? because we want to minimise our risk and try and do our part as well to the public, doing our duty as well protecting our customers and drivers. but at the same time, you know, there are some financial implications. we have been quite fortunate with the self—employed grants which have helped drivers, not greatly but every little helps, i suppose. not greatly but every little helps, i su ose. ., , not greatly but every little helps, isu--ose. . , , ., , i suppose. paddy lillis, finally, can i ask i suppose. paddy lillis, finally, can i ask you — i suppose. paddy lillis, finally, can i ask you about _ i suppose. paddy lillis, finally, can i ask you about the - i suppose. paddy lillis, finally, can i ask you about the news i can i ask you about the news regarding debenhams today? it looks like boohoo will take them over,

they don't want the stores on the high street or the 12,000 staff? by, high street or the 12,000 staff? a blow for the retail sector. we have been _ blow for the retail sector. we have been saying for some time there needs— been saying for some time there needs to — been saying for some time there needs to be an industrial strategy for retail. — needs to be an industrial strategy for retail, to give retail an opportunity to have a future. this isjust_ opportunity to have a future. this isjust another nail in opportunity to have a future. this is just another nail in the coffin. another— is just another nail in the coffin. another 12,000 jobs going, onto the online _ another 12,000 jobs going, onto the online platform. so we still call on the government and local authorities and employers to work with us, to look at _ and employers to work with us, to look at what does retail look like in the _ look at what does retail look like in the future?— look at what does retail look like in the future? ., ,, , ., , . in the future? thank you very much, gentlemen. — in the future? thank you very much, gentlemen, thank _ in the future? thank you very much, gentlemen, thank you _ in the future? thank you very much, gentlemen, thank you for _ in the future? thank you very much, gentlemen, thank you for talking - in the future? thank you very much, gentlemen, thank you for talking to | gentlemen, thank you for talking to us, thank you. gordon brown has warned that trust in the way the uk's being run is breaking down. the former prime minister, and long—serving chancellor, said the pandemic had exposed tensions between whitehall and the nations and regions. he added that a commission should be set up to review how the uk is governed. the european union's foreign ministers are meeting in brussels with lots on their agenda: vaccine

distribution, relations with the uk, relations with the new us president, joe biden, and the detention of russian opposition leader alexei navalny. the eu's foreign policy chief, josep borrell, has voiced "great concern" about the more than 3000 demonstrators arrested on saturday across russia, and said that ministers will be discussing how to respond. this is what lithuania's foreign minister had to say on his way to the meeting. i personally think that a change is in the air in russia and this is what makes mr putin so nervous. that's why he detained 3500 people into the streets. that's why he detained mr navalny, that's why he detained his wife. but i think that the eu needs to send a very clear and decisive message that this is not acceptable. 0ur brussels correspondent nick beake has been following the story. lithuania, latvia, estonia, the baltic states, russia's very near neighbours, they are leading the way as we heard there, urging people to do more,

these european foreign ministers who are meeting despite covid—19, they are meeting in person today. and in terms of the options they can take, it is tricky because a lot of people here in brussels, meps are saying strong words are one thing, saying that you stand behind the likes of nalvany, the opposition leader who is now being detained and saying that you stand in solidarity with more than 3000 people who were arrested during protests, largely peaceful protests in russia over the past 72 hours and some people are saying they need to go further, whether that is sanctions, targeting individual members of president putin's regime, people with big money interests, who have got lots of cash within the eu, whether there is some sort of travel ban or restriction on their assets there, but i think this is where it gets difficult because some people are saying they want to see far—reaching economic sanctions the likes of which we saw back in 2014 after russia annexed crimea and i think that's where it gets a bit difficult politically because they'll have to act as one and there are signs as ever

with lots of things that not everyone is in complete agreement. indian defence sources say indian and chinese troops have been injured in fierce hand— to— hand fighting along their disputed border. the violent brawl reportedly took place three days ago in the naku la area of northern sikkim which borders tibet. indian sources say they were repelling a chinese foot patrol which had crossed the de facto border. a statement from the indian army confirmed the incident but described it as a "minor face off". china has yet to comment. rescuers in china say the bodies of nine dead miners have been found at the coal mine where 11 people were rescued yesterday. efforts are still under way to recover the one person still acounted for — two weeks after a blast at the site. a group of 22 were caught in the mine in the shandong province.

thank you for your messages. you can message me on instagram or you can e—mail me. more now on our top story — the chair of the commons education committee is demanding that a minister be summoned to parliament to explain when schools in england will be able to fully re—open. robert halfon says home—schooling is putting "enormous pressure" on parents. kate green is the shadow education secretary and labour mp for stretford and urmston. good morning. i know you agree that schools should be closed right now. what is your concern? i am schools should be closed right now. what is your concern?— schools should be closed right now. what is your concern? i am very keen that we do have _ what is your concern? i am very keen that we do have children _ what is your concern? i am very keen that we do have children return - what is your concern? i am very keen that we do have children return to - that we do have children return to the classroom as quickly as possible and as soon as it is said, by but we

do not know what the government plan is for achieving that. it is really important that they set out the components of their strategy for getting children back so that parents and schools can have certainty and they can start to plan the steps that would be needed to bring children and staff back safely. cani can i ask you to be specific? what do you want them to say? do you want them to give you a level of when transmission has been reached that thatis transmission has been reached that that is a point when years ten and 12 can go back? are you talking about that?— 12 can go back? are you talking about that? two elements. the secretary of _ about that? two elements. the secretary of state _ about that? two elements. the secretary of state for _ about that? two elements. the secretary of state for set - about that? two elements. the secretary of state for set out i about that? two elements. the | secretary of state for set out the criteria that he would be looking out for schools to return. we need to know more specifically what he means by effective roll out of the vaccine, what sort of numbers are we talking about? more importantly, we know the government is making their

preparations for the necessary practical steps to bring children and young people back safely, working with schools, working with the education unions and professional organisations, and it is about things like whether we bring them all back at once, or on a phased basis and which years come back first. labour has been suggesting nightingale school so there is more space to ensure state social distancing. it is about getting the roll—out of testing in schools effective. there were concerns about rushing it out before the christmas holidays and may not be as effective as it needs to be. what we need to, as much as knowing what circumstances would need to be in place an orderfor the what circumstances would need to be in place an order for the government to say that children could return to school, we need know the practical steps and that will be put in place, schools need to have time to plan and parents need time to prepare

do you think the planning is not going on in the department for education? i going on in the department for education?— going on in the department for education? ., , , . ., education? i hope it is. what we have seen _ education? i hope it is. what we have seen over _ education? i hope it is. what we have seen over the _ education? i hope it is. what we have seen over the last - education? i hope it is. what we have seen over the last ten - education? i hope it is. what we i have seen over the last ten months is stop, go, last—minute decisions, u—turns from the department for education, very late notice to schools and parents, so we are not confident. we have seen like the idea of having some children on school and a rota basis and others the following week, we started off by the department for education, abandoned, we don't know why, he rushed roll—out of mass testing before the christmas holidays which the government has now had to stop because concerns have been raised by the regulators. we need to know there is robust planning in place, i do not see signs of that based on past experience and i think it is really important that the department works with school leaders, unions

and professional organisations as well as local public health experts to make sure that the plans are practical and workable as opposed to issuing late—night diktats to schools which turn out not to be effective. thank you very much. boeing's 737 max is expected to get the go—ahead from safety regulators in the uk and europe this week to resume passengerflights. the plane was grounded worldwide in march 2019 after two accidents, in which 346 people died. it has already been cleared to fly again in north america — but a whistle—blower has raised new concerns over the safety of the aircraft. theo leggett reports. the 737 max is back in the air, but is it safe? 0nce boeing's fastest selling aircraft, it suffered two major accidents in less than five months. first a lion air plane went down into the sea off indonesia, then an ethiopian airlines aircraft, near identical to these seen here,

crashed minutes after taking off from the ethiopian capital addis ababa. in each case, investigators have blamed flight control software that became active at the wrong time and prompted the aircraft to go into a catastrophic dive. now, the 737 max design has been modified and planes will be fitted with new software. regulators in the united states insist they have a thorough job, but ed pierson disagrees. he's a us navy veteran and former manager of boeing, who worked on the production line at the 737 factory near seattle. i'm concerned there are potential defects in these aeroplanes that stem back to when the aircraft were manufactured, and i believe that these defects could potentially cause future tragedies. before the lion air crash, while still working at boeing, mr pierson warned his bosses that the factory was making too many planes to quickly and he claimed safety was being compromised. later, after retiring,

and after the crashes, he took his concerns to the us congress. now he has written a report outlining what he says were unexplained electrical and control system problems on both aircraft, which were evident before the crashes, but he claims have not been investigated properly. all the warnings i gave about production quality, all this stuff has sadly come true and i'm just concerned and ifeel like there is a lot of unanswered questions that need to be addressed. boeing has previously described any suggestion of a link between conditions at the 737 factory and the two accidents is completely unfounded, and pointed out that none of the authority is investigating the crashes has found any such link. meanwhile regulators in europe are expected to un—ground the plane this week, with the uk following their example, and they have already made it clear they think the plane is safe. fostering agencies are at breaking point in england and wales due to a huge increase

in children entering care during the pandemic. the largest not—for—profit fostering and adoption agency in the uk, barnardo's, saw a 57% increase in the number of children being referred to its services from april—december 2020, compared with the same period the year before. in wales, there was a 30% increase. greater numbers of vulnerable children are suffering from neglect, domestic and sexual abuse and the strains of lockdown, the charity says. michael mckenzie is a foster parent who has been fostering for more than ten years and lewis 0berts is a social worker & vice chair of the british association of social workers. thank you very much for talking to us. i know you were fostering a child very old boy during the past locked down in england. what was that like for young boy? ii

locked down in england. what was that like for young boy?— that like for young boy? if you think, that like for young boy? if you think. when — that like for young boy? if you think, when i— that like for young boy? if you think, when i listen _ that like for young boy? if you think, when i listen to - that like for young boy? if you think, when i listen to the - that like for young boy? if you i think, when i listen to the news that like for young boy? if you . think, when i listen to the news a lot, a lot of families are struggling to try and see their families, people that are not in care, and i am hearing on the news, at christmas time, people were desperate to see their family, this is what i am hearing from people who are in care, that is the biggest struggle. 0ne are in care, that is the biggest struggle. one of the things that children in foster care might have to go through its contact, so before the lockdown, they might have been seeing their parents once a week or twice a week at a contact centre. during the lockdown, that had to stop because you had a situation where families were not able to meet. for myself and my family, we had to consider, 0k, meet. for myself and my family, we had to consider, ok, so we should listen to what borisjohnson has

said, not to mix, we have ourfamily and there is another family somewhere else and everything had to go online. so for a young man in foster care during the pandemic, trying to keep in touch with his parents, that is really hard. it in touch with his parents, that is really hard-— really hard. it is very hard. i am generalising. — really hard. it is very hard. i am generalising. l— really hard. it is very hard. i am generalising, i want _ really hard. it is very hard. i am generalising, i want everyone i really hard. it is very hard. i am| generalising, i want everyone to understand that normal families who are not in care, they are going through the same thing. they are really struggling to try and keep in contact with their family and for a child in care, that is magnified, because they are not with their family, they are with a different family. what does that mean for you as a foster carer when you are trying to care for a 12—year—old boy? you foster carer when you are trying to care for a 12-year-old boy? you have to be very — care for a 12-year-old boy? you have to be very understanding _ care for a 12-year-old boy? you have to be very understanding from - care for a 12-year-old boy? you have to be very understanding from the i to be very understanding from the child's point of view and their parents point of view because that's

where the brake is. it is really watching the child, making sure they are ok, listening, spending time with them, making sure they are feeling 0k. trying to ask questions. how are they feeling regularly? asa as a social worker, what do you make of this? it is a dramatic rise in those seeking fostering services from our nardos, one agency, there referrals rose by 57% last year. good morning. the first thing to say, _ good morning. the first thing to say, we — good morning. the first thing to say, we are _ good morning. the first thing to say, we are all feeling the pressure of the _ say, we are all feeling the pressure of the pandemic, all families, all children— of the pandemic, all families, all children in— of the pandemic, all families, all children in families, you said that in your— children in families, you said that in your introduction, more parents are struggling in terms of mental health— are struggling in terms of mental health and children are struggling

whether— health and children are struggling whether mental health or struggling financially so we are seeing more referrals — financially so we are seeing more referrals to children and family services — referrals to children and family services and more serious incidents coming _ services and more serious incidents coming forward to us. an increase in care numbers— coming forward to us. an increase in care numbers and that has put a lot of pressure — care numbers and that has put a lot of pressure on foster care services serious incidents? what are you referring to?— referring to? social workers are workin: referring to? social workers are working really _ referring to? social workers are working really hard _ referring to? social workers are working really hard to - referring to? social workers are working really hard to ensure i referring to? social workers are i working really hard to ensure that children _ working really hard to ensure that children stay with their families. there _ children stay with their families. there are — children stay with their families. there are occasions where the family situation _ there are occasions where the family situation has become so difficult and challenging that children have to come _ and challenging that children have to come into care, incidents like serious — to come into care, incidents like serious domestic abuse, family issues — serious domestic abuse, family issues of— serious domestic abuse, family issues of violence where parents mental _ issues of violence where parents mental well—being is so significant that they— mental well—being is so significant that they cannot care for their children. _ that they cannot care for their children, there

there is a shortage of foster carers, hundreds of children who have been referred and waiting to be placed to a foster family. we need potential foster carers, if you are over 21, a spare room and time and commitment to support a children in need, please get in touch. what would you tell people about what it is like being a foster parent? it is very rewarding- _ is like being a foster parent? it 3 very rewarding. we have been foster carers for over ten years, now, 14 years, it is very rewarding. great children, we have gotten to know ourselves better and you know how people work and think. if you have a spare room in your house, that is the thing to do. cannot be straightforward and easy

all the time, be honest about that. there are times when i want to stop doing it because the pressure is intense because we have got to manage ourselves as a family and also the young person and their family. to make it work. you are talking to social workers, i have got my own social worker, the child has a social worker and there is the school and a court guardian and you have to manage the whole team, to work together to support the child. what i found is that i have had a lot of training during the coronavirus on microsoft team, meeting up with foster carers and training is where it is at. i made a short film many years ago to remind myself what it is like for a young

person to be in care and to be a family worker. it is just... person to be in care and to be a family worker. it isjust... it person to be in care and to be a family worker. it is just... it is a good thing to do. for myself, we were talking about this yesterday with my wife. we have a similar experience, we have seen our parents looking after when we were children, and we have come together and have said that we want to continue to do that, it is a very rewarding thing and it is difficult at times but with the training that we have had, it helps to get you to reflect on how the day went, not just taking things personally, when things do kick off, it is not taking things personally, it is trying to understand what is happening and talking to the child in order to go forward. thank you very much for telling us

about it. thank you for coming on the programme today. let's talk about vaccinations now, the government's vaccination programme, which so far has seen nearly six and a half million people get a first dose. the plan is to get fifteen million first doses out by mid february. adam finn is a professor of paediatrics at bristol university, and a member of the government's joint committee on vaccination and immunisation. i asked him about a suggestion from the british medical association that pushing back the second dose to 12 weeks after the first would cost lives. well i think, unfortunately, the bma have really picked up half the story and ignored the other half. they are clearly wanting to represent the medical profession and look after them but they are failing to recognise that the second doses that are being delayed are actually being given to other members of the medical profession and providing them with protection, and that's sort of a concrete well known fact. so the overall benefit within the profession is to do it the way that we are recommending

and not to rush through with second doses when there are many people who still need to receive the first dose. right, but one of their concerns is that byjust having a first dose and there being a delay of potentially up to 12 weeks, then you are not as well protected. what are the facts there, professor? what we know is that the protection after one dose is extremely good. it's surprisingly good and what we know for one of the two vaccines, the oxford vaccine, is that protection persists and, in fact, the immune response to the booster is enhanced by delaying the second dose. the information around pfizer, at this point, is an extrapolation from what we know about the oxford vaccine and, indeed, many other vaccines. it is the case that protection doesn't wane away rapidly but, if anything, continues to increase after the first dose and that the second dose will give a better booster response. but the evidence that we need to reconfirm that is already beginning to arrive. so a little bit of patience

and we will have that missing evidence, if you like, to reconfirm that this approach is indeed the right one. can you explain to our audience what they thinking is behind who is a priority for this vaccine? yes, this is a really, really important point because although the headline figures of millions of people receiving the vaccine are impressive and a good index of how much is being done, the really critical thing is who are those people who are receiving the vaccine? so, the numbers of vaccine doses you need to save a life is around 20 if you're talking about elderly care home residents. if you come back down to people in their 70s or 60s, it goes up into the hundreds. and if you come down to adults, middle—aged adults, if you like, it goes up into the many thousands. so, it's really key to give those precious doses to the right people to get the maximum impact.

news is arriving from bbc sport. frank lampard is set to be sacked by chelsea after they suffered five defeats in their last eight premiership games, frank lampard is set to be sacked by bosses at chelsea. in the us, the democratic leader in the senate says president biden's multi—billion dollar covid—19 relief plan will be implemented, with or without support from the republican party. chuck schumer said the nearly $2 trillion bill could reignite the country's economy and significantly increase the number of americans being vaccinated. presidentjoe biden has promised 100 million vaccine shots in his first 100 days. the us has been hit by the coronavirus harder than any other country in the world — more than 400,000 people have died and cases have exceeded 25 million. president biden is expected to re—impose a travel ban which was lifted by donald trump

just days before the end of his term. the restrictions would apply to non—us citizens travelling from the uk, ireland and 26 other european countries. passengers from south africa and brazil, which are facing new variants of coronavirus, are also expected to be banned. articles of impeachment charging former president donald trump with "incitement of insurrection" are due to be delivered to the us senate later. the trial itself is due to start in two weeks. it comes as democrats are saying they will push ahead with a coronavirus relief bill —— whether or not republicans vote for it. a rather dramatic day. if you can remember the last impeachment trial that happened in 2019, similar to that and that there will be members of the house of representatives, nine of them, who have been selected by house speaker nancy pelosi to physically walk over that article of impeachment and hand it to the senate and thus begins the trial, essentially.

although the trial won't start until february the 8th, about two weeks, now that means that both sides will get a chance to prepare. those nine managers, they will act as impeachment managers, basically the prosecution in this case. and then all 100 senators, they will act as the jury. the goal here for both sides, it seems, is to move things along quickly, but there will be a two week period in between while both sides prepare their cases. despite the speed of all of this, what is your sense of the public�*s appetite for this trial? well, it really depends on who you ask. many americans on both sides feel that what happened at the capitol a few weeks ago was com pletely u na cce pta ble and someone needs to be held accountable and many folks believe that person should be the president whether or not he is in office. there is some discussion over whether or not it is even constitutional to impeach a former president, one who has already left office, that is something that republicans and democrats are both arguing

about even until this day, whether this is constitutional to begin with. but americans themselves, many do want to see this moving along, including some members of thejoe biden administration who really want the president to be able to work out some of his initiatives, including fixing the coronavirus vaccine roll out and getting some of his cabinet and advisers passed through congress, all of that could be delayed if they cannot move through this fast enough, so you'll see a little bit on both sides. there's also some disruption in the republican party, some want former president trump to just go away, others want him to be able to run again potentially in a few years. so no clear answer on exactly what republicans want out of this, but so far it is looking like it may be hard to turn 17 republicans to the other side of the aisle, which is what they would need in order to convict former president donald trump. just briefly, the democrats determined to push ahead, withjoe biden's coronavirus aid package,

they said they will do that with or without republican support, what do they mean by that? they may be able to pass this relief package without republicans, but really their hope is that they will have republican support because although, of course, america is still quite divisive right now, there are some points of agreement in this. unemployment, unemployment insurance and also getting those vaccines out to the public. both sides seem willing to spend money on that. republicans may not have to agree with the total price tag, but it seems there is at least some agreement. there was a meeting over the weekend and both sides are calling back productive and a good first step. a little bit more about what the british prime minister has been saying this morning. he has been at a vaccine centre, he talked about looking at the potential of relaxing

some restriction measures before mid february, he could not give a guarantee that schools would be back fully before easter. he said, i do think there is massive achievement has been made of rolling out this vaccination programme, i think want to see us make sure we do not throw away by giving our premature relaxation. i understand the frustration of parents and i thank the teachers for what they are doing, the immense efforts to teach children online and the government has provided a lot of laptops. i know it is not a substitute for direct face—to—face learning, believe me, there is nothing i want to do more than reopen schools. i fought to keep them open for as long as i possibly could, we want to see them back as fast as possible in a way that is consistent with fighting the epidemic and keeping infection rate down. thank you for your

messages. jean says i have been working at home since march but it could be worse. and colette is counting her blessings. lots of you are very happy that you have got a dog. you are watching bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with carol kirkwood. hello again. yesterday, some of us saw our first heavy snowfall of this winter. today, there is still some wintry showers in the forecast but for many of us, it is going to be a dry day with some sunshine. high pressure's firmly in charge. this weather front here, which we call an occlusion, is going to enhance the showers that we have across parts of the north and the west. now, on the coasts, we are looking at a mixture of rain and sleet but in land, it more likely to be of snow, particularly so in the hills. but a lot of us won't see any of that and just have a dry day with a lot of sunshine and variable amounts of cloud. not feeling quite as cold as it did at the weekend, either. temperatures closer to where they should be at this stage injanuary,

three in lerwick, seven in liverpool and also st helier. now, through this evening and overnight we hang onto those showers, still wintry in nature but a lot of clear skies. that means the temperature will fall away readily, especially where we had lying snow and we are looking at a widespread frost and once again, the risk of ice on untreated surfaces. temperatures falling as low, for example, as —4 in birmingham. but the cloud is starting to build out towards the west. that is heralding the arrival of this clutch of fronts, which through tomorrow are going to be pushing northwards and eastwards, taking the rain and on their leading edge some snow and then on wednesday, we have a new, more potent weather front coming our way introducing rain. so, first thing on tuesday morning, a lot of dry weather to be had. it's going to be cold, it's going to be frosty with a risk of ice. here comes the rain. as it engages with the cold air in scotland and northern england, we are likely to see some snow. quite a few centimetres likely in the southern uplands and also the pennines but some of this could be at lower levels. still only three degrees in the north but 10 degrees in plymouth, so a sign of a change.

so, through tuesday evening, we say goodbye to this clutch of fronts and then we've got the next one coming our way on wednesday. this one, coming in from the atlantic, is going to bring with it milder air. it's battling with the cold arctic air which we've been in for the last few days. so, we start off on a cold note in the east during the course of wednesday, a bright note as well. the cloud building from the south—west. very slowly, we start to see a return to this rain coming in across northern ireland, eventually into wales and south—west england. 10s and 11s, but still only two in aberdeen.

this is bbc news. i'm joanna gosling. the headlines at 11... the prime minister who's been visiting a vaccine centre says the uk is set to hit its vaccine targets and he's looking at when restrictions could be eased. mrjohnson also says he can't give a date on when all children will be back to school in england — despite calls from mps for the government to clarify whether schools will fully re—open before easter. what i want the government to do is to set out a route map, and what i mean by that is set out what the conditions need to be before children can go back to school more fully. the office for national statistics publishes its data on coronavirus deaths by profession. taxi drivers, security guards and care workers record some of the highest rates. debenhams is to disappear from the uk high street

with the loss of 12,000 jobs. the fast fashion retailer boohoo has bought the brand and website, but not the stores. riot police clash with demonstrators unhappy about new coronavirus restrictions in the netherlands. and manager frank lampard is set to be sacked by chelsea. it comes after his team have suffered five defeats in their last eight premier league matches. in the past half an hour, borisjohnson has told journalists he is looking at easing some lockdown measures before mid—february. however, he would not give a date for when schools could reopen — something mps are demanding clarity on after health secretary matt hancock refused to guarantee that it

would happen before easter. the chair of the education select committee, robert halfon, had asked for an urgent question in the house of commons — the speaker has denied his request meanwhile, mrjohnson said he's "actively working on" a proposal requiring travellers arriving in the uk to pay to quarantine in a hotel. that's because of the new brazil and south african variants, of which there are currently 86 known cases in the uk. scientists fear that vaccines may work less well against them. in the uk, the latest figures show that more than 6.3 million people have had a first vaccine dose, and on saturday a daily record of 491,970 were injected. the figures suggest that the programme is on course to meet the target of vaccinating the most vulnerable groups by mid—february with at least one dose. the with at least one dose. prime minister has been sp the prime minister has been speaking in the last few minutes. he was

asked when schools might go back. the first thing i want to say is a massive thank you to the parents who are looking after their children at home in the last few weeks. i know how stressful it has been, i know the pressure people have been under since the new year. it has been going on and i must tell you it will be going on a little bit more. i will tell you where we got to. on the 15th of february, we hoped to have vaccinated about 15 million people across the whole of the uk. the jcvi groups, people across the whole of the uk. thejcvi groups, the real priority groups, and we will be deciding before then whether we can get schools back. but daily we are looking at the data and trying to find out when we will be able to lift restrictions. schools obviously will be a priority, but i don't think anybody would want to see the restrictions lifted so quickly

whilst the rate of infection is still a very high, to lead to another great spread of infection. we have now got the r down below one across the whole of the country. that is a great achievement. we don't want to see a huge surge of infection just don't want to see a huge surge of infectionjust when we don't want to see a huge surge of infection just when we have got the vaccination programme going so well and people have worked so hard. borisjohnson there. let's talk to our political correspondentjessica parker in westminster. the overall message is caution, but i imagine years will have gone up when borisjohnson was talking about easing some restrictions in february? i easing some restrictions in february?— easing some restrictions in februa ? ~ �* , february? i think you're absolutely riaht, i february? i think you're absolutely right. i think _ february? i think you're absolutely right. i think he — february? i think you're absolutely right, i think he is _ february? i think you're absolutely right, i think he is would _ february? i think you're absolutely right, i think he is would have - february? i think you're absolutely| right, i think he is would have gone up right, i think he is would have gone up after borisjohnson made that seeming suggestionjust up after borisjohnson made that seeming suggestion just a few moments ago. what i am told by downing street sources is that the prime minister was not suggesting you could see measures relax before mid—february, that 15th of february

review point. rather that government ministers would be looking at the potential of relaxing measures. they will still take stock on the 15th of february and what to do next, but it is because a bit of initial confusion this morning. let's have a listen to what the prime minister said. ~ ., listen to what the prime minister said. . . ., ., 4' listen to what the prime minister said. ~ ., ., ., ., said. we are looking at the data as it comes in- _ said. we are looking at the data as it comes in. as _ said. we are looking at the data as it comes in. as you _ said. we are looking at the data as it comes in. as you know, - said. we are looking at the data as it comes in. as you know, the - said. we are looking at the data as it comes in. as you know, the jcvi | it comes in. as you know, the jcvi groups— it comes in. as you know, the jcvi groups are — it comes in. as you know, the jcvi groups are going to be vaccinated by the 15th— groups are going to be vaccinated by the 15th of— groups are going to be vaccinated by the 15th of february. before then, we are _ the 15th of february. before then, we are looking at the potential of relaxing — we are looking at the potential of relaxing summer measures, but don't forget _ relaxing summer measures, but don't forget that— relaxing summer measures, but don't forget that this country has made huge _ forget that this country has made huge progress in reducing the infection _ huge progress in reducing the infection. i don't think people want to see _ infection. i don't think people want to see another big surge in infection. to see another big surge in infection-— to see another big surge in infection. ~ . ., ., to see another big surge in infection. ~ . . ., , ., infection. what i am hearing is that there has not _ infection. what i am hearing is that there has not been _ infection. what i am hearing is that there has not been a _ infection. what i am hearing is that there has not been a change - infection. what i am hearing is that there has not been a change in - there has not been a change in policy, that the lockdown of england is expected to last until that myth february —— mid—february point. the number one priority will be

reopening schools, and it comes today as there is renewed pressure from conservative mps, some of whom say they want to see the government set out milestones and criteria by which schools can reopen. 0ne tory mp expected this morning said they were livid about the situation and wanted to see a staggered return of schools as soon as possible, possibly as early as next week. the labour party are critical of the handling of the issue.- labour party are critical of the handling of the issue. let's listen to kate green. _ handling of the issue. let's listen to kate green. it— handling of the issue. let's listen to kate green. it means - handling of the issue. let's listen to kate green. it means workingl handling of the issue. let's listen - to kate green. it means working with schools. _ to kate green. it means working with schools, working with professional organisations, and it is about things— organisations, and it is about things like whether you bring all children— things like whether you bring all children back at once. 0r whether you bring — children back at once. 0r whether you bring them back on a phased basis. labour has been suggesting nightingale schools so there is— suggesting nightingale schools so there is more space to ensure safe social— there is more space to ensure safe social distancing. it is about getting _ social distancing. it is about getting the roll—out of the testing programme in schools working effectively and they have been concerns — effectively and they have been concerns about the way it was rushed outjust_

concerns about the way it was rushed out just before the concerns about the way it was rushed outjust before the christmas holidays _ outjust before the christmas holidays and might not be as effective as it needs to be. i think what _ effective as it needs to be. i think what we _ effective as it needs to be. i think what we need, we also need to know the practical— what we need, we also need to know the practical steps that are going to be _ the practical steps that are going to be needed and that will be put in place. _ to be needed and that will be put in place. and — to be needed and that will be put in place, and that means schools need to have _ place, and that means schools need to have time to plan and parents need _ to have time to plan and parents need to— to have time to plan and parents need to have time to prepare before their children return. interestingly, borisjohnson this morning talking about the schools issue said people mustn't assume it schools won't be reopened before easter. that was after yesterday matt hancock the health secretary being asked about this. he was asked whether schools would open by half term. too early to know, he said. easter? but ministers are reluctant to be pinned down on an exact date here. why? there's probably a fear, because they were to say it is a changeable situation, that they might have to adjust their plans as they did back injanuary at the last

moment, where you saw some students go back to school forjust moment, where you saw some students go back to school for just a moment, where you saw some students go back to school forjust a day before schools were closed. and you hear ministers talking as well about wanting to keep lockdown measures in place long enough so they don't release them too early and you could potentially see measures reimposed at a later date. the potentially see measures reimposed at a later date-— at a later date. the speaker today said no to an _ at a later date. the speaker today said no to an urgent _ at a later date. the speaker today said no to an urgent question - said no to an urgent question seeking clarity from the government on a timetable, so the government has had a bit of a reprieve there, but how much is known about what the criteria is for schools going back and when we will get a timetable? the criteria is what conservative mps are absolutely calling for, and the mid—february date is relevant because that is the point by which they are hoping to have offered the first dose of the vaccine to the top four priority groups, those most vulnerable and most at risk to coronavirus. in terms of that edit question, the reason that that might have been ten stone today is because

there were some opposition debates already in the timetable for parliaments. it is unusual to schedule an urgent question because that can eat into those debates, but do not think for a moment that this issueis do not think for a moment that this issue is going away. the children's commissioner for england, anne longfield, says she's been concerned that it appears the date when all pupils can return to schools is drifting further away. well, i've listened with some dismay over the last few days, as i'm sure parents and children have done around the country, to this kind of winding back of expectation of when schools will return. and, of course, everyone understands that infection rates are high and the nhs is under huge pressure but also i think parents expected to have more of an explanation and be involved in more of that information about the plan towards children returning to school. i think that's my central feeling at this stage, of course, i want schools to open as soon as absolutely possible, always have, and if that

can't be february half term, then 0k. if it's going to be march, then that's ok as well. but, actually, what parents and children want is a plan that helps them understand what the criteria for this is and helps them work alongside that to track and plan. i would like government to have one of their slides at their number 10 briefings on progress towards schools opening, so it can be something that children and families can feel part of that conversation. so it won't suddenly slip from view when they wake up and hear another set of headlines. we wa nt we want you to be part of that conversation. whether you are a teacher, parent or people, do get in touch and let us know what you think about schools going back and how it is affecting you.

nearly 8,000 people from the working aged community died with coronavirus last year, that's according to figures from the office for national statistics. the 0ns said 7,961 people aged between 20 and 64 died with the virus between the 9th of march and 28th december last year. plant workers, security guards and taxi drivers were some of the worst affected professions amongst men. care workers, home carers and those working on assembly—lines were among the worst affected professions for women. overall, the figures show that those working in close proximity to one another are most at risk from dying with the disease. earlier, we heard from paddy lillis who is the general secretary of the shop workers union usdaw. he's calling for the government to conduct a risk assessment which could help protect workers in public—facing roles. we have been calling on the government to do a risk assessment with the joint committee of vaccination and immunisation to ensure at the next phase those public—facing workers —

supermarket workers, taxi drivers, bus drivers, police, all those who are public facing are at risk, bringing risk to themselves and their families and of course if they catch it they then transmit it into the community, so it is really important that these are looked at in a risk assessment as you would in any normal circumstance. one of the worst affected professions amongst men is taxi drivers. earlier, the chairman of the west midlands private hire drivers association, shaz saleem told us he'd like to see the introduction of screens in all private hire vehicles. you have a protective screen, but in a private hire, there is not, obviously be put measures in place for our drivers. we are restricting the passengers to two, a maximum of two passengers per vehicle. we have been very fortunate, we have been allowed a protective screen which gives some sort of protection for our drivers, but there are some

councils out there in the west midlands, for example, that do not allow it the screens. so i would stress the point we need to be allowing the screen to protect our drivers. gordon brown has warned that trust in the way the uk's being run is breaking down. the former prime minister, and long—serving chancellor, said the pandemic had exposed tensions between whitehall and the nations and regions. he added that a commission should be set up to review how the uk is governed. councils in england are being given £23 million to counter fake stories and misinformation around the coronavirus vaccine. the money will be shared between 60 councils and targeted towards groups including people with disabilities, the elderly and those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, who are more likely to suffer the worst effects of the virus. the government said the funding will help save lives. the online fashion retailer boohoo this morning confirmed that it has bought the debenhams brand and website. the significance of that is that

debenhams is now certain to lose its high street presence. the deal is worth £55 million, but boohoo won't be taking on any of debenhams' 118 stores or 12,000 staff. the 242—year—old chain is already in the process of closing down, after administrators failed to secure a rescue deal. let's talk to our business presenter ben thompson. 0bviously, obviously, it is going to be devastating for those 12,000 workers at debenhams. tell us more about what this deal is going to mean. absolutely, you are right, and it really does mark the end of the road for debenhams as we know it. many of us may have a connection. perhaps it was somewhere we shopped in the past, but that is part of the problem. critics say it debenhams stood now for very little. it was a sign of a bygone era and had failed to keep up with its cheaper, more

nimble rivals on the high street, the likes of zara, next, for example, but also wasn't keeping pace with online rivals like boohoo. so it struggled to find a niche and a reason to convince people to come through the doors, so after 242 years, its stories will close. 12,000 people will potentially lose theirjobs. we know that boohoo is paying just £55 million for the brand and will not take on the stock, stories or staff. for many towns up and down the country, that will prove to be a huge blow, because we know that debenhams in many town high street is what is known as an anchor tenant, one of the big names that would normally be one of the attractions for people to go into that town centre and hopefully spend money in other outlets that are there. there are some examples where debenhams is the

key retailer in a big shopping mall and will not open, proving to be a real drag on that shopping mall and also leaving a big hole in what it offers. i think it is because it has failed to keep up with the times that it has found it so difficult to find a buyer. we know that it has beenin find a buyer. we know that it has been in administration for a number of years and has struggled to find anyone who to buy it as a going concern. saying, yes we will have the brand, but we don't want the stories or stock. the nearest rival, the arcadia group, owned by philip green, went into administration last year. it has also been trying to find a buyer. suggestions are that boohoos rival asos could be looking into that. but again, not buying any of the stories, or stock.

tell us more about what boohoo sees in at the brand name debenhams for its own brand, because on the surface, they are such completely different businesses.— different businesses. yes, and i think it tells — different businesses. yes, and i think it tells us _ different businesses. yes, and i think it tells us a _ different businesses. yes, and i think it tells us a lot _ different businesses. yes, and i think it tells us a lot that - different businesses. yes, and i think it tells us a lot that they i think it tells us a lot that they don't want the existing stock. we are led to believe that debenhams will try to open a couple of stories in some shape or form to try and sell off its remaining stock to try and raise a little bit of money. but we are then told that some of the brands debenhams operate will be subsumed into the boohoo website. if you think back to debenhams heyday of the mid—19 90s, early 2000, it did very well at bringing together all sorts of different brands for all sorts of different brands for all sorts of different brands for all sorts of different people. the designers at debenhams range was hugely popular. some big names were designing high—street fashion for people at a lower price point than maybe some designer outlets, so that

proves to be particularly lucrative. but as we said, the way that we shop and market change, debenhams failed to keep up. the idea that we will go in one department store and buy fashion, may some cosmetics and homeware, i think we are all now used to shopping around much more and getting big, bulky items delivered to us at home rather than picking them up on the high street. and while debenhams did have a website that was well used, the suggestion is it was not able to compete on cost, and that is because they were paying huge rent and rates on big city and town centre sites, that meant their prices had to be higher than maybe their online only rivals. and we all shop with our wallets and purses and will go where it is cheapest. and i think there's online rivals really stealing a lead meant that debenhams didn't really appeal to anyone any more. i think as far as boohoo is concerned, they see some value in some of the brands

that debenhams owns. there are a list of well—known brands that we have all come to know and love over recent years, but i think that they have decided that by not having to pay for stock, for overheads, for rent and rates, they can make those much more attractive and much more appealing without having to incur the same sort of costs that they would on the high street. the headlines on bbc news... the prime minister who's been visiting a vaccine centre — says the uk is set to hit its vaccine targets — and he's looking before mid—february at potentially relaxing some measures. mrjohnson also says he can't give a date on when all children will be back to school in england , despite calls from mps for the government to clarify whether schools will fully the office for national statistics publishes its data on coronavirus deaths by profession — taxi drivers, security guards and care workers —

record some of the highest rates. the dutch prime minister mark rutte, has condemned violent protests against the night—time curfew in the netherlands this weekend. police clashed with demonstators who are angry about new coronavirus restrictions in the country. there were protests in eindhoven and amsterdam and dozens were arrested, as anna holligan reports. burning bicycles were built as a barricade. in eindhoven, they wore facemasks to avoid detection and hurled rocks to repel the riot police, who eventually used tear gas to clear the streets. families stopped to stare while others steered clear. the roads were blocked and supermarkets looted as frustration turned to opportunism. the netherlands has just entered its toughest lockdown since the start of the pandemic. while the number of daily covid—19 cases have generally been falling, there are considerable concerns about the risks posed

by the new variants first detected in the uk, south africa and south america. on saturday, all flights from these places were banned. there is resentment too, this liberal nation that enjoyed a relatively relaxed lockdown during the first wave has been forced to change its tune and is now facing one of the toughest in the world. anna holligan, bbc news, the hague. there were also protests in denmark at the weekend. hundreds of people joined a mass anti—lockdown demonstration in copenhagen. police were out in force, and up to nine people were arrested. denmark has introduced new travel restrictions. in france — the top scientific adviser says the country probably needs a third coronavirus lockdown. earlier this month, france brought forward the start of its nightly curfew to 6pm, but since then, the average number of new infections has increased from 18,000 per day to more than 20,000.

boeing's 737 max is expected to get the go—ahead from safety regulators in the uk and europe this week to resume passenger flights. the plane was grounded worldwide in march 2019 after two accidents, in which 346 people died. it has already been cleared to fly again in north america — but a whistle—blower has raised new concerns over the safety of the aircraft. theo leggett reports. the 737 max is back in the air, but is it safe? 0nce boeing's fastest selling aircraft, it suffered two major accidents in less than five months. first a lior air plane went down into the sea off indonesia, then an ethiopian airlines aircraft, near identical to these seen here, crashed minutes after taking off from the ethiopian capital addis ababa. in each case, investigators have blamed flight control software that became active at the wrong time and prompted the aircraft to go into a catastrophic dive. now, the 737 max design has been modified and planes will be fitted with new software.

regulators in the united states insist they have a thorough job, but ed pierson disagrees. he's a us navy veteran and former manager of boeing, who worked on the production line at the 737 factory near seattle. i'm concerned there are potential defects in these aeroplanes that stem back to when the aircraft were manufactured, and i believe that these defects could potentially cause future tragedies. before the lior air crash, while still working at boeing, mr pierson warned his bosses that the factory was making too many planes too quickly and he claimed safety was being compromised. later, after retiring, and after the crashes, he took his concerns to the us congress. now he has written a report outlining what he says were unexplained electrical and control system problems on both aircraft, which were evident before the crashes, but he claims have not been investigated properly.

all the warnings i gave about production quality, all this stuff has sadly come true and i'm just concerned and ifeel like there is a lot of unanswered questions that need to be addressed. boeing has previously described any suggestion of a link between conditions at the 737 factory and the two accidents as completely unfounded, and pointed out that none of the authorities investigating the crashes has found any such link. meanwhile regulators in europe are expected to un—ground the plane this week, with the uk following their example, and they have already made it clear they think the plane is safe. one of the killers of fusilier lee rigby, michael adebowale, is seriously ill in hospital with covid—19. lee rigby was stabbed to death whilst off duty near the royal artillery barracks in woolwich in may 2013. adebowale was taken to hospital from the high security broadmoor facility towards the end of last week and has been receiving oxygen. in 2013 he was jailed

for a minimum of 45 years for the brutal street murder. his fellow killer, michael adebolajo, was given a whole life term. a £2 billion government scheme to create jobs has so far resulted in fewer than 2000 people starting new rules, according to new data. the kickstarter scheme, which launched in september last year, has created 120—thousand temporaryjobs — but the chancellor rishi sunak says most of them can't yet be filled because of the pandemic. helenor rogers will be taking on two graduates via the scheme at her company, troo foods. thank troo foods. you forjoining us. have your work thank you forjoining us. have your work started yet?— work started yet? they will be startin: work started yet? they will be starting in _ work started yet? they will be starting in at _ work started yet? they will be starting in at the _ work started yet? they will be starting in at the next - work started yet? they will be starting in at the next week i work started yet? they will be starting in at the next week or work started yet? they will be i starting in at the next week or so. we are delighted we have managed to crack through and get them on—board. just explain how it works, because it is basically workers that the government pays for, a scheme to

stop them being unemployed? exactly that. it stop them being unemployed? exactly that- it really — stop them being unemployed? exactly that. it really suits _ stop them being unemployed? exactly that. it really suits us. _ stop them being unemployed? exactly that. it really suits us. as _ stop them being unemployed? exactly that. it really suits us. as a _ stop them being unemployed? exactly that. it really suits us. as a start i that. it really suits us. as a start up, we have got a millionjobs to do. and we can provide a real experience that will mean these guys get six months with us that the government pay for, but it is like learning on thejob. we do hope that we can employ them and grow the business fast enough that we can keep them, and, really, it is a great experience and a win win situation where they get a proper job, a realjob with real experiences, and we get people on board to help our businesses. i was auoin to board to help our businesses. i was going to ask — board to help our businesses. i was going to ask you. — board to help our businesses. i was going to ask you, when _ board to help our businesses. i was going to ask you, when you - board to help our businesses. i was going to ask you, when you said they will leave but you hope to keep them on, that is an important element this, because if these are basically young people who get a position for six months and it doesn't need to a job, they are back in the boat that they were in before which is facing a very uncertain prospects in these uncertain times.— uncertain times. exactly that, but we're growing _ uncertain times. exactly that, but we're growing very _

uncertain times. exactly that, but we're growing very fast _ uncertain times. exactly that, but we're growing very fast as - uncertain times. exactly that, but we're growing very fast as a i we're growing very fast as a business. we sell our products in retailers, but increasingly we are selling more and more online, and thatis selling more and more online, and that is what people are helping us with, to grow our e—commerce and our social media marketing, so they will hopefully boost ourselves enough to warrant us keeping them on board. evenif warrant us keeping them on board. even if they don't, we have got a really strong network that we hope we can facilitate a move forward for them. so we hope it is not a case of going back. and they will also have had six months' experience. hagar going back. and they will also have had six months' experience. how did ou ick had six months' experience. how did you pick these. _ had six months' experience. how did you pick these, and _ had six months' experience. how did you pick these, and did _ had six months' experience. how did you pick these, and did you - had six months' experience. how did you pick these, and did you have i you pick these, and did you have people wanting to be the scheme? there are hundreds of people wanting to do the scheme. it is a difficult situation, particularly for recent graduates who didn't even get a graduation ceremonial, so there is nothing for them to facilitate than getting a roll, so there are hundreds of people out there. we have got the cream of the crop. we have got the cream of the crop. we have but to someone with a first degree who has not had a job for six

months. she has also had a year's experience, she had a year out working for an employer. so we are delighted with the calibre of people we have managed to get on board. fine we have managed to get on board. one social we have managed to get on board. 0ne social enterprise it said the people they don't want to see is the people who might getjobs anyway through other means, necessarily benefiting from this scheme, because they want this scheme to be looking at, in particular, people who were unemployed even before covid, whose prospects are even worse? that unemployed even before covid, whose prospects are even worse?— prospects are even worse? that is true, prospects are even worse? that is true. literally _ prospects are even worse? that is true, literally everybody _ prospects are even worse? that is true, literally everybody deserves | prospects are even worse? that is l true, literally everybody deserves a chance. these are bright people who can really make a difference in the long—term, notjust in the short—term for us, and surely they should not be sitting at home waiting for a job to come round. it is very, very hard to get a graduate job now, so we are delighted to give people opportunities. haifa job now, so we are delighted to give people opportunities.— people opportunities. how has your business ferried _ people opportunities. how has your business ferried through _ people opportunities. how has your business ferried through covid? i people opportunities. how has your business ferried through covid? we are business ferried through covid? -

are lucky. we make healthy breakfast cereals, and we are selling more and more online. we sell through retailers. so we are very lucky we have continued to grow. throughout this period, our products are particularly relevant right now because goods gut health can lead to better immunity, so we are in a prime position for growth and we are one of the lucky ones.— one of the lucky ones. thank you for “oininr one of the lucky ones. thank you for joining us- — now it's time for a look at the weather with carole. hello again. some of us saw quite a bit of snow yesterday. for many of us today, it is drier, it is brighter, there is more sunshine. but there still are some wintry showers across parts of the north and also the west. 0n the coasts, more likely to be of rain and sleet. inland, more likely to be of snow, especially in the hills, and you can see a lot of dry weather and a fair bit of sunshine. not feeling as cold as it did through the weekend as well, with temperatures closer to average for the time of year — between three in the north and seven as we come further south.

through this evening and overnight, there will be clear skies. so once again, the temperature will fall away. we are looking at a widespread frost, some further wintry showers and, once again, the risk of ice on untreated surfaces. it is going to be a cold night, but out towards the west, you can already see the cloud building ahead of this next weather system coming our way. and tomorrow, that is going to be moving northwards and it spreads, with some snow on its leading edge across the pennines and southern uplands. but something drier for a time on wednesday. hello, this is bbc news with joanna gosling. the headlines: mrjohnson also says he can't give a date on when all children will be back to school in england, despite calls from mps for the government to clarify whether schools will fully re—open before easter. the office for national statistics publishes its data on coronavirus deaths by profession — taxi drivers, security

guards and care workers record some of the highest rates. debenhams is to disappear from the uk high street with the loss of 12,000 jobs. the fast fashion retailer boohoo has bought the brand and website, but not the stores. riot police clash with demonstrators unhappy about new coronavirus restrictions in the netherlands. fostering agencies in england and wales at breaking point — new figures show a huge increase in children entering care during the pandemic. we will talk more about those children going into care shortly, but there are... sport, and for a full round—up from the bbc sport centre, here's it has been confirmed that frank lampard is leaving chelsea? tell us more. yes, we have had a statement in the last few minutes. it's just been announced

by chelsea that they have sacked their manager frank lampard. the former blues midfielder took over injuly 2019. chelsea beat luton 3—1 yesterday to make it through to the fifth round of the fa cup, but they have only won two of their last eight premier league matches. let's bring in ourfootball reporter simon stone now. why the decision now? well, as they said in a statement, they are making it in the best interests of the football club and for results. they want results to improve. the team have gone from top the premier league tonight. they are five points off the top four, they are 11 points off the top of the premier league down in ninth place and they think the trajectory is down, so whilst everyone at chelsea, the statement includes quotes from lots of people and everyone is stressing what high esteem they hold frank lampard in, there is no doubt

that chelsea as a football club are not shy in making big decisions when they think it is needed to turn results around. and results have not been good enough, and lampard is paying the price. truths; been good enough, and lampard is paying the price-— paying the price. why do you think frank lampard _ paying the price. why do you think frank lampard has _ paying the price. why do you think frank lampard has struggled? i paying the price. why do you think i frank lampard has struggled? well, i think his first — frank lampard has struggled? well, i think his first season _ frank lampard has struggled? well, i think his first season he _ frank lampard has struggled? well, i think his first season he qualified i think his first season he qualified for the champions league when the club were under a transfer embargo, so you have to say he did very well done. he reached the fa cup final, so that was all boxes ticked, but then chelsea spent huge amounts of money, £200 million, on new players in the summer transfer window and they have just not been playing, they have just not been playing, they have just not been playing, they have not scored for quite a while, he missed a penalty in the fa cup against luton yesterday. other players have not played well, there are numerous examples of players who have come in and just haven't done the business for chelsea. and as i say, when the results turned against

any manager, in charge of the team at stamford bridge, they soon find that roman abramovich is absolutely ruthless when it comes to making big decisions he thinks are in the best short—term interests of his football club. it is really, really interesting, in a season where we have seen sole skier and mikel arteta at arsenal come under huge pressure, and abramovich has not afforded frank lampard the same amount of leeway. he has made the decision and he has made it quick. so finally, who do we think we want to take thatjob next? so finally, who do we think we want to take that job next?— to take that 'ob next? well, there will be any — to take that job next? well, there will be any number _ to take that job next? well, there will be any number of _ to take that job next? well, there will be any number of managers l to take that job next? well, there i will be any number of managers who want to take the job. it is one of the best paid and the bestjobs in european football. the word is at the moment thomas to call sacked himself and psg over christmas to

make way for boettcher tino. —— thomas tuchel. he is the only favourite, he is the person that is likely to step in for frank lampard. the interesting thing with that is has been out of the football bubble so when he comes to england will he have to isolate for a period? we will find out about that, but we expect tuchel to be the man to take over from expect tuchel to be the man to take overfrom frank lampard. expect tuchel to be the man to take over from frank lampard.— over from frank lampard. simon, thank ou over from frank lampard. simon, thank you so _ over from frank lampard. simon, thank you so much _ over from frank lampard. simon, thank you so much for— over from frank lampard. simon, thank you so much for that. i over from frank lampard. simon, | thank you so much for that. simon stone, a football reporter there and there will be lots more on the bbc sport website about that story throughout the day. elsewhere... england's cricketers are on course to reach the 164 they need to win their second and final test against sri lanka. sri lanka collapsed dramatically in their second innings earlier this morning. spinners dom bess and jack leach did most of the damage. but it was captainjoe root who took the last two wickets. it's been far from straightforward for england, though, and they were struggling on 89—4 at one stage. but dominic sibley and jos

buttler have held firm. a few moments ago england were 151—4, needing 13 runs to win. that's all the sport for now. i'll have more for you in the next hour. thank you, see you later. before we talk about the increasing number of children going into care during the pandemic, ijust want children going into care during the pandemic, i just want to children going into care during the pandemic, ijust want to bring you some of the messages you have sent through after i asked for your thoughts and feelings earlier if you are a parent, a pupil ora thoughts and feelings earlier if you are a parent, a pupil or a teacher facing and the uncertainty of when to go back to school. kay has sent through this. it is a little note from herfive—year—old grandson that he gave to his mum, saying how he feels and look at that little five—year—old handwriting, i want to go to school, he says, in the... at the second message is, i live at home and i have to stay at home. i don't know what you're grandson is called, kay, but i'm sure it is the

same as lots of kids out there, who are rapidly learning the school isn'tjust are rapidly learning the school isn't just about learning, are rapidly learning the school isn'tjust about learning, is it? anna says, it can't be a coincidence that when schools closed the r rate started to decline. keep schools closed until the spring and we will all benefit as a result. esther says some primary schools up to 70% full with key worker children in lockdown anyway. can we see the data on the impact this is having on rates right now? if the impact a small, what is the justification for not opening primary schools more fully? thank you for those messages, please do keep on sending them into my twitter handle. fostering agencies are at breaking point in england and wales due to a huge increase in children entering care during the pandemic. the largest not—for—profit fostering and adoption agency in the uk, barnardo's, saw a 57% increase in the number of children being referred to its services from april—december 2020, compared with the same period the year before. in wales, there was a 30% increase. greater numbers of vulnerable children are suffering from neglect, domestic and sexual abuse and the strains of lockdown,

the charity says. brenda farrell is the head of family placement at the children's charity, barnardo's. welcome, thanks for joining welcome, thanks forjoining us. that paints a pretty devastating picture of what life is like for these children who are at risk. tell us more about why the numbers going into care is increasing so much. good morning, joanna. well, obviously with the pandemic hitting families they are feeling the strain. your item before about children not being in school, putting pressure on families... many families are experiencing job losses, increased poverty and mental ill issues. all of that combined are putting strains on families. for many children, the option to remain at home isn't possible, so therefore alternative care is being sought. now, bernardo's working in conjunction with our local authority colleagues across england to ensure

that we have enough foster carers to meet the needs of those children and families when they require support. and before we talk more about the level of support that there is, just a pick up on what you said that for some of the kids the option to remain at home is not possible, is it parent saying they simply cannot cope now? 0r it parent saying they simply cannot cope now? or is it a social worker saying the kids are not... it is an environment that the kids are not safe in? and do you know? if you know more about that, has changed on the situation previously? each individual family _ the situation previously? eagm individual family circumstance will be different and personal to their situation. we knew before coming into the pandemic a number of children coming into care was at a ten year high. i am sure if we consider the implications of matters i have mentioned before, compounded with, as i say, poverty and increased pressures of being at home during covid, the impact of home—schooling, we have also seen the figures increase for domestic

violence. all of that will have an impact on the family dynamic and the support available to families. as in lockdown, many families don't have the natural support of extended family members, so that increases the pressure. so for those that may be experiencing some vulnerability, the need for intervention has increased. 0f the need for intervention has increased. of course, our local authority colleagues will not intervene unless they have assessed the situation and remove a child, unless there is a assessed risk of need. the objective will always be to maintain a family and keep children at home with their family, where at all possible. and that is where at all possible. and that is where fostering comes in. the importance of finding alternative, suitable alternative families, to be able to nurture, support, love and assist children if they have to leave their birth families and on many occasions our foster carers help those children to return home to their families swiftly. abshd help those children to return home to their families swiftly.— to their families swiftly. and so, in terms of _ to their families swiftly. and so, in terms of the _ to their families swiftly. and so, in terms of the number - to their families swiftly. and so, in terms of the number of i to their families swiftly. and so, in terms of the number of foster homes available right now to meet

the need, what is the situation? well, from bernardo's perspective, and i know it fluctuates across the country, at the present time, but we have seen, as you noted at the beginning of our interview, we have seen 57% increase across bernardo's, from our local authority colleagues requesting foster placements for children coming into care. from our perspective, we have a number of carers who are having to isolate during the pandemic and many due to ill health has had to take early retirement. therefore it is so critical of the moment that when members of the public are considering may be alternative career path or wanting to make life choices and changes, my plea is that they consider fostering. so choices and changes, my plea is that they consider fostering.— they consider fostering. so 'ust to be clear, then, i they consider fostering. so 'ust to be clear, then, the i they consider fostering. so 'ust to be clear, then, the impact i they consider fostering. so just to be clear, then, the impact of i they consider fostering. so just to be clear, then, the impact of the | be clear, then, the impact of the pandemic... you say, it has reduced the number of foster homes that there are available, so even without that big increase they wouldn't have been enough? so the gap now

obviously is bigger and must be pretty devastating to try to get to grips with because what happens to these kids in the meantime? exactly. exactl . these kids in the meantime? exactly. exactly and — these kids in the meantime? exactly. exactly. and bernardo's _ these kids in the meantime? exactly. exactly. and bernardo's are - these kids in the meantime? exactly. exactly. and bernardo's are working i exactly. and bernardo's are working very closely with our local authority colleagues to ensure that no child is left in a vulnerable situation, but we are in changing times. many carers, as i say, are unable to provide the support they will the moment. and i have to give credit to all of our foster carers and all of our staff, who have continued to ensure that every child is supported, nurtured, loved and cared for, and has stability in these times of change and uncertainty. and we will continue to do that across bernardo's, with over 100 years of experience of placing children with foster carers, we recognise the value of support and training and i am so grateful to our staff group and our foster carers, who have been able to continue to deliver that consistency and nurture

to our children during this time. but, as you say, the situation we expect to increase as children return to school and authorities and teachers suspect that children may need intervention and support through foster care. and that is why bernardo's have launched this campaign today, to raise public awareness of the need for more foster carers to come forward to foster carers to come forward to foster with bernardo's i am not saying that fostering is in any way a solution to loneliness, but obviously right now we do know that there are a lot of people who are in difficult situations, perhaps living alone, unable to have other communication or contact that they would have previously had, so they may well be people in that position thinking, well, i do actually have the resources to take a child more than one child on. what is criteria and how would you go about assessing somebody? the and how would you go about assessing somebod ? . ., , , ., ., somebody? the criteria is you have to be over 21. _ somebody? the criteria is you have to be over 21, you _ somebody? the criteria is you have to be over 21, you must _ somebody? the criteria is you have to be over 21, you must have i

somebody? the criteria is you have to be over 21, you must have a i somebody? the criteria is you have l to be over 21, you must have a spare bedroom and you must have the willingness and commitment to make a difference in a child's life. we work as a team and bernardo's, so anybody who wishes to explore whether fostering anybody who wishes to explore whetherfostering is right for them, i would encourage them today to go to our website, bernardo's slash fostering, and we have a number of case studies, of families and individuals who are fostering for us at the current time and they can tell our story. at the current time and they can tell ourstory. but at the current time and they can tell our story. but also pick up the phone. the numbers on our website and our local services will be happy to answer any questions any people have to find out whether their circumstances is right to foster at this time. as i said before, bernardo's have continued to work with members of the public you are interested in fostering during the pandemic and work virtually to ensure that they can continue on their journey to ensure that they can continue on theirjourney to be ensure that they can continue on their journey to be foster carers. so it is business as usual. i doors are open and welcome, and we would

value the opportunity to speak to people to find out if this is the right time for them to foster. abshd right time for them to foster. and it sounds like _ right time for them to foster. and it sounds like time is of the essence, but obviously you can't cut any corners and vetting potential foster carers. how quick is the process from somebody initially picking up the phone to you to them finally being approved? brute picking up the phone to you to them finally being approved?— finally being approved? we are utilisin: finally being approved? we are utilising technology _ finally being approved? we are utilising technology and - finally being approved? we are | utilising technology and working with all of our support agencies, such as police, health, etc, to ensure that we can complete all of the required checks were somebody comes forward to foster. and the average time, and it will depend on the circumstances of the individual, but on average an assessment can take anything from 4—6— is eight months, but we will work tirelessly and our local teams will ensure that they work and engage with members of they work and engage with members of the public to ensure that a thorough assessment is completed, in conjunction with their circumstances and their availability.—

and their availability. brenda farrell from _ and their availability. brenda farrell from bernardo's, i and their availability. brenda i farrell from bernardo's, thank you very much and do stay in touch and let us know how everything goes. thank you. fish let us know how everything goes. thank you-— thank you. an update on our headlines — thank you. an update on our headlines coming _ thank you. an update on our headlines coming up. - millions of parents and children are about to start a fourth week of home schooling. while it seems increasingly unlikely that schools won't fully re—open before easter, our reporter fi lamdin has been to meet some families who are already feeling the pressure of living in lockdown. four families living in one city. all facing different challenges during this winter lockdown. single dad samuel lives here with his young sons in this tower block. it's harder for reasons that it is wintertime now, so we tend to stay in 24/7. it is chaos. like, organised chaos in a sense, but then sometimes it can go right out, organisation, because the kids, they want things to do. you can only do so much, you can only educate much, you can only educate so much, you can only home—school so much, you can only do home work so much.

where i am in the one—bedroom, it's hard. since lockdown, samuel checks in daily with many of the other families. sienna, have you done your work? all right, bye. and living next door to samuel, up on the 15th floor, is nemery and his family. they've broken the tv twice, they've broken the, like, three chairs, and the table. and they broke as well the sofa, and two beds. our kids, theyjump everywhere. his wife and three children haven't left their flat for three weeks now since the start of this new lockdown. we share laundry, very busy. we share lift, very busy, and we've got cases in this building. so that's why we keep them at home. are you worried this third lockdown is having a damaging effect on your children's mental health? yeah, of course. even as the adults,

we don't want to lock down. and underneath the tower block live this family. it's so hard, because i have to look after four children with a disabled child. my son, you know, he has a lot of medication i have to give him, and i have the baby as well. dhekra has stopped her own studying so she can help home—school her children. and you're feeling pulled in all directions? i'm working so hard, juggling between work, going early to the work and then come back to home, see if they need any help and support for their studies, especially with maths and english. ali is the eldest and in the last year of primary school. the home learning is quite difficult. sometimes i help my siblings. his younger brother mustafa is ten. he has cerebral palsy, diabetes and severe asthma. he said it's bad because he misses his friends at school, and he can't see them at lunchtime. mustafa's family are so concerned

about him catching the virus, they have brought the garden slide into the living room. across town we meet single mum vicky and her family. she set up her own marketing business a year ago. the problem is is i'm having to make the choice between their education or my work. if i don't work, we can't pay the rent, i can't run the car, i can't buy food. i don't have the choice. we're just sat at the kitchen table working because we haven't done any schoolwork today. if the child needs me to actually sit with them and do the work, we're either doing it late in the evening, but then there's dinner to cook and tidying up. you know, maintaining the house, all the stuff that's involved in running a family. four families doing all they can. as they start yet another week locked down. fiona lamdin, bbc news. as many families of children with complex disabilities know, the transition into adulthood can be a really difficult experience.

the model and businesswoman katie price has first—hand knowledge of that. she's been trying to secure the right support for her son harvey, who has a rare genetic disorder and has just turned 18. she's made a documentary about that process, which is on bbc one tonight and she caught up with our disability correspondent nikki fox for a virtual chat. 0h, hi, katie, how are you, darling? welcome to the katie price show. today there are no guests because why? i talk a lot and we haven't got time. for nearly 20 years, katie price has been in the spotlight. my next book is coming out in may and my autobiography comes out in january. she is a model, author, singer and reality tv star. what do you think? i kind of hoped that i was, like, one of the most glamorous blondes on a mobility scooter and then i saw you. are you joking? katie has been recovering from a recent accident when she

broke both her ankles. which has made her already complicated life more complicated. then i wasn't able to walk. if only you could see afterwards, i am on the floor crawling, oh, don't. is that your little lunchbox? love it! but her biggest challenge is still to come. letting go of her son, harvey. happy 18th birthday. in this film, katie wants to show the challenges she and harvey face as he reaches such a crucial stage in his life. things change when you're 18 for anyone. you become an adult. it is pretty predictable to know what will happen with the other kids, whereas with harvey, it is not predictable because he's got complex needs. love it! harvey was born with a rare genetic disorder, autism and sight loss. i am his carer, like, people think i have carers, i don't. you can see that i am a very hands—on mum. are you happy now? yeah.

despite some reports, katie is not putting her son into full—time care. instead, she has made the decision to find the best specialist education for harvey, but as many families in her position know it is not an easy task and not finding the right provision could risk her son's future. katie, what have been the main challenges for you as a mum, for you and harvey, when it comes to going from child services to life as an adult and all that that brings? it's not easy. it's terrifying. so i can see where other parents... until you go through it, you can't explain, but now i'm going through that, if anyone asks me, i can now advise them. because you are like, where do you start? it's not like straightforward when you can just choose a college for them. they have to have the right nursing team, know how to deal with challenging behaviour because i have to stress to them, not that he is like it all the time, but when he kicks off, he kicks off.

her documentary shows just how tricky it can be finding the right setting for someone with such complex needs. he doesn't like it with the doors, we are going to have to go, please. when he was kicking off at the college, in a way, i'm glad he did, because i need them to see what he's like when he kicks off. in the programme, i didn't show him having a full meltdown. ijust wanted to protect harvey. people didn't need to see that. i think they get the gist that he is challenging and it wasn't a documentary i wanted to do to see how many meltdowns he had. he hates the doors banging. oh, what a day! i know, it's all a bit much, isn't it? i he needs this. he needs to have his independence, skills, learning more, life skills, and i think he'll enjoy it. make friends. the reason i wanted to go full—time residential, not care, is because some weekends, they might have disco nights or bowling and he might want to go and do that and notjust come home to me. we are going to waterloo station. makes me feel happy. katie knows her son

and how, with the right support, he can flourish. love it! this is so much fun. is it? yes. the amount of people who love harvey, and to someone, perhaps, harveyjust randomly goes hi! hello! we were in traffic and there was a bus stop, and they must have been kids just come out of school, and harvey is like, hello! and everyone was like, oh, my god! and then they noticed me in the car and they were like, harvey, look, there is harvey price! but he doesn't realise how well—known he is. that's the biggest frog smile i've ever seen. look at it! regardless of what anyone thinks of me, out of my career and using my regardless of what anyone thinks of me, if i can out of my career and using my situation to some good, then i'm proud that some good has come out of my life. katie price and harvey there.

a scottish butcher has marked burns night — which is tonight — by launching a haggis into space. simon howie attached the haggis — which is traditionally served on burns night with "neeps and tatties" — to a balloon which soared more than 20 miles above earth. it then fell safely back down again. simon claims it's the first haggis to have ever reached the edge of space — and he hopes the attempt has given everyone some "much needed cheer". i'm not surprised it's the first tag is true that the reach space! —— might be first haggis. now it's time for a look at the weather with carole. hello again. yesterday, some of us saw our first heavy snowfall of this winter. today, there is still some wintry showers in the forecast but for many of us, it is going to be a dry day with some sunshine. high pressure's firmly in charge. this weather front here, which we call an occlusion, is going to enhance the showers that we have across parts of the north and the west. now, on the coasts, we are looking at a mixture of rain and sleet, but inland, it's more likely to be of snow, particularly so in the hills.

but a lot of us won't see any of that and just have a dry day with a lot of sunshine and variable amounts of cloud. not feeling quite as cold as it did at the weekend, either. temperatures closer to where they should be at this stage injanuary, three in lerwick, seven 3 in lerwick, 7 in liverpool and also st helier. now, through this evening and overnight we hang onto those showers, still wintry in nature, but a lot of clear skies. that means the temperature will fall away readily, especially where we had lying snow and we are looking at a widespread frost and once again, the risk of ice on untreated surfaces. temperatures falling as low, for example, as —4 in birmingham. but the cloud is starting to build out towards the west. that is heralding the arrival of this clutch of fronts, which through tomorrow are going to be pushing northwards and eastwards, taking the rain and on their leading edge some snow and then on wednesday, we have a new, more potent weather front coming our way, introducing rain. so, first thing on tuesday morning, a lot of dry weather to be had. it's going to be cold, it's going to be frosty with a risk of ice. here comes the rain. as it engages with the cold air in scotland and northern england,

we are likely to see some snow. quite a few centimetres likely in the southern uplands and also the pennines, but some of this could be at lower levels. still only 3 degrees in the north, but 10 degrees in plymouth, so a sign of a change. so, through tuesday evening, we say goodbye to this clutch of fronts and then we've got the next one coming our way on wednesday. this one, coming in from the atlantic, is going to bring with it milder air. it's battling with the cold arctic air, which we've been in for the last few days. so, we start off on a cold note in the east during the course of wednesday, a bright note as well. the cloud building from the south—west. very slowly, we start to see a return to this rain coming in across northern ireland, eventually into wales and south—west england. 10s and 11s, but still only 2 in aberdeen.

this is bbc news. the headlines... the prime minister says he can't give a date on when all children will go back to school in england, despite calls from mps for the government to clarify whether schools will fully re—open before easter. debenhams is to disappear from the high street with the loss of 12,000 jobs. the fast fashion retailer boohoo has bought the brand and website, but not the stores. taxi drivers, security guards and care workers record some of the highest rates of death from coronavirus — according to new data. three more arrests are made in the investigation into the killing of 15—year—old keon lincoln, who was shot and stabbed in birmingham last week. the type of person he was, it doesn't make sense as to why anyone would want to harm him or take his life in such a brutal way.

fostering agencies in england and wales at breaking point — new figures show a huge increase in children entering care during the pandemic. frank lampard is sacked by chelsea. it comes after his team have suffered five defeats in their last eight premier league matches. and in cricket — england have sealed victory in the second test against sri lanka. they were chasing a target of 164 runs. it means they win the series 2—nil. borisjohnson is coming under pressure from mps to name a date for when schools can reopen, after he said the government —— after the health secretary matt hancock said he couldn't answer

whether it would happen before easter. the chair of the education select committee, robert halfon, had asked for an urgent question in the house of commons — but the speaker has denied his request. meanwhile, mrjohnson said he's "actively working on" a proposal requiring travellers arriving in the uk to pay to quarantine in a hotel. that's because of the new brazil and south african variants, of which there are currently 86 known cases in the uk. scientists fear that vaccines may work less well against them. in the uk, the latest figures show that more than 6.3 million people have had a first vaccine dose, and on saturday a daily record of 491,970 were vaccinated. the figures suggest that the programme is on course to meet the target of vaccinating the most vulnerable groups by mid—february with at least one dose. that is the earliest point at which restrictions might be eased. let's talk to our political correspondentjessica parker in westminster. so much pressure for clarity on the

government regarding schools. how are they handling that?— are they handling that? there is a lot of pressure _ are they handling that? there is a lot of pressure from _ are they handling that? there is a lot of pressure from mps - lot of pressure from mps conservative mps, in borisjohnson's own party, some of whom are saying they want to see clear criteria, a set of milestones that need to be reached in orderfor set of milestones that need to be reached in order for schools to open. 0thers, reached in order for schools to open. others, even more so than that, suggesting to me privately that, suggesting to me privately that they would like to see a staggered return of schools as soon as possible. 0ne mp telling me this morning they are livid about the situation. you have got families understand the country, schools are just closed for the majority of pupils in england, it is wales, northern ireland and scotland as well, so you have parents and clarity might be trying to work as well as trying to home school their children, so there is a huge amount of pressure on borisjohnson on this issue. it came up yesterday when the health secretary matt hancock was asked about when schools would open in england. by half—time? is that it

is too early to know. buy easter? he said he would —— hope easter. we looking at the data as it comes in. we are looking at the rates of infection. as you know, the jcvi groups 1—4 are going to be vaccinated by the 15th of february. before then, we will be looking at the potential of relaxing some measures. but don't forget that this country has made huge progress in reducing infection — i don't think people want to see another big surge in infection. there was quite a lot of excitement after borisjohnson said there this morning that they would be looking at the potential of a relaxing some measures ahead of that mid review point, the point at which they are hoping to have offered the vaccine to the top four priority groups. the prime minister was absolutely not saying, i am told, measures would be relaxed before that mid—february date. simply that ministers would be looking at what they might be able

to do beyond that mid—february date. interestingly, whether schools could open before easter, borisjohnson said we should assume... slightly different to what matt hancock was saying, so that might add to the criticism that there was confusion and uncertainty surrounding that. the labour party have been making that point. the shadow secretary kate green today saying there needs to be some clarity around the components forgetting schools to reopen again. that means working with schools, working with the education unions and professional organisations, and it is about things like whether you bring all children back at once or whether you bring them back on a phased basis, and if so, which years come back first? labour's been suggesting nightingale schools for some time so that there is more space to ensure safe social distancing. it is about getting the roll—out of the testing programme in schools working effectively, and there have been concerns by the way it was rushed out just before the christmas holidays and may not be as effective

as it needs to be. so i think what we need, as much as knowing what circumstances would need to be in place in order for the government to say children could start to return to school, we also need to know the practical steps that are going to be needed and that will be put in place, and that means schools need to have time to plan and parents need to have time to prepare before their children return. the prime minister has been saying this morning he does not want to relax measures to soon to the extent that you could see a potential resurgence of the virus. we know that the prime minister was very reluctant to impose the second and third lockdown, so a suggestion there that ministers don't want to lift restrictions only to reimpose them. but as to why they are not naming a date as to when schools might return, i think there is a fear inside government that they might end up changing it again. thank you very much.

i'm joined now by steve brine — a member of the covid recovery group, a group of conservative mps which wants the country to "live with" coronavirus after nationwide restrictions end. he's on the group's steering committee. thank you forjoining us. the urgent question that robert halfon wanted to put to get some clarity today has been refused by the speaker, so they won't be clarity today. lloathed been refused by the speaker, so they won't be clarity today.— won't be clarity today. what do you want? just for _ won't be clarity today. what do you want? just for your _ won't be clarity today. what do you want? just for your listeners, i won't be clarity today. what do you want? just for your listeners, let's| want? just for your listeners, let's be clear, kate green would have a lot more credibility. the reason why the urgent question wasn't granted todayis the urgent question wasn't granted today is because the labour party have an opposition day and they don't want to eat into their opposition day, so that is why it has been denied. they are talking about council tax and work as' rights. very important issues. but frankly the most important issue facing our country right now is covid—19, how we're going to roll out the vaccine and how we're to get children back to school. so zero

credibility for me there, thank you. we're talking about vaccinating the top four groups, giving the vaccine a couple of weeks to take effect, you reduce the mortality of covid by almost 90%. you then need to bring your society and economy back to life. the first piece of thatjigsaw is our schools, which the government rightly says is our priority. all we're asking for is the minister who set out a plan to bring some clarity. i know it was said this morning that school leaders wanted that clarity as well. that is all we are asking for.— that clarity as well. that is all we are asking for. how can you be so sure about _ are asking for. how can you be so sure about your _ are asking for. how can you be so sure about your position - sure about your position scientifically when we look, for instance, at what is happening in israel with their vaccine roll—out? they are saying that 80% of the population has to be vaccinated for their to be heard in unity after and for the country to get back to normal without restrictions? —— herd

immunity. the average age of people in intensive care is now down. a lot of people in intensive care are in their 50s. of people in intensive care are in their50s. it of people in intensive care are in their 50s. it is a different picture from where we were before. it is not an arbitrary — from where we were before. it is not an arbitrary timetable. _ from where we were before. it is not an arbitrary timetable. i _ from where we were before. it is not an arbitrary timetable. i am - from where we were before. it is not an arbitrary timetable. i am not i an arbitrary timetable. i am not plucking statistics out of finau. these are the government's owner statistics. about 88% of those who die from acronym mac are in those top four covid—19. we had half a million vaccinated on saturday, which is excellent news. that puts us ahead of schedule for the 15th of february date. the public are entitled, i think, for what is the return of the success of the vaccine roll—out, and schools only priority, and therefore they should see the

reward. and i tell you this, at the moment, in parliament, there is not a ground swell on this. there are many mps who think like i do. the opposition, not so much. but i think there is a moment coming where public opinion is going to change. i think parents across the country this weekend have been having conversations with each other, looking at the headlines news, hearing the secretary talking about restrictions not being lifted for a very long time and they are starting to think, hold on a minute, we did this last year, we put up with this in january. this last year, we put up with this injanuary. now this last year, we put up with this in january. now we this last year, we put up with this injanuary. now we are talking about may. not good enough. we're rolling out the vaccine, and if the vaccine does what it says on the tin, and the evidence says it does, even on the evidence says it does, even on the new variant, there is no evidence to say it won't meet the roll—out. there is a tipping point in public opinion, and you will see that in parliament, and who knows? even at the opposition might start to take notice of that.—

to take notice of that. thank you very much _ to take notice of that. thank you very much for— to take notice of that. thank you very much forjoining _ to take notice of that. thank you very much forjoining us. - jeremy brown is a professor of respiratory infection at university college london and sits on thejoint committee on vaccination and immunisation. thank you very much forjoining us. i am not sure if you could actually hear steve brine there, but his point about being able to open up the country once the first four groups are vaccinated, what do you make of that? the groups are vaccinated, what do you make of that?— make of that? the problem is, the hosital make of that? the problem is, the hospital intake _ make of that? the problem is, the hospital intake isn't _ make of that? the problem is, the hospital intake isn't just _ make of that? the problem is, the hospital intake isn'tjust people i hospital intake isn'tjust people who die of the disease, there are a lot of people in hospital who are actually pretty young and not contained within those first four groups. and they have a much risk of dying, but they still end up in hospital with severe covid, so there is an issue there. so it is more complicated than perhaps just vaccinating the first four groups, protecting 90% of mortality, it is a more complicated than that. lloathed more complicated than that. what would ou more complicated than that. what would you see _

more complicated than that. what would you see as _ more complicated than that. what would you see as a _ more complicated than that. what would you see as a realistic- would you see as a realistic timetable, then, for ending lockdown? i timetable, then, for ending lockdown?— timetable, then, for ending lockdown? . . ., ., , ., lockdown? i am afraid that is moving out of my area _ lockdown? i am afraid that is moving out of my area where _ lockdown? i am afraid that is moving out of my area where i _ lockdown? i am afraid that is moving out of my area where i feel— out of my area where i feel qualified to comment on, to be honest, and i think the discussion about the relaxation of the social distancing and the lockdown is very much on economic and political decision, and i very much a vaccine committee member. fair decision, and i very much a vaccine committee member.— decision, and i very much a vaccine committee member. fair enough. i have mentioned _ committee member. fair enough. i have mentioned the _ committee member. fair enough. i have mentioned the picture - committee member. fair enough. i have mentioned the picture in i have mentioned the picture in israel, which is quite interesting, and they have been rolling out the vaccine quite quickly. two statistics in particular exam out from their experience. they reckoned that 80% of the population have to be vaccinated before restrictions can be lifted because that is when you get herd immunity. also suggestions that the first dose of the vaccine... begs my presence around the strategy of stretching out the gap between the first and second doses. how do you respond to

those two elements? the second doses. how do you respond to those two elements?— second doses. how do you respond to those two elements? the data that we have seen actually _ those two elements? the data that we have seen actually shows _ those two elements? the data that we have seen actually shows that - those two elements? the data that we have seen actually shows that the i have seen actually shows that the 33%, what that means is that after vaccination, within three weeks, 30% -- 33% vaccination, within three weeks, 30% —— 33% fewer people have infection. we are talking about a 33% reduction occurring when the vaccine is only really working for one week out of those first three. so that is very good news, that is very effective. if you look at the data from the trials, it practically matches the trials, it practically matches the trials data. so that means that their vaccine seems to be working as a trial has predicted, and should lead to a 90% reduction in cases with one dose alone. what we in the jcvi have decided... brute with one dose alone. what we in the jcvi have decided. . ._ jcvi have decided... we are out of time. jcvi have decided. .. we are out of time- thank— jcvi have decided... we are out of time. thank you _ jcvi have decided... we are out of time. thank you very _ jcvi have decided... we are out of time. thank you very much - jcvi have decided... we are out of time. thank you very much indeed jcvi have decided... we are out of i time. thank you very much indeed for joining us. you're watching bbc news.

we are going to be bringing you an update with nicolas terol din. if you are watching on bbc goodbye. —— nicola sturgeon. councils in england are being given 23—million pounds to counter fake stories and misinformation around the coronavirus vaccine. the money will be shared between 60 councils and targeted towards groups including people with disabilities, the elderly and those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, who are more likely to suffer the worst effects of the virus. the government said the funding will help save lives. gordon brown has warned that trust in the way the uk's being run is breaking down. the former prime minister, and long—serving chancellor, said the pandemic had exposed tensions between whitehall and the nations and regions. he added that a commission should be set up to review how the uk is governed. a mother has admitted killing her severely disabled ten—year—old son in a west london house last year.

dylan freeman was discovered by police officers in a property in acton. his mother, 0lga freeman, was originally charged with murder. she pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility. at an earlier hearing the court heard dylan died from restriction of his airway. one of the killers of fusilier lee rigby, michael adebowale, is seriously ill in hospital with covid—19. lee rigby was stabbed to death whilst off duty mear the royal artillery barracks in woolwich in may 2013. adebowale was taken to hospital from the high security broadmoor facility towards the end of last week and has been receiving oxygen. in 2013 he was jailed for a minimum of 45 years for the brutal street murder. his fellow killer, michael adabolajo, was given a whole life term. four people have denied committing criminal damage in relation to the toppling of a statue of slave trader edward colston in bristol. rhian graham, milo ponsford, jake skuse, and sage willoughby,appea red before bristol magistrates' court. the bronze memorial to the 17th

century slave merchant was pulled down during a black lives matter protest on 7th june last year, before being dumped in bristol harbour. it was later recovered from the water by bristol city council. the headlines on bbc news... the prime minister says he can't give a date on when all children will go back to school in england, despite calls from mps for the government to clarify whether schools will fully re—open before easter. debenhams is to disappear from the high street with the loss of 12—thousand jobs. the fast fashion retailer boohoo has bought the brand and website, but not the stores. let's go to nicola sturgeon. thank ou for let's go to nicola sturgeon. thank you forjoining _ let's go to nicola sturgeon. thank you forjoining us _ let's go to nicola sturgeon. thank you forjoining us again _ let's go to nicola sturgeon. thank you forjoining us again today. i i you forjoining us again today. i will give you today's statistics as usual. the number of positive cases reported yesterday was 752. that is 8.6% of the total number of tests

carried out and the total number of confirmed cases is now 172,953. 224 of the new cases were in greater glasgow and clyde, 138 in lanarkshire and 87 in ayrshire and arran. the remaining cases where across ten other health board areas. in addition, i can tell you that 2016 people are currently in hospital. that is six more than yesterday. 151 people are in intensive care, which is six fewer than yesterday. i do not want to overstate this because the pressure on our nhs continues to be acute and is likely to be so for some time yet, but we think we may have some cautious grounds for optimism that admissions to hospital are starting to tail off slightly. i am also sorry to report that four additional deaths have been registered in the past 24 hours of a patient who has

tested positive over the previous 28 days, but let me remind you again that the figures we report on a monday are often low because a registration offices are largely closed over the weekend. since the last briefing on friday, we have recorded 81 in new deaths, which takes the total number under the daily measure to 5709, and again today i want to send my since your condolences to everybody who is grieving a loved one because of this virus. i am joined today by the chief medical officer who will help me answer questions shortly. before then, there are couple of issues i want to highlight. the first of thoseis want to highlight. the first of those is progress on the vaccination programme. i can confirm first of all that by 830 this morning, 415,402 people have received their first dose of the vaccine. from today, we are going to be publishing more detailed vaccination figures on a daily basis. these will include

breakdowns on the number of people who have been vaccinated in particular categories. for example, the figures will show today that in addition to 95% of residents in older adult care homes and 95% of front line care workers, we have also now vaccinated 46% of all over 18—year—olds in scotland, and that is up from the 34% that i indicated when i stood here on friday —— 80—year—olds. we are on track to meet that date for the over 80—year—olds. those aged 70 to 79, inviting them to receive their first vaccination jab. inviting them to receive their first vaccinationjab. the inviting them to receive their first vaccination jab. the letters will be in white envelopes and will have the nhs logo clearly shown on the right—hand side of the envelope, so

look out for those. you will be receiving, if you are over 70, one of these letters over the next couple of weeks, starting from today. it is in your interest, and in everybody else's interest for you to get the appointment and get vaccinated as soon as possible. today marks a further important milestone in a vaccination programme thatis milestone in a vaccination programme that is making good progress and we remain on track to vaccinate everybody who is over the age of 70 by the middle of february. just a word of clarity, for those who are over 80, you will not be getting one of those envelopes, because as has beenin of those envelopes, because as has been in the case with those in the over 80 category as has already been vaccinated, you will be contacted directly, either by letter or telephone, with your appointment. but if you are in the 7279 age group, look out for those letters. i want to add a reminder for everybody that once you have received the

first dose, while it will be a relief, i am sure, to you, it doesn't stop protecting you immediately and that is a very important point to get across. the first dose will reduce your chances of getting ill from covid after around two weeks, and even then, we don't yet know, the scientific community doesn't yet know, whether it. you passing covid on to other people. for both of those reasons, it is very important for you still to stick to the current rules and guidelines even after you have received your first vaccination dose. i know that getting the jab will bring a justified sense of relief to many people, but it is really important from now to remember that it should not mean you stop sticking to the advice to avoid getting or passing on covid. the second point relates to support for businesses. businesses across scotland, as we know, have been badly hit by the pandemic. 0ne

scotland, as we know, have been badly hit by the pandemic. one of the sectors which has been particularly severely affected is the wedding industry. covid restrictions have caused many couples to postpone their weddings and dwelling celebrations, and the only weddings that have preceded have been small—scale affairs —— wedding celebrations. we announced targeted support in december and i am pleased to confirm today that applications for support open on thursday this week and the size of the support fund has been increased by 10 million. the support fund has been increased by10 million. it the support fund has been increased by 10 million. it goes from 15 million to 25 million. it will be administered by our enterprise agencies and will provide a grant of “p agencies and will provide a grant of up to £25,000 for businesses directly affected by the cancellation and postponement of weddings during the pandemic. those businesses could include invensys venues, photographers and caterers. details of how to apply —— events venues. they will be on the website at find business supports .gov.scot

and i would encourage eligible businesses to make an application. they play really big role in making sure couples enjoy the wedding day of their dreams, so it is really important that we support the sector now so that it can operate once restrictions start to ease. i hope that this support will provide some welcome help and reassurance to a sector that has found things particularly tough. the final points, just to acknowledge it, todayis points, just to acknowledge it, today is the 25th of january which, of course, is burns day. and i know that over the weekend, there were some ritual burns celebrations taking place, and i am sure there will be a few more taking place. —— virtual burns.

virtual burns suppers ip same as getting together physically to celebrate the occasion, but they are a very good way to enable us to stay safe while still marking very important occasions in the calendar. that point about virtual burns celebrations is a further reminder of the restrictions, if anybody needed, that are in place right now. we are seeing evidence that these restrictions are working, which is positive. we think they are starting to reduce case numbers, and while it will take a bit of time yet for that to feed properly into admissions to hospital and intensive care, we also hope we are starting to see some early positive signs there as well. this is only happening because so many people are complying with these restrictions and for us to maintain this progress, it must —— we must all stick with it. let me summarise by what everybody must do. we are

asking everybody to stay at home, except for essential purposes, such as caring responsibilities, essential shopping and exercise. if you are meeting up with someone from another household outdoors, that should only be a maximum of one other person from another household, so a group of no more than two from the no more than two households. work from home if you possibly can and if you are an employer watching this, you have a duty to help facilitate your staff working from home if at all possible. if you are out for essential purposes right now, please follow very strictly the facts advice. where face coverings where you are doing essential shopping, avoid places that are busy, clean your hands and surfaces, use to me to do something if you are talking outdoors with someone from another household and self—isolate if you have any of the symptoms of covid. above all, though, our plea,

advice, is to stay at home right now. this is a hard restriction, it is demanding horrible sacrifices from everybody but we do believe it is working. in other words, it is already saving lives, so please, please, stick with it. thank you very much indeed for listening today. we are going to go straight today. we are going to go straight to questions now, and the chief medical officer will help me answer these questions. first is stv. goad these questions. first is stv. good afternoon. — these questions. first is stv. good afternoon, first _ these questions. first is stv. good afternoon, first minister. - these questions. first is stv. good afternoon, first minister. what is the current— afternoon, first minister. what is the current rate of uptake for those who have _ the current rate of uptake for those who have been offered the vaccine, and how _ who have been offered the vaccine, and how confident are you that this level of— and how confident are you that this level of uptake is robust enough to ultimately suppress the virus? i don't ultimately suppress the virus? don't have ultimately suppress the virus? i don't have an overall figure for uptake but we will look to get that

regularly. what i can tell you, and i know some health boards have already reported this through their own roots of updating the media, is that uptake is very high. i saw some health boards reporting that a summit gp practices have had a 100% uptake of the vaccinations that had been offered amongst the over 80s population. the uptake is high in the other groups that have been prioritised thus far, so that is positive and i would continue to encourage people to come forward for vaccination as soon as you are given the opportunity. what we also know is that uptake is higher for the main groups for the flu vaccination this year, which is positive. we have got very low levels of fluid circulating right now, but we knew how important it was to make sure there was an uptake of the flu vaccine —— flu circulating. we need to get through the whole vaccination

programme and ensure maximum uptake is taken. the programme and ensure maximum uptake is taken. , ., is taken. the people that participate _ is taken. the people that participate in _ is taken. the people that participate in this - is taken. the people that i participate in this programme is taken. the people that - participate in this programme at is taken. the people that _ participate in this programme at the moment_ participate in this programme at the moment and going to get this vaccine, — moment and going to get this vaccine, the better they are going to be _ vaccine, the better they are going to be protected from the possibility of severe _ to be protected from the possibility of severe disease. at this moment in time, _ of severe disease. at this moment in time, we _ of severe disease. at this moment in time, we still don't know the impact of the _ time, we still don't know the impact of the vaccine of transmissibility of the vaccine of transmissibility of the _ of the vaccine of transmissibility of the virus, so we will be monitoring that over the coming weeks _ monitoring that over the coming weeks and expecting to say something about that _ weeks and expecting to say something about that in the next few weeks as to whether— about that in the next few weeks as to whether the vaccine has an influence _ to whether the vaccine has an influence on the ability to transmit between _ influence on the ability to transmit between people as well. clearly, that is _ between people as well. clearly, that is an — between people as well. clearly, that is an important piece of data that is an important piece of data that is_ that is an important piece of data that is missing right now, but the key thing — that is missing right now, but the key thing is that we have a very good _ key thing is that we have a very good data — key thing is that we have a very good data that show the high protection levels that this vaccine provides— protection levels that this vaccine provides to people and i would encourage anyone who receives an invite _ encourage anyone who receives an invite to _ encourage anyone who receives an invite to go — encourage anyone who receives an invite to go to make sure that they avail— invite to go to make sure that they avail themselves of the opportunity. good afternoon, first minister. what

heeds— good afternoon, first minister. what needs to _ good afternoon, first minister. what needs to happen— good afternoon, first minister. what needs to happen before _ good afternoon, first minister. what needs to happen before schools- good afternoon, first minister. what needs to happen before schools canl needs to happen before schools can be open _ needs to happen before schools can be open pit — needs to happen before schools can be open pit is — needs to happen before schools can be open pit is there _ needs to happen before schools can be open pit is there a _ needs to happen before schools can be open pit is there a target- needs to happen before schools can be open pit is there a target for- be open pit is there a target for the r_ be open pit is there a target for the r rate — be open pit is there a target for the r rate or— be open pit is there a target for the r rate or the _ be open pit is there a target for the r rate or the infection - be open pit is there a target for. the r rate or the infection number and either— the r rate or the infection number and eitherahy_ the r rate or the infection number and either any claims _ the r rate or the infection number and either any claims for - the r rate or the infection number and either any claims for studentsi and either any claims for students to repeat — and either any claims for students to repeat a — and either any claims for students to repeat a year? _ and either any claims for students to repeat a year? for— and either any claims for students to repeat a year? for vaccination, | to repeat a year? for vaccination, is there _ to repeat a year? for vaccination, is there any— to repeat a year? for vaccination, is there any issue _ to repeat a year? for vaccination, is there any issue with _ to repeat a year? for vaccination, is there any issue with the - to repeat a year? for vaccination, is there any issue with the supply| is there any issue with the supply chaih_ is there any issue with the supply chain that — is there any issue with the supply chain that could _ is there any issue with the supply chain that could jeopardise - is there any issue with the supply chain that could jeopardise the i chain that could jeopardise the vaccination _ chain that could jeopardise the vaccination of— chain that could jeopardise the vaccination of the _ chain that could jeopardise the vaccination of the over- chain that could jeopardise the vaccination of the over 80s - chain that could jeopardise the vaccination of the over 80s if i chain that could jeopardise the . vaccination of the over 80s if you also start— vaccination of the over 80s if you also start vaccinating _ vaccination of the over 80s if you also start vaccinating the - vaccination of the over 80s if you also start vaccinating the over. vaccination of the over 80s if you i also start vaccinating the over 70s and we _ also start vaccinating the over 70s and we are — also start vaccinating the over 70s and we are also— also start vaccinating the over 70s and we are also hearing _ also start vaccinating the over 70s and we are also hearing reports i also start vaccinating the over 70s . and we are also hearing reports with calls to _ and we are also hearing reports with calls to the — and we are also hearing reports with calls to the scottish _ and we are also hearing reports with calls to the scottish ambulance - calls to the scottish ambulance service. — calls to the scottish ambulance service. with _ calls to the scottish ambulance service, with many— calls to the scottish ambulance service, with many calls, - calls to the scottish ambulance service, with many calls, it - calls to the scottish ambulance service, with many calls, it is l service, with many calls, it is claimed, _ service, with many calls, it is claimed, being _ service, with many calls, it is claimed, being diverted - service, with many calls, it is claimed, being diverted to. service, with many calls, it is - claimed, being diverted to england, are you _ claimed, being diverted to england, are you aware — claimed, being diverted to england, are you aware of— claimed, being diverted to england, are you aware of any _ claimed, being diverted to england, are you aware of any issues - claimed, being diverted to england, are you aware of any issues there? i claimed, being diverted to england, j are you aware of any issues there? i will are you aware of any issues there? will come back. we took about are you aware of any issues there?- will come back. we took about demand for the ambulance service, i am not aware of the particular claims you have spoken about, but i will look into that. we know the pressure on all parts of our health service are very acute right now, and that is the case notjust across scotland but across the whole of the uk. in terms of schools, we have no particular target dates, or targets in terms of numbers of cases or a

particular target for the r number because it is important we take account of this in the round. a key requirement is that we get community transmission are much lower than it is right now. community transmission, we think, is starting to decline, but it is at a high rate. we have got fewer than 1000 cases today, which will be the first time we have seen that in some time. i would put the slight caveat around that that we are checking to make sure there is no issue there in terms of the flow through of test results which might be, on a monday after a weekend, artificially depressing that figure, but we think community transmission is starting to reduce, but we need to get it down a much lower than that. we have no plans at the moment to ask young people to repeat a year. we continue to let always that we can support people through a very difficult time and the sqa in scotland, the government, we keep the whole issue under review on an ongoing basis. we

have no concerns at the moment about the supply chain that would allow over 80s to be vaccinated. we are well on track to meet the target we set for that, and then we will move into our boards that are putting out the letters to move into the population group between 70 and 79. we do know that further along, the way that pfizer, for example, have rescheduled some of its supplies, so we will still get the same number of doses but it will be phased differently. that is something that those who model supply versus demand as we go through this vaccination programme are paying very close attention to, because as we go through the next few weeks, getting closer to the 12 week interval, we need to make sure the supplies are there to do second doses, so we need to make sure these are things that are kept very close to by our model on a daily basis. gregor, do you

want to see more on the ambulance service question?— service question? there are well-established _ service question? there are well-established resilience | well—established resilience procedures across the uk, the four nations, _ procedures across the uk, the four nations, at— procedures across the uk, the four nations, at times when anyone of those _ nations, at times when anyone of those ambulance services across the four countries, under high pressure for coat— four countries, under high pressure for coal volumes, where coal volumes are diverted _ for coal volumes, where coal volumes are diverted —— call volumes. iam aware _ are diverted —— call volumes. iam aware at _ are diverted —— call volumes. iam aware at the — are diverted —— call volumes. iam aware at the weekend there was a period _ aware at the weekend there was a period where that process was put into place. — period where that process was put into place, but as i say, that is something _ into place, but as i say, that is something that was part of the normal— something that was part of the normal resilience for all of these ambulance services, and something which _ ambulance services, and something which we _ ambulance services, and something which we not infrequently see particularly during the winter period — thank you very much, first minister. first minister. — thank you very much, first minister. first minister, you _ thank you very much, first minister. first minister, you mentioned - thank you very much, first minister. first minister, you mentioned therel first minister, you mentioned there the 12_ first minister, you mentioned there the 12 week— first minister, you mentioned there the 12 week gap _ first minister, you mentioned there the 12 week gap between _ first minister, you mentioned there the 12 week gap betweenjags. - first minister, you mentioned there the 12 week gap between jags. are i first minister, you mentioned there i the 12 week gap between jags. are we to take _ the 12 week gap between jags. are we to take from _ the 12 week gap between jags. are we to take from that _ the 12 week gap between jags. are we to take from that that _ the 12 week gap between jags. are we to take from that that you _ the 12 week gap between jags. are we to take from that that you and - the 12 week gap between jags. are we to take from that that you and your i to take from that that you and your advisers _

to take from that that you and your advisers believe _ to take from that that you and your advisers believe it— to take from that that you and your advisers believe it is— to take from that that you and your advisers believe it is still— to take from that that you and your advisers believe it is still safe? - advisers believe it is still safe? hard _ advisers believe it is still safe? hard there _ advisers believe it is still safe? hard there were _ advisers believe it is still safe? hard there were some - advisers believe it is still safe? hard there were some calls- advisers believe it is still safe? i hard there were some calls over advisers believe it is still safe? - hard there were some calls over the weekend _ hard there were some calls over the weekend for— hard there were some calls over the weekend for that— hard there were some calls over the weekend for that period _ hard there were some calls over the weekend for that period to - hard there were some calls over the weekend for that period to be - weekend for that period to be narrowed _ weekend for that period to be narrowed to _ weekend for that period to be narrowed to six _ weekend for that period to be narrowed to six weeks, - weekend for that period to be narrowed to six weeks, whichj weekend for that period to be i narrowed to six weeks, which we weekend for that period to be - narrowed to six weeks, which we know would _ narrowed to six weeks, which we know would have _ narrowed to six weeks, which we know would have in— narrowed to six weeks, which we know would have in terms _ narrowed to six weeks, which we know would have in terms of— narrowed to six weeks, which we know would have in terms of the _ narrowed to six weeks, which we know would have in terms of the people - would have in terms of the people further— would have in terms of the people further down — would have in terms of the people further down the _ would have in terms of the people further down the priority- would have in terms of the people further down the priority list - would have in terms of the people further down the priority list in - further down the priority list in terms — further down the priority list in terms of— further down the priority list in terms of them _ further down the priority list in terms of them getting - further down the priority list in terms of them getting the - further down the priority list inl terms of them getting the jags. further down the priority list in - terms of them getting the jags. can i ask specifically _ terms of them getting the jags. can i ask specifically about _ terms of them getting the jags. can i ask specifically about these - i ask specifically about these spikes— i ask specifically about these spikes in— i ask specifically about these spikes in langham _ i ask specifically about these spikes in langham over- i ask specifically about these spikes in langham over the. i ask specifically about these - spikes in langham over the weekend? that has— spikes in langham over the weekend? that has led _ spikes in langham over the weekend? that has led to — spikes in langham over the weekend? that has led to the _ spikes in langham over the weekend? that has led to the introduction - spikes in langham over the weekend? that has led to the introduction of - that has led to the introduction of community— that has led to the introduction of community testing _ that has led to the introduction of community testing there, - that has led to the introduction of community testing there, where l that has led to the introduction of - community testing there, where there was a _ community testing there, where there was a sense _ community testing there, where there was a sense bike — community testing there, where there was a sense bike in _ community testing there, where there was a sense bike in stranraer. - community testing there, where there was a sense bike in stranraer. but - was a sense bike in stranraer. but that didn't — was a sense bike in stranraer. but that didn't happen— was a sense bike in stranraer. but that didn't happen in— was a sense bike in stranraer. but that didn't happen in stranraer. i was a sense bike in stranraer. but. that didn't happen in stranraer. can someone _ that didn't happen in stranraer. can someone explain _ that didn't happen in stranraer. can someone explain why— that didn't happen in stranraer. can someone explain why that - that didn't happen in stranraer. can someone explain why that is? - that didn't happen in stranraer. can someone explain why that is? thatl someone explain why that is? that inconsistent— someone explain why that is? that inconsistent are _ someone explain why that is? that inconsistent are they— someone explain why that is? that inconsistent are they good - someone explain why that is? that inconsistent are they good reasons why you _ inconsistent are they good reasons why you might— inconsistent are they good reasons why you might do— inconsistent are they good reasons why you might do community - inconsistent are they good reasons l why you might do community testing in one _ why you might do community testing in one place — why you might do community testing in one place and _ why you might do community testing in one place and not— why you might do community testing in one place and not another? - why you might do community testing in one place and not another? there| in one place and not another? there will be reasons _ in one place and not another? there will be reasons why _ in one place and not another? there will be reasons why we _ in one place and not another? there will be reasons why we attach - will be reasons why we attach resources to other community testing, in particular areas and that will depend on the view of the local health teams, as to whether thatis local health teams, as to whether that is required or not we have growing mobile capacity that we can

use flexibly, so i am not aware, greg or maybe, but if not we can have a look and come back to you if there are any more specific reasons behind those decisions, but these are decisions very much driven by thejudgment are are decisions very much driven by the judgment are considerations of local health teams. i will also hand over to greco on the 12 week dosing interval point as well. —— to greco. that is the advice government has from the chief medical officer that has come from advice given by the jcvi and the has come from advice given by the jcvi and the mhra, that has come from advice given by the jcvi and the mhra, that at this stage in the pandemic the priority should be to get the first dose of the vaccination to as many people as possible as quickly as possible and i have seen the letter challenging that, that you refer to come over the weekend, but i have also seen comments by other experts saying that in their view it is the right approach because the view is the level of protection, albeit with that two weeks or thereabouts interval before the protection kicks in, the level of protection from the

first dose is significant. the second dose might then increase that a bit, but has the main effect of lengthening the period of protection, so that is the advice i... i am protection, so that is the advice i... lam not protection, so that is the advice i... i am notan protection, so that is the advice i... i am not an immunologist, protection, so that is the advice i... lam notan immunologist, i protection, so that is the advice i... i am not an immunologist, i am i... lam notan immunologist, lam notan expert in i... lam notan immunologist, lam not an expert in these things, but thatis not an expert in these things, but that is the very clear advice that the government has accepted and the chief medical officer with his colleagues across the uk can continue to consider all of these things on an ongoing basis. so peter, this decision has been considered very, very carefully by the independent experts on the jcvi and at _ the independent experts on the jcvi and at this— the independent experts on the jcvi and at this point in the epidemic that we — and at this point in the epidemic that we are seeing just now, with epidemiology we are seeing across the uk, _ epidemiology we are seeing across the uk, the appropriate approach is to make _ the uk, the appropriate approach is to make sure that we are protecting as many— to make sure that we are protecting as many people as possible as quickly— as many people as possible as quickly as— as many people as possible as quickly as possible and the data in terms _ quickly as possible and the data in terms of— quickly as possible and the data in terms of the effect is encouraging that respect because what we see is we see _ that respect because what we see is we see a _ that respect because what we see is we see a very high protection from that first _ we see a very high protection from that first dose that lasts quite a significant period of time. no one

is saying — significant period of time. no one is saying that people shouldn't get a second _ is saying that people shouldn't get a second dose. that second dose is then to _ a second dose. that second dose is then to make sure that we provide an additional— then to make sure that we provide an additional few percent of protection, but also to make sure that we _ protection, but also to make sure that we prolong that protection for as long _ that we prolong that protection for as long as— that we prolong that protection for as long as possible, but much of thisjudgment that we as long as possible, but much of this judgment that we are speaking about— this judgment that we are speaking about here from the jcvi is given by experts _ about here from the jcvi is given by experts in _ about here from the jcvi is given by experts in this field who have looked — experts in this field who have looked at vaccinations and the performance of vaccines for many, many _ performance of vaccines for many, many decades and the common scenario is that— many decades and the common scenario is that they— many decades and the common scenario is that they encounter when those vaccines _ is that they encounter when those vaccines are given. and i heard one of the _ vaccines are given. and i heard one of the members ofjcvi give a very, very good _ of the members ofjcvi give a very, very good account this morning of how very— very good account this morning of how very commonly what we see with vaccines _ how very commonly what we see with vaccines is— how very commonly what we see with vaccines is this additional protection, which is made even more significant _ protection, which is made even more significant when that second dose is delayed _ significant when that second dose is delayed. and also that at this moment— delayed. and also that at this moment in time, there is nothing to suggest _ moment in time, there is nothing to suggest that the immune response that the _ suggest that the immune response that the human body provides in this actually— that the human body provides in this actually declines within a 12 week period _ actually declines within a 12 week period in—

actually declines within a 12 week period. in fact, his very clear opinion, _ period. in fact, his very clear opinion, based on his knowledge of the immunology of this response was that over— the immunology of this response was that over that period it is likely to continue to increase. we of course — to continue to increase. we of course will _ to continue to increase. we of course will continue to monitor all the data _ course will continue to monitor all the data in— course will continue to monitor all the data in relation to thisjust now, _ the data in relation to thisjust now. trut— the data in relation to thisjust now, but i'm confident that this approach — now, but i'm confident that this approach is the right approach for the point — approach is the right approach for the point of time that we are just now _ the point of time that we are 'ust now. �* the point of time that we are 'ust now.- thank fl the point of time that we are 'ust now.- thank you, i the point of time that we are 'ust now.- thank you, first h now. allen. thank you, first minister- — now. allen. thank you, first minister. just _ now. allen. thank you, first minister. just returning - now. allen. thank you, first minister. just returning to l now. allen. thank you, first i minister. just returning to the issue — minister. just returning to the issue of— minister. just returning to the issue of vaccination _ minister. just returning to the issue of vaccination priority i minister. just returning to the - issue of vaccination priority groups and the _ issue of vaccination priority groups and the growing _ issue of vaccination priority groups and the growing frustrations - issue of vaccination priority groups and the growing frustrations of- and the growing frustrations of police — and the growing frustrations of police officers. _ and the growing frustrations of police officers. radio- and the growing frustrations of police officers. radio clyde - and the growing frustrations of| police officers. radio clyde has spoken— police officers. radio clyde has spoken with _ police officers. radio clyde has spoken with the _ police officers. radio clyde has spoken with the scottish - police officers. radio clyde has spoken with the scottish police federation _ spoken with the scottish police federation this— spoken with the scottish police federation this morning - spoken with the scottish police federation this morning who i spoken with the scottish police i federation this morning who are calling _ federation this morning who are calling on— federation this morning who are calling on the _ federation this morning who are calling on the scottish _ federation this morning who are . calling on the scottish government to recognise — calling on the scottish government to recognise the _ calling on the scottish government to recognise the risks— calling on the scottish government to recognise the risks officers - calling on the scottish government to recognise the risks officers face| to recognise the risks officers face and provide — to recognise the risks officers face and provide some _ to recognise the risks officers face and provide some information - to recognise the risks officers face and provide some information as. to recognise the risks officers face. and provide some information as to when _ and provide some information as to when they— and provide some information as to when they might _ and provide some information as to when they might start _ and provide some information as to when they might start receiving - and provide some information as to when they might start receiving the vaccine _ when they might start receiving the vaccine they— when they might start receiving the vaccine. they are _ when they might start receiving the vaccine. they are not _ when they might start receiving the vaccine. they are not looking - when they might start receiving the vaccine. they are not looking to - vaccine. they are not looking to push _ vaccine. they are not looking to push ahead _ vaccine. they are not looking to push ahead the _ vaccine. they are not looking to push ahead the vulnerable - vaccine. they are not looking to i push ahead the vulnerable groups, but they— push ahead the vulnerable groups, but they are — push ahead the vulnerable groups, but they are saying, _ push ahead the vulnerable groups, but they are saying, pointing - push ahead the vulnerable groups, but they are saying, pointing to - push ahead the vulnerable groups, | but they are saying, pointing to the report— but they are saying, pointing to the report over— but they are saying, pointing to the report over the _ but they are saying, pointing to the report over the weekend _ but they are saying, pointing to the report over the weekend of - but they are saying, pointing to the l report over the weekend of members of the _ report over the weekend of members of the coast — report over the weekend of members of the coast guard, _ report over the weekend of members of the coast guard, security - of the coast guard, security officers. _ of the coast guard, security officers, food _ of the coast guard, security officers, food bank- of the coast guard, security . officers, food bank volunteers of the coast guard, security - officers, food bank volunteers who had been _ officers, food bank volunteers who had been receiving _ officers, food bank volunteers who had been receiving it _ officers, food bank volunteers who had been receiving it before - officers, food bank volunteers who

had been receiving it before then. i had been receiving it before then. given— had been receiving it before then. given that — had been receiving it before then. given that officers _ had been receiving it before then. given that officers are _ had been receiving it before then. given that officers are very - had been receiving it before then. given that officers are very muchl had been receiving it before then. . given that officers are very much on the front— given that officers are very much on the front line — given that officers are very much on the front line of _ given that officers are very much on the front line of this _ given that officers are very much on the front line of this pandemic, - given that officers are very much on the front line of this pandemic, cani the front line of this pandemic, can you understand _ the front line of this pandemic, can you understand their— the front line of this pandemic, can you understand their frustrations . you understand their frustrations and what — you understand their frustrations and what would _ you understand their frustrations and what would you _ you understand their frustrations and what would you say- you understand their frustrations and what would you say to - you understand their frustrations. and what would you say to officers who are _ and what would you say to officers who are looking _ and what would you say to officers who are looking just _ and what would you say to officers who are looking just for _ and what would you say to officers who are looking just for an - who are looking just for an indication— who are looking just for an indication as _ who are looking just for an indication as to _ who are looking just for an indication as to when - who are looking just for an indication as to when they| who are looking just for an - indication as to when they might start— indication as to when they might start getting _ indication as to when they might start getting vaccinated? - indication as to when they might start getting vaccinated? so - indication as to when they might start getting vaccinated?- start getting vaccinated? so to understand _ start getting vaccinated? so to understand their _ start getting vaccinated? so to understand their frustration? l start getting vaccinated? so to l understand their frustration? of course. understand theirfrustration? of course. everybody understands once you get vaccines as vaccines as quickly as possible. everybody wants to get it today, don't get me wrong, i'm not saying i have the same exposure to the disease that they do, i'm not making that point, but yes, i understand everybody wants to get vaccinated as quickly as possible, but we are following the jcvi clinical priority recommendations because that is a list and an order of priority that is considered to be delivering the greatest impact to those most vulnerable most quickly. and it is doing it in that order that will allow us to reduce the death toll, to be blunt about it, from this virus most quickly. so the reason the elderly care home population is

the elderly care home population is the top group is that i think the number is for a three 20 vaccinations you carry out, you will save one life. the further down that group you go, the number vaccinations to save a single life gets greater, so we are focusing on the groups that allow the greatest impact on saving lives. and if we start to prioritise the groups over those in that priority list, then clearly we are de—prioritising by definition those who stand to benefit in a clinical sense most. i should say that many police officers will be in one or other of those groups. for example, there may be police officers with underlying health conditions that will see them vaccinated in that firstjcvi priority list. there will be police officers over the age of 50, who will also be a net initialevi priority list. now, that whole list

we estimate, and i have said this before, we estimate that we will have got through that whole list by early may and that, to recap, is everybody above 50 and people under the age of 50 with underlying health conditions. at that point, we will go into the wider population because this is a vaccination programme for the whole adult population, and we haven't yet got advice from the jcvi about whether there is a particular order or particular groups that should be prioritised once we go into the wider population. there was a very brief discussion at a four conversation last week about trying to start those discussions and get advice from the jcvi, but the sooner we get through the clinical priority groups, the sooner we get into the wider population and then groups like teachers and police officers and others will start to be vaccinated as well. would you like to add anything? we vaccinated as well. would you like to add anything?— vaccinated as well. would you like to add anything? we have all been waitin: for

to add anything? we have all been waiting for this _ to add anything? we have all been waiting for this vaccine _ to add anything? we have all been waiting for this vaccine for - to add anything? we have all been waiting for this vaccine for many, i waiting for this vaccine for many, many— waiting for this vaccine for many, many months and i understand the frustration — many months and i understand the frustration people feel when you are in a group _ frustration people feel when you are in a group where you still see that perhaps— in a group where you still see that perhaps your vaccination is a long well perhaps your vaccination is along well off— perhaps your vaccination is a long well off yet, but the jcvi have designed the uk programme in a way that we _ designed the uk programme in a way that we can _ designed the uk programme in a way that we can try to protect and save the lives _ that we can try to protect and save the lives of — that we can try to protect and save the lives of 99% of those who are most _ the lives of 99% of those who are most vulnerable to this virus just now _ most vulnerable to this virus just now that— most vulnerable to this virus just now. that is why it is framed in the way that— now. that is why it is framed in the way that it — now. that is why it is framed in the way that it is — now. that is why it is framed in the way that it isjust now, and it is really— way that it isjust now, and it is really important that we continue to work through those groups as quickly as we _ work through those groups as quickly as we can _ work through those groups as quickly as we can to— work through those groups as quickly as we can to protect as many people as we can to protect as many people as possible _ as we can to protect as many people as possible for, let's face it, very bluntly. — as possible for, let's face it, very bluntly. the _ as possible for, let's face it, very bluntly, the risk of death and severe — bluntly, the risk of death and severe illness in those groups. and once we _ severe illness in those groups. and once we have done that we will be able to _ once we have done that we will be able to think through the steps that we need _ able to think through the steps that we need to then take to protect those _ we need to then take to protect those other people across society. it is those other people across society. it is worth — those other people across society. it is worth noting as well that even in those _ it is worth noting as well that even in those groups, that we see just now and — in those groups, that we see just now and that we are currently prioritising in phase one, even beyond — prioritising in phase one, even beyond that there are significant number— beyond that there are significant number of people who are likely to end up— number of people who are likely to end up in— number of people who are likely to end up in hospital or even in icu as a consequence of catching covid, so

we need _ a consequence of catching covid, so we need to— a consequence of catching covid, so we need to make sure we continue to prioritise _ we need to make sure we continue to prioritise on— we need to make sure we continue to prioritise on those impacts of saving — prioritise on those impacts of saving lives.— prioritise on those impacts of saving lives. prioritise on those impacts of savin: lives. . . saving lives. 0k, we will leave that news conference _ saving lives. 0k, we will leave that news conference with _ saving lives. 0k, we will leave that news conference with scotland's i news conference with scotland's first minister coming live from hollywood. let's talk about the most at risk groups throughout this pandemic because the office of national statistics has this morning published a comprehensive breakdown of the jobs that have seen the highest numbers of people dying. they have looked at all of the data from last march through to the end of last year, so it is a comprehensive look at where the deaths have been happening and one of the conclusions is that men working in processing plants, security guards are as chefs at some of highest covid—19 death rates last year. the office for national statistics says plant workers had three times the rate for deaths compared to the wider population. among female workers, some of the highest covid—19 deaths were forjobs involving assembly lines and routine machine operations, such as sewing machinists, as well as care workers and home carers.

let's talk to our correspondent, rachel schraer. isaid it i said it is a comprehensive breakdown, sojust talk i said it is a comprehensive breakdown, so just talk us through, it is basically people in the fun line of manualjobs, isn't it? that's right, very much people who are public facing, whether that is in restaurants, working with people in restaurants, working with people in care homes or who might be working with closable quarters with people, like in factories, and who might find it more difficult to distance, so we can see that real theme. �* distance, so we can see that real theme. . ., ., . , _, theme. and how do the rates compare with others in — theme. and how do the rates compare with others in the _ theme. and how do the rates compare with others in the population - theme. and how do the rates compare with others in the population in - with others in the population in otherjobs? it with others in the population in otherjobs?— with others in the population in otherjobs? other 'obs? it varies, but i think ou otherjobs? it varies, but i think you have--- _ otherjobs? it varies, but i think you have... so _ otherjobs? it varies, but i think you have... so among _ otherjobs? it varies, but i think you have... so among nurses. otherjobs? it varies, but i think you have... so among nurses it| otherjobs? it varies, but i think i you have... so among nurses it is twice rate of care were —— twice the rate, and often three times the rate with care workers. and in manual jobsit with care workers. and in manual jobs it is very high rate as well, so a really significant risk. the one thing that is missing in this data is comparing people as

occupations and the rates of the virus with other people at the same age and sex, but is not necessarily looking at other demographic factors, like ethnicity or other health conditions, so we are missing variation. , ., , , ., health conditions, so we are missing variation. , ., ,, ., , variation. one profession people miaht variation. one profession people might look _ variation. one profession people might look at — variation. one profession people might look at closely _ variation. one profession people might look at closely in - variation. one profession people i might look at closely in particular, as there is so much pressure for schools to properly go back, and other sleep they have been open for children of key workers throughout, but teachers. one line that i saw said that actually teachers are less at risk of dying from covid—19, when compared to the general population, which sounds strange? yes. compared to the general population, which sounds strange?— which sounds strange? yes, so i think what _ which sounds strange? yes, so i think what we _ which sounds strange? yes, so i think what we can _ which sounds strange? yes, so i think what we can definitely... l which sounds strange? yes, so i i think what we can definitely... and bearing in mind that once we are talking about deaths in particular, occupations it is often quite small numbers, actually, so there is quite a bit of uncertainty around it, but we can certainly say teachers don't seem to have a particularly elevated risk at all. they are not at more risk at all. they are not at more risk than the general population. if you lookjust at risk than the general population. if you look just at secondary school teachers there may be a very slightly higher elevated risk, particularly if you compare it with some office jobs when people will

most likely be working at home now, but in general teachers don't seem to be at high risk from their age and sex in general to the general population, certainly not if we compare it to care workers or nurses or people in those manual occupations, nothing like those high risks. irate occupations, nothing like those high risks. ~ . . , occupations, nothing like those high risks. . . , ., risks. we have so many statistics out from the _ risks. we have so many statistics out from the office _ risks. we have so many statistics out from the office for _ risks. we have so many statistics out from the office for national. out from the office for national statistics for this pandemic. you have said these one specifically focus on jobs and don't look at other risk factors. so how much can we extrapolate from these statistics today about whether it is the job causing the death rate is another factor? i causing the death rate is another factor? ., �* ~' causing the death rate is another factor? ., �* ,, factor? i don't think we can say the 'obs are factor? i don't think we can say the jobs are causing — factor? i don't think we can say the jobs are causing the _ factor? i don't think we can say the jobs are causing the death - factor? i don't think we can say the jobs are causing the death rates. . factor? i don't think we can say the | jobs are causing the death rates. we can say you look at those occupations and you look at the rates of covid deaths in them and you can say, among nurses, there is a higher rate of deaths than there is in the general population, but there might be other factors involved that are causal, notjust the job but perhaps the types of people doing the job and other things around that.— people doing the job and other things around that. thank you very much, things around that. thank you very much. rachel— things around that. thank you very much, rachel schraer. _ the headlines on bbc news... the prime minister says he can't

give a date on when all children will go back to school in england, despite calls from mps for the government to clarify whether schools will fully re—open before easter. debenhams is to disappear from the high street with the loss of 12,000 jobs. the fast fashion retailer, boohoo, has bought the brand and website, but not the stores. or the stock. taxi drivers, security guards and care workers record some of the highest rates of death from coronavirus, according to new data. police investigating the death of a teenager in birmingham on thursday have arrested three more boys, aged between 1a and 16. they're being held on suspicion of murdering 15—year—old keon lincoln, who was shot and stabbed in handsworth. two 14—year—olds were arrested on friday and one has been released under investigation. in a news conference this morning, keon's mother, sharmaine lincoln, appealed for information and spoke about the moment she realised

something had happened. i heard what happened. i heard the gunshots and my first instinct was where is my son? those are the first words i said, where it is my son? a few minutes went by and... i found out that there was somebody up the road and... yeah, it was my boy. it doesn't make sense to us. the type of person keon lincoln was, it doesn't make sense as to why anybody would want to harm him or take his life in such a brutal way, it doesn't make any sense. we need clarity. wejust doesn't make any sense. we need clarity. we just need to understand why it happened. just need to understand.— why it happened. just need to understand. . ., �*, understand. that was keon lincoln's mum. leading the investigation is dci alastair orencas from west midlands police. he's urging the community to cooperate in a case which he says

has shown the most pointless use of extreme violence he's witnessed. i will be quite frank. the response from the community in terms of information is not where it should be and i know the family have courageously made a request today around that and i would do exactly that because there are three words really that come to my mind, really reflecting what the lincoln family have said and that is shock, absolutely pointless attack and one that i can't clear my mind of and it is absolute cowardice. at 3:35pm in the afternoon, in broad daylight, where there is a multiple knife attack and firearms discharge and there is now a 15—year—old fun loving boy in a mortuary. the level of violence is notjust caused a

shock to the family, but hardened police officers that work within homicide command. and i have to say in the 2a years that i have been in the police service, this is the most pointless use of extreme violence that i have witnessed. let's go back to what the prime minister has been saying about covid today. he was asked when parents could expect their children to be back at school. the first thing i want to say is just a massive thank you to all the parents who have been looking after their kids at home in the last few weeks. i know how stressful it has been, i know the pressure people are under since the new year and it has been going on and i must tell you it will go on a little bit more. we are going to be looking at where we've got to on the 15th of february, where,

as you know, we hope to vaccinated about 15 million people across the whole of the uk. the jcvi group's 1—4, the real priority groups. we will be deciding before then whether we can be getting schools back and i can tell you that daily we are looking at the data and trying to work out when we are going to be able to lift restrictions. schools obviously will be a priority, but i don't think anybody would want to see the restrictions lifted so quickly whilst the rate of infection is still very high, so as to lead to another great spread of infection. we have now got the r down below one across the whole of the country. that is a great achievement. we don't want to see a huge surge of infection just when we have got the vaccination programme going so well and people have worked so hard. can we rule out schools, then, reopening for children before easter?

will they be open before easter? i understand why people want to get a timetable from me today. what i can tell you, we will tell parents and teachers as soon as we can what i can tell you, we will tell parents we will be looking at the time tables, we will be looking at all the predictions about the numbers of people we would have vaccinated, the effect that has on the risk to the whole population, just how fast we can go, but how fast we can go in a responsible and cautious way because i do think now this massive achievement has been made, rolling out this vaccination programme, i think you will want to see us making sure that we don't, you know, threw led away by having a premature relaxation and then another big surge of infection. some of your own mps are accusing you and the government are forgetting about schools. when i asked you about schools and whether they will be open before easter,

you can't answer it. i assume that means they won't be open before easter. no, you mustn't assume that. if i may say so... but parents and teachers want to have a rough plan here, prime minister, and they have absolutely no idea when schools are going to be open. is that the situation you are in? you just have no idea when they are going to reopen? we are looking at the data as it comes in. rates of infection, as you know, the jcvi groups 1—4 will be vaccinated by the 15th of february. before then we'll be looking at the potential of relaxing some measures, but don't forget that this country has made huge progress in reducing the infection rates and i don't think people want to see another big surge in infections. i totally understand the frustrations of parents and i really thank teachers for what they are doing and the immense efforts that they are going to to teach kids online and the government has provided a lot of laptops, about 1.3 million laptops, and i know that is no substitute for direct

fa ce—to —fa ce no substitute for direct face—to—face learning. believe me, dan, there's nothing i want to do more than reopen schools. i fought to keep schools open for as long as i possibly could. we want to see schools back. we want to see them back as fast as possible. we want to do that in a way that is consistent with fighting the epidemic and keeping the infection rate down. {line keeping the infection rate down. one ofthe keeping the infection rate down. one of the issues — keeping the infection rate down. one of the issues obviously this week for you will be the borders, controlling the borders, seeing who comes in and leaves. one of the argument this is to quarantine hotels. any confirmed quarantine photos are stunning are definitely looking at? photos are stunning are definitely lookin: at? , , ., ., ~' looking at? yes, definitely looking at, buti looking at? yes, definitely looking at, but i gotta _ looking at? yes, definitely looking at, but i gotta tell— looking at? yes, definitely looking at, but i gotta tell you _ looking at? yes, definitely looking at, but i gotta tell you at - looking at? yes, definitely looking at, but i gotta tell you at the - at, but i gotta tell you at the moment the uk already has one of the tightest resumes in the world, so don't forget everybody when you're coming into the uk, or coming back from the uk you have to have a test 72 hours before you fly, you have to have a passenger locator form, 72 hours before you fly, you have to have a passenger locatorform, the the airline will pick you off if you don't produce either of those, i view your test or your passenger location form, then of course you've got to quarantine for ten days or

five days if you get another negative test. but with this vaccination, i think we have done 3.6 million people now in the uk as a whole. we are on target, just, just, we are on target to hit our ambition of testing, sorry, vaccinating everybody in those vulnerable groups by the middle of february. it is an immense effort by the nhs. if we are going to make that effort, which we are, we want to make sure that we protect our population, protect this country against reinfection from abroad, so that idea of looking at hotels is certainly one thing we are actively now working on.— certainly one thing we are actively now working on. would that include all --eole now working on. would that include all people coming — now working on. would that include all people coming into _ now working on. would that include all people coming into the - now working on. would that include all people coming into the uk - now working on. would that include all people coming into the uk or. all people coming into the uk or from certain countries or would it include brits as well? we from certain countries or would it include brits as well?— include brits as well? we need a solution that _ include brits as well? we need a solution that gives _ include brits as well? we need a solution that gives us _ include brits as well? we need a solution that gives us the - include brits as well? we need a . solution that gives us the maximum possible protection against reinfection from abroad because it

doesn't take... you can see the risk, which is that we can do an amazing job of vaccinating our population, but we have to realise there is at least a theoretical risk of a new variant that is a vaccine busting variant coming in and we have got to be able to keep that under control.— have got to be able to keep that under control. one final question. the first minister _ under control. one final question. the first minister of _ under control. one final question. the first minister of scotland - the first minister of scotland yesterday said she will hold an advisory referendum, whether westminster can sense or not. do challenge the scottish government in the court they tried to hold a referendum? i the court they tried to hold a referendum?— the court they tried to hold a referendum? . ~ . _, , the court they tried to hold a referendum? . ~ . , ., referendum? i can make a couple of oints on referendum? i can make a couple of points on that- _ referendum? i can make a couple of points on that. this _ referendum? i can make a couple of points on that. this country - referendum? i can make a couple of points on that. this country is - points on that. this country is going through a pandemic, the whole of the uk is going through a pandemic and i think what the people of the united kingdom want to see is everybody focusing on beating a pandemic, which we are, rolling out vaccine, and getting ready to bounce back from the pandemic and have the strongest possible economic recovery. that is the priority for the whole of the united kingdom and i think people can also see everywhere in the uk the visible

benefits of our wonderful union. a vaccine programme that has been rolled out by an nhs, a national health service, a vaccine that was developed in labs in oxford and is being administered by the british army, so i think the strengths and advantages of the union speakfor speak for themselves. boris johnson s - eakinu speak for themselves. boris johnson speaking earlier— speak for themselves. boris johnson speaking earlier at _ speak for themselves. boris johnson speaking earlier at a _ speak for themselves. boris johnson speaking earlier at a vaccination - speaking earlier at a vaccination centre. the one o'clock news is coming up in a few moments were simon mccoy, but first time for a weather update on tomos morgan. the cold weather is going to come to an end, basically we have got today let any bit of tomorrow and then it is going to turn quite a bit milder, but the frost is going to return this evening and overnight, so once again in the morning tomorrow it will be quite icy in places. now, the weather is a lot sunnier today, compared to what we had yesterday. clear skies they are because part of the country. these are the temperatures around late afternoon, so pretty nippy in places, barely above freezing in some areas, where there is still a lot of snow lying

around. about 20 centimetres or so yesterday across parts of the midlands. through this evening, some wintry showers, yes, across parts of scotland, but clear across the bulk of scotland, england and wales. eventually it's going to turn milder through the night in northern ireland and that is because a changes taking place. a weather front is approaching and with that also southerly winds are developing in these southerly winds up going to push milder air in these southerly winds up going to push milderair in in these southerly winds up going to push milder air in our direction, but notice parts of scotland and also of an england stilljust about in a cold air, so that does mean that when this weather front moves across the country, on tuesday, with the rain falling across southern and western areas, it is more likely to be snow across the pennines, yorkshire, maybe even in some towns and cities at lower ground, but also snow across the scottish mountains. to the south of that, a lot milder, we are talking about 10 degrees in

plymouth, so you can see that weather front moving through and then eventually even across the pennines it will turn to rain, but i think the snow will continue across the highlands tomorrow evening. here is mid week. one weather front fizzles out, we have a repeat performance. this is the next one, so one on tuesday, the next weather front coming in late on wednesday. ahead of it, the weather is actually not too bad, some sunshine around, absolutely fine in scotland, with glasgow and edinburgh looking pretty sunny, but notice later in the afternoon on wednesday it is starting to turn wet again in south—western england and parts of wales. that is going to spread north across the country as well, you can see by the time get to thursday we are into double figures, that 12 degrees expected in the south of the country, so a cold and crisp day today and tomorrow it will change.

no change in covid rules before mid—february — but the prime minister says he will be looking to relax the rules as soon as the numbers allow. with the vaccination programme in full swing, borisjohnson says he doesn't want to risk a surge in covid infections. thejcvi groups one to four are going to be vaccinated by the 15th of february. before then, we'll be looking at the potential of relaxing some measures. as the government considers tougher measures for travellers, we'll be getting the latest live from westminster. also this lunchtime... no firm date for the return of schools in england — amid claims pupils risk becoming the "forgotten victims" of the pandemic. millions of children aren't learning a lot. the remote learning can be varied. that mental health problems are on the rise.

the family of teenager keon lincoln describe their shock,