skynewspolitics--2020-07-09--Minister sacked by PM set to chair powerful security committee

Downing Street has nominated five Conservative MPs to the nine-strong House of Commons committee set to publish a long-awaited report into alleged Russian interference in UK politics .
Former Cabinet minister Chris Grayling , who is touted to be the new chair of the powerful Intelligence and Security Committee ( ISC ) , is on the list of nominees set to be approved by MPs next week .
He is joined by fellow Conservative former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers and other Tory MPs Sir John Hayes , Julian Lewis and Mark Pritchard .
Labour MPs Diana Johnson and Kevan Jones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peer Lord West , the former head of the Royal Navy , are the other nominees .
MPs will be asked to approve the nominations next week via a parliamentary motion tabled by Prime Minister Boris Johnson , with the House of Lords also asked to approve the nomination of Lord West .
The approved members of the committee , which oversees UK intelligence matters , will then elect a chair , with Mr Grayling widely expected to take on the position .
They will then be expected to soon publish a report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , compiled by their predecessors on the ISC .
Critics have accused the government of sitting on the report for nine months .
Former ISC chair Dominic Grieve , the ex-Tory MP , said the report had been sent to Downing Street on 17 October and was ready for publication once it had been signed off , a process that usually takes up to 10 days .
However , the report was not released for publication by Mr Johnson before December 's general election , at which point the former members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since taken almost seven months for Downing Street to nominate new ISC members and so allow for the report to be published .
: : Listen to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Asked on Thursday how soon the Russia report could be published after the new ISC is formed , the prime minister 's spokesman said : `` Publication is a matter for the committee but we would urge them to publish as soon as possible . ''
The government has been accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Mr Grayling as the new head of the ISC , with Tory MPs set to hold a majority when the committee elects its chair .
Mr Grayling was sacked as a cabinet minister by Mr Johnson when he became prime minister last July , but the pair were colleagues as part of the Vote Leave campaign during the EU referendum .
During his previous nine years as a government minister , including spells in three different Cabinet roles , Mr Grayling became known by critics as `` failing Grayling '' due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments .
The SNP 's Westminster leader , Ian Blackford , said it was `` deeply concerning that the latest plan devised by Dominic Cummings and Boris Johnson will aim to parachute Chris Grayling as chair of the committee by putting forward favourable Tory members who will vote him through as chair '' .
`` The chair of the ISC has long been appointed by consensus and this move does nothing less than undermine the role of the ISC and breach its independence , '' he added .
`` The likely nomination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a distinct record in government as a jack of all trades and master of none - will deliver a blow to the effectiveness of the committee 's work . ''

Downing Street has nominated five Conservative MPs to the nine-strong House of Commons committee set to publish a long-awaited report into alleged Russian interference in UK politics.
Former Cabinet minister Chris Grayling, who is touted to be the new chair of the powerful Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), is on the list of nominees set to be approved by MPs next week.
He is joined by fellow Conservative former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers and other Tory MPs Sir John Hayes, Julian Lewis and Mark Pritchard.
Image: Boris Johnson has been accused of sitting on the Russia report for nine months
Labour MPs Diana Johnson and Kevan Jones, SNP MP Stewart Hosie and Labour peer Lord West, the former head of the Royal Navy, are the other nominees.
MPs will be asked to approve the nominations next week via a parliamentary motion tabled by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, with the House of Lords also asked to approve the nomination of Lord West.
The approved members of the committee, which oversees UK intelligence matters, will then elect a chair, with Mr Grayling widely expected to take on the position.
They will then be expected to soon publish a report into alleged Russian interference in the UK, compiled by their predecessors on the ISC.
Critics have accused the government of sitting on the report for nine months.
Former ISC chair Dominic Grieve, the ex-Tory MP, said the report had been sent to Downing Street on 17 October and was ready for publication once it had been signed off, a process that usually takes up to 10 days.
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However, the report was not released for publication by Mr Johnson before December's general election, at which point the former members of the ISC relinquished their roles.
It has since taken almost seven months for Downing Street to nominate new ISC members and so allow for the report to be published.
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Asked on Thursday how soon the Russia report could be published after the new ISC is formed, the prime minister's spokesman said: "Publication is a matter for the committee but we would urge them to publish as soon as possible."
The government has been accused by opposition parties of "parachuting" in Mr Grayling as the new head of the ISC, with Tory MPs set to hold a majority when the committee elects its chair.
Mr Grayling was sacked as a cabinet minister by Mr Johnson when he became prime minister last July, but the pair were colleagues as part of the Vote Leave campaign during the EU referendum.
During his previous nine years as a government minister, including spells in three different Cabinet roles, Mr Grayling became known by critics as "failing Grayling" due to a number of controversies at his various departments.
The SNP's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, said it was "deeply concerning that the latest plan devised by Dominic Cummings and Boris Johnson will aim to parachute Chris Grayling as chair of the committee by putting forward favourable Tory members who will vote him through as chair".
"The chair of the ISC has long been appointed by consensus and this move does nothing less than undermine the role of the ISC and breach its independence," he added.
"The likely nomination of Chris Grayling as chair - who has a distinct record in government as a jack of all trades and master of none - will deliver a blow to the effectiveness of the committee's work."


skynewspolitics--2020-07-09--Starmer urges government to 'come clean' after Sky News testing revelations

Ministers have been urged to `` come clean '' after Sir Keir Starmer said a Sky News report revealing the confusion over coronavirus test numbers was `` very concerning '' .
The Labour Party leader piled pressure on the government to release the results of an internal audit which showed some figures on the COVID-19 tests do not add up .
His comments came in response to officials telling Sky News they `` completely buffed the system '' and `` we will probably never know how many people have been tested for the virus '' .
They had been racing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target set by Health Secretary Matt Hancock .
In the wake of the story being published , the Department for Health and Social Care ( DHSC ) published new data showing the cumulative number of people tested between the end of January and late May was just under two million .
Sir Keir called on the government to clear up the issue for good .
`` I 've seen this report from Sky on testing and it 's very concerning , '' he said during a visit to a manufacturer in Harlow , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an internal audit .
What I say to the government is : Open the books .
We know there 's been double counting , we know that some of the tests sent out never made it back .
`` And we have n't had the number of people tested everyday published for over a month .
`` This has got to be cleared up .
It 's so important to confidence .
This is n't just about the numbers .
Referring to the chancellor subsidising meals out to support the return of restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` 'Do the public have confidence in the system ? '
is critical to the economy .
Because food vouchers to eat out will only work if people have confidence .
`` So open the books , show us the workings and come clean on this . ''
Government sources have insisted the test system is improving , pointing to small but significant changes in the way information is recorded and reported .
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said : `` We rapidly built , from scratch , a large-scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test to anybody who needs one .
`` Over 11 million tests have been delivered so far and we have the capacity to carry out more than 300,000 tests per day - helping to curb the spread of the virus and save lives .
`` Throughout the pandemic , we have been transparent about our response to coronavirus and are always looking to improve the data we publish , including the way we update testing statistics .
`` We have engaged with the Office of National Statistics and the Office for Statistics Regulation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will continue to work closely with them as we develop these figures . ''

Ministers have been urged to "come clean" after Sir Keir Starmer said a Sky News report revealing the confusion over coronavirus test numbers was "very concerning".
The Labour Party leader piled pressure on the government to release the results of an internal audit which showed some figures on the COVID-19 tests do not add up.
His comments came in response to officials telling Sky News they "completely buffed the system" and "we will probably never know how many people have been tested for the virus".
Image: The government raced to try and reach 100,000 tests a day by 1 May
They had been racing to meet the 100,000 tests a day target set by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
In the wake of the story being published, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) published new data showing the cumulative number of people tested between the end of January and late May was just under two million.
Sir Keir called on the government to clear up the issue for good.
"I've seen this report from Sky on testing and it's very concerning," he said during a visit to a manufacturer in Harlow, Essex.
"I think there was an internal audit. What I say to the government is: Open the books. We know there's been double counting, we know that some of the tests sent out never made it back.
"And we haven't had the number of people tested everyday published for over a month.
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"This has got to be cleared up. It's so important to confidence. This isn't just about the numbers.
Image: Matt Hancock claimed on 21 May that 2.06 million tests were sent out
Referring to the chancellor subsidising meals out to support the return of restaurant and cafes, Sir Keir added: "'Do the public have confidence in the system?' is critical to the economy. Because food vouchers to eat out will only work if people have confidence.
"So open the books, show us the workings and come clean on this."
Government sources have insisted the test system is improving, pointing to small but significant changes in the way information is recorded and reported.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We rapidly built, from scratch, a large-scale testing programme and can now provide a test to anybody who needs one.
"Over 11 million tests have been delivered so far and we have the capacity to carry out more than 300,000 tests per day - helping to curb the spread of the virus and save lives.
"Throughout the pandemic, we have been transparent about our response to coronavirus and are always looking to improve the data we publish, including the way we update testing statistics.
"We have engaged with the Office of National Statistics and the Office for Statistics Regulation on our new approach to these publications and will continue to work closely with them as we develop these figures."


skynewspolitics--2020-07-09--Government scraps target for 50% of young people to go to university

The government is to tear up the target for 50 % of young people in England to attend university .
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the target , set by former prime minister Tony Blair in 1999 , has led to graduates competing for `` jobs that do n't exist '' and youngsters who do not attend university being `` written off '' .
In a speech on Thursday , Mr Williamson promised the government would instead invest in `` German-style '' technical education , in order to equip young people to fill shortages in the job market .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for decades , we 've forgotten about half of our education system .
`` When Tony Blair uttered that 50 % target for university attendance , he cast aside the other 50 % .
`` It was a target for the sake of a target , not with a purpose . ''
Mr Williamson blamed `` inbuilt snobbishness '' for successive governments and policy experts concentrating on university admissions because that is `` the route that we took ourselves '' .
`` Our universities have an important role to play in our economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are limits to what we can achieve by sending ever more people into higher education , which is not always what the individual or the nation needs '' , he said .
The ambition for more than half of young people in England to go to university was only achieved in September 2019 , when official figures showed 50.2 % admitted - with a majority of them women .
Mr Williamson , addressing the Social Market Foundation , said a third of graduates end up in non-graduate jobs , and the most disadvantaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university .
`` I do n't accept this absurd mantra , that if you are not part of the 50 % of the young people who go to university that you 've somehow come up short , '' he said .
`` You have become one of the forgotten 50 % who choose another path . ''
He added : `` Further education is central to our mission of levelling up the nation . ''
Critics point out that further education and sixth form colleges have seen the deepest cuts of any part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 % in real terms , according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies .
In Germany , 20 % of adults aged 18 to 65 hold a technical qualification .
Mr Williamson said the number in the UK holding a technical qualification had plummeted over the past 20 years .
He added that more further education courses , geared to shortages in sectors such as manufacturing and construction , would improve Britain 's productivity .
: : Listen to The World Tomorrow on Apple podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker A white paper on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Mr Williamson hinting at more money for the sector , and a new , simpler system of qualifications .
He has not announced any more funding , but £1.5bn was put into upgrading colleges in the Spring Budget , along with a £2.5bn National Skills Fund .
Jo Grady , general secretary of the University and College Union , said Conservative governments had `` decimated '' further education funding over the past decade .
`` The government should be encouraging people to attend all forms of education , not picking artificial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , nor denigrating university education at a time when the sector desperately needs support , '' she said .
Last week , the prime minister 's brother Jo Johnson , who served as a universities minister before leaving politics last year , attacked `` higher education scepticism '' in government and said all high innovation economies should be seeking more graduates , not fewer .

The government is to tear up the target for 50% of young people in England to attend university.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the target, set by former prime minister Tony Blair in 1999, has led to graduates competing for "jobs that don't exist" and youngsters who do not attend university being "written off".
In a speech on Thursday, Mr Williamson promised the government would instead invest in "German-style" technical education, in order to equip young people to fill shortages in the job market.
Image: Gavin Williamson vowed to invest in 'German-style' technical education
He said: "The tragedy is that for decades, we've forgotten about half of our education system.
"When Tony Blair uttered that 50% target for university attendance, he cast aside the other 50%.
"It was a target for the sake of a target, not with a purpose."
Mr Williamson blamed "inbuilt snobbishness" for successive governments and policy experts concentrating on university admissions because that is "the route that we took ourselves".
"Our universities have an important role to play in our economy, society and culture, but there are limits to what we can achieve by sending ever more people into higher education, which is not always what the individual or the nation needs", he said.
The ambition for more than half of young people in England to go to university was only achieved in September 2019, when official figures showed 50.2% admitted - with a majority of them women.
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Image: Tony Blair set the university target in 1999
Mr Williamson, addressing the Social Market Foundation, said a third of graduates end up in non-graduate jobs, and the most disadvantaged youngsters are still deterred from going to university.
"I don't accept this absurd mantra, that if you are not part of the 50% of the young people who go to university that you've somehow come up short," he said.
"You have become one of the forgotten 50% who choose another path."
He added: "Further education is central to our mission of levelling up the nation."
Critics point out that further education and sixth form colleges have seen the deepest cuts of any part of the education budget since 2010; 12% in real terms, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
In Germany, 20% of adults aged 18 to 65 hold a technical qualification.
Mr Williamson said the number in the UK holding a technical qualification had plummeted over the past 20 years.
He added that more further education courses, geared to shortages in sectors such as manufacturing and construction, would improve Britain's productivity.
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A white paper on further education is expected in the autumn, with Mr Williamson hinting at more money for the sector, and a new, simpler system of qualifications.
He has not announced any more funding, but £1.5bn was put into upgrading colleges in the Spring Budget, along with a £2.5bn National Skills Fund.
Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union, said Conservative governments had "decimated" further education funding over the past decade.
"The government should be encouraging people to attend all forms of education, not picking artificial winners in a market it has created, nor denigrating university education at a time when the sector desperately needs support," she said.
Last week, the prime minister's brother Jo Johnson, who served as a universities minister before leaving politics last year, attacked "higher education scepticism" in government and said all high innovation economies should be seeking more graduates, not fewer.


skynewspolitics--2020-07-10--'Bumps in the road' in rush to 'catch up' on virus testing, former health secretary says

Coronavirus test results initially took too long to come back because the government 's focus was on ramping up capacity at `` breakneck speed '' , a former health secretary has said .
Jeremy Hunt told Sky News there had been `` lots of bumps in the road '' , and that the `` unintended consequence '' of increasing test numbers was results `` were taking much too long to come back '' .
It comes after Sky News revealed just how the government assembled the UK 's coronavirus testing programme , with officials admitting they `` completely buffed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably never know '' how many people have been tested .
Labour has called for ministers to `` come clean '' and release the results of an internal audit which showed some figures on COVID-19 tests do not add up .
Mr Hunt said it is `` widely recognised '' the `` wrong '' approach was taken at the start of the pandemic , when the government moved from the contain to delay phase of the UK 's response by stopping community testing on 12 March .
`` But then we had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it very quickly , '' Mr Hunt told Sky News , at a virtual event hosted by think-tank Policy Exchange .
`` So I do n't criticise [ Health Secretary ] Matt Hancock at all for the fact that we went at breakneck speed in April to get our testing capacity up to 100,000 .
I 'm sure there were lots of bumps in the road in that process .
`` But the fact is because he managed to get our capacity up to around 100,000 a day by around the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into test and trace which is globally the process that worked the best .
`` So I 'm not surprised there are stories of that . ''
Mr Hunt - who now chairs the Health and Social Care Select Committee - also cautioned against ministers setting the target of reaching 100,000 tests a day .
He said : `` What I would say is that the danger of big national targets is that they focus everyone 's attention on the process and not the outcomes .
`` So one of the things that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that everyone was madly trying to get the testing numbers up , but sometimes the tests were taking much too long to come back .
`` And that 's why in a test and trace process you really need to get the test results back in 24 hours , which we are now doing most of the time .
But that was one of the unintended consequences . ''
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson defended the government 's response , saying they `` rapidly built , from scratch , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide a test to anybody who needs one '' .
They added : `` Over 11 million tests have been delivered so far and we have the capacity to carry out more than 300,000 tests per day - helping to curb the spread of the virus and save lives .
`` Throughout the pandemic , we have been transparent about our response to coronavirus and are always looking to improve the data we publish , including the way we update testing statistics .
`` We have engaged with the Office of National Statistics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our new approach to these publications and will continue to work closely with them as we develop these figures . ''

Coronavirus test results initially took too long to come back because the government's focus was on ramping up capacity at "breakneck speed", a former health secretary has said.
Jeremy Hunt told Sky News there had been "lots of bumps in the road", and that the "unintended consequence" of increasing test numbers was results "were taking much too long to come back".
It comes after Sky News revealed just how the government assembled the UK's coronavirus testing programme, with officials admitting they "completely buffed the system" and that "we will probably never know" how many people have been tested.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:52 Inside England's testing system
Labour has called for ministers to "come clean" and release the results of an internal audit which showed some figures on COVID-19 tests do not add up.
Mr Hunt said it is "widely recognised" the "wrong" approach was taken at the start of the pandemic, when the government moved from the contain to delay phase of the UK's response by stopping community testing on 12 March.
"But then we had to catch up and we had to do it very quickly," Mr Hunt told Sky News, at a virtual event hosted by think-tank Policy Exchange.
"So I don't criticise [Health Secretary] Matt Hancock at all for the fact that we went at breakneck speed in April to get our testing capacity up to 100,000. I'm sure there were lots of bumps in the road in that process.
"But the fact is because he managed to get our capacity up to around 100,000 a day by around the end of April, we were able to move into test and trace which is globally the process that worked the best.
"So I'm not surprised there are stories of that."
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:43 'Come clean', Labour's Sir Keir Starmer tells government
Mr Hunt - who now chairs the Health and Social Care Select Committee - also cautioned against ministers setting the target of reaching 100,000 tests a day.
He said: "What I would say is that the danger of big national targets is that they focus everyone's attention on the process and not the outcomes.
"So one of the things that happened as a result of that target was that everyone was madly trying to get the testing numbers up, but sometimes the tests were taking much too long to come back.
"And that's why in a test and trace process you really need to get the test results back in 24 hours, which we are now doing most of the time. But that was one of the unintended consequences."
Image: Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was sure there were 'lots of bumps in the road'
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson defended the government's response, saying they "rapidly built, from scratch, a large-scale testing programme and can now provide a test to anybody who needs one".
They added: "Over 11 million tests have been delivered so far and we have the capacity to carry out more than 300,000 tests per day - helping to curb the spread of the virus and save lives.
"Throughout the pandemic, we have been transparent about our response to coronavirus and are always looking to improve the data we publish, including the way we update testing statistics.
"We have engaged with the Office of National Statistics and the Office for Statistics Regulation on our new approach to these publications and will continue to work closely with them as we develop these figures."


skynewspolitics--2020-07-10--Government quietly publishes figures which reveal it overstated number of people tested

The government was routinely overstating the total number of people who had been tested for COVID-19 by as many as 200,000 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic , according to new Sky News analysis .
It follows a Sky News investigation into irregularities in how testing data was collected and compiled in the face of the outbreak .
In the wake of that story , the Department of Health and Social Care ( DHSC ) published data showing the total number of people tested for the disease since January .
It 's the first time such data has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The revised data shows that the daily numbers provided at the time alongside the government 's press conferences significantly overstated the number of people who had been tested for coronavirus .
For instance on 21 May , alongside the press conference given that day by Health Secretary Matt Hancock , the DHSC said that the number who had been tested had reached 2.06 million .
The new data , posted quietly on the DHSC website yesterday , shows that by that stage only 1.6 million had been tested in England .
Put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Northern Ireland , the new , revised UK total is 1.8 million - around 200,000 short of the declared numbers in May .
On a weekly basis the numbers announced by government at the time were overstating the number of people being tested each week by around 20,000 - according to this newly-revised data .
On 23 May the government stopped publishing testing data , which has been unavailable for England since then .
It is the latest evidence of problems the UK has faced with double counting and data difficulties during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Many remain concerned about the reliability of UK data , though in recent weeks the DHSC has begun to publish regular updates on how many people have been tested for the disease , and has attempted to follow the official statistics code of conduct .
It has also reduced its estimate of the number of cases in the UK following further double counting .
A DHSC spokesperson said : `` Throughout the pandemic we 've been completely transparent about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and are always looking to improve our statistics - including on testing .
`` We have worked with the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) and the Office for Statistics Regulation on our new approach to these publications and will continue to work closely with them as we develop these figures .
`` We have rapidly built , from scratch , a large-scale testing programme and can now provide a test to anybody who needs one .
Over 11 million tests have been delivered so far and we have the capacity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day - helping to curb the spread of the virus and save lives . ''

The government was routinely overstating the total number of people who had been tested for COVID-19 by as many as 200,000 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, according to new Sky News analysis.
It follows a Sky News investigation into irregularities in how testing data was collected and compiled in the face of the outbreak.
In the wake of that story, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) published data showing the total number of people tested for the disease since January. It's the first time such data has been released since the second half of May.
The revised data shows that the daily numbers provided at the time alongside the government's press conferences significantly overstated the number of people who had been tested for coronavirus.
For instance on 21 May, alongside the press conference given that day by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, the DHSC said that the number who had been tested had reached 2.06 million.
The new data, posted quietly on the DHSC website yesterday, shows that by that stage only 1.6 million had been tested in England.
Put alongside existing data from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the new, revised UK total is 1.8 million - around 200,000 short of the declared numbers in May.
On a weekly basis the numbers announced by government at the time were overstating the number of people being tested each week by around 20,000 - according to this newly-revised data.
On 23 May the government stopped publishing testing data, which has been unavailable for England since then.
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It is the latest evidence of problems the UK has faced with double counting and data difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Many remain concerned about the reliability of UK data, though in recent weeks the DHSC has begun to publish regular updates on how many people have been tested for the disease, and has attempted to follow the official statistics code of conduct.
It has also reduced its estimate of the number of cases in the UK following further double counting.
A DHSC spokesperson said: "Throughout the pandemic we've been completely transparent about the data we collect and publish, and are always looking to improve our statistics - including on testing.
"We have worked with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Office for Statistics Regulation on our new approach to these publications and will continue to work closely with them as we develop these figures.
"We have rapidly built, from scratch, a large-scale testing programme and can now provide a test to anybody who needs one. Over 11 million tests have been delivered so far and we have the capacity to carry out more than 300,000 tests per day - helping to curb the spread of the virus and save lives."


skynewspolitics--2020-07-10--PM urges people to go back to work as he backs more facemask use

Boris Johnson has served notice that tougher rules on wearing face masks could be on the way , as he appealed to people working from home to go back to work .
In a significant shift in COVID-19 policy , the prime minister said the government now needs to be stricter on insisting people wear masks in confined spaces such as shops .
Mr Johnson was himself seen wearing a covering - a bright blue number - for the first time on Friday , while he visited shops and takeaways in his constituency of Uxbridge .
He also said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work if they can , to try to lead their lives more normally and feel confident to use shops and restaurants , while following official guidance .
The prime minister 's apparent double U-turn came as he answered questions from members of the public in a pre-recorded online `` People 's PMQs '' from 10 Downing Street , lasting 40 minutes .
His comments on face masks came in response to a question about a World Health Organisation warning on coronavirus transmission and whether they should be mandatory in all places outside homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we get the numbers down in the way that we have and we really stamp out outbreaks in the way that we are , I do think we need to be stricter in insisting people wear face coverings in confined spaces where they are meeting people they do n't normally meet .
`` We are looking at ways of making sure that people really do have face coverings in shops , for instance , where there is a risk of transmission . ''
The prime minister said expert opinion on face coverings had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
`` The balance of scientific opinion seems to have shifted more in favour of them than it was , '' he said .
`` We are very keen to follow that .
I do want to get back to a world where the British people are able to shake hands - that 's what we are aiming for .
`` But face coverings , we increasingly think that we have got to be very insistent in confined spaces , where you are meeting people you do n't normally come into contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a face cover . ''
Urging people to return to work , Mr Johnson said : `` I want people to go back to work as carefully as possible .
`` It 's very important that people should be going back to work if they can now .
I think everybody has sort of taken the 'stay at home if you can ' - I think we should now say , well , 'go back to work if you can ' .
`` Because I think it 's very important that people should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I want to see more people feeling confident to use the shops , use the restaurants , and get back into work - but only if we all follow the guidance . ''
: : Listen to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The prime minister 's remarks came after his official spokesman faced questions about why more cabinet ministers are not wearing face coverings .
Fresh data from the Office for National Statistics suggests 52 % of adults in Britain wore a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the final week of June , up from 43 % the week before .
And 58 % of the 1,788 adults quizzed between 2-5 July said they were very or fairly likely to wear one in the next seven days .
Before Friday , there had been no public sighting of Mr Johnson wearing a face covering .
But he tweeted several photos showing himself sporting a blue covering while visiting several businesses in Uxbridge , which he said were `` working hard to make themselves COVID-19 secure '' .
However , earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving food to customers at a Wagamama restaurant in central London without a mask , as he urged the public to `` eat out to help out '' .
Earlier , arts minister Caroline Dinenage said she had taken to wearing a face covering `` all the time '' and said a lot of her colleagues were doing the same .
`` I have a fashion design student as a son who has run me up a few on his sewing machine and I wear them all the time , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of us are out there wearing them as we go about our daily lives . ''
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has been seen wearing a face covering while visiting a hospital , while Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden also wore one while attending a gallery this week .
In Scotland , First Minister Nicola Sturgeon - who is regularly seen wearing a tartan mask - has made it obligatory for shoppers to cover their face with a covering or similar garment .
And London mayor Sadiq Khan has told the prime minister in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and frustrated '' that the government has not demanded masks be worn in `` busy and enclosed public places '' .
`` Face coverings are not only vital for public health , '' said Mr Khan .
`` They could play an increasing role in supporting public confidence and our economic recovery . ''
Meanwhile outdoor arts performances - including theatre , opera , and music concerts - will be able to resume from this weekend , while the government has published guidance to enable grassroots team sports to return , beginning with @ @

Boris Johnson has served notice that tougher rules on wearing face masks could be on the way, as he appealed to people working from home to go back to work.
In a significant shift in COVID-19 policy, the prime minister said the government now needs to be stricter on insisting people wear masks in confined spaces such as shops.
A Downing Street source on Saturday confirmed the government was looking at making face coverings mandatory in stores.
Mr Johnson was himself seen wearing a covering - a bright blue number - for the first time on Friday, while he visited shops and takeaways in his constituency of Uxbridge.
He also said he wants people to now go back to work if they can, to try to lead their lives more normally and feel confident to use shops and restaurants, while following official guidance.
Image: Boris Johnson was seen wearing a mask for the first time on Friday. Pic: Twitter
The prime minister's apparent double U-turn came as he answered questions from members of the public in a pre-recorded online "People's PMQs" from 10 Downing Street, lasting 40 minutes.
His comments on face masks came in response to a question about a World Health Organisation warning on coronavirus transmission and whether they should be mandatory in all places outside homes.
Mr Johnson replied: "As we get the numbers down in the way that we have and we really stamp out outbreaks in the way that we are, I do think we need to be stricter in insisting people wear face coverings in confined spaces where they are meeting people they don't normally meet.
"We are looking at ways of making sure that people really do have face coverings in shops, for instance, where there is a risk of transmission."
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The prime minister said expert opinion on face coverings had shifted over the course of the coronavirus pandemic.
Image: Boris Johnson wants people to now go back to work if they can
"The balance of scientific opinion seems to have shifted more in favour of them than it was," he said.
"We are very keen to follow that. I do want to get back to a world where the British people are able to shake hands - that's what we are aiming for.
"But face coverings, we increasingly think that we have got to be very insistent in confined spaces, where you are meeting people you don't normally come into contact with - transport, shops - wear a face cover."
Image: The PM said the government needs to be stricter on insisting people wear masks
Urging people to return to work, Mr Johnson said: "I want people to go back to work as carefully as possible.
"It's very important that people should be going back to work if they can now. I think everybody has sort of taken the 'stay at home if you can' - I think we should now say, well, 'go back to work if you can'.
"Because I think it's very important that people should try to lead their lives more normally. I want to see more people feeling confident to use the shops, use the restaurants, and get back into work - but only if we all follow the guidance."
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The prime minister's remarks came after his official spokesman faced questions about why more cabinet ministers are not wearing face coverings.
Fresh data from the Office for National Statistics suggests 52% of adults in Britain wore a face covering when leaving their home in the final week of June, up from 43% the week before.
And 58% of the 1,788 adults quizzed between 2-5 July said they were very or fairly likely to wear one in the next seven days.
Before Friday, there had been no public sighting of Mr Johnson wearing a face covering.
But he tweeted several photos showing himself sporting a blue covering while visiting several businesses in Uxbridge, which he said were "working hard to make themselves COVID-19 secure".
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However, earlier this week Chancellor Rishi Sunak was pictured serving food to customers at a Wagamama restaurant in central London without a mask, as he urged the public to "eat out to help out".
Earlier, arts minister Caroline Dinenage said she had taken to wearing a face covering "all the time" and said a lot of her colleagues were doing the same.
"I have a fashion design student as a son who has run me up a few on his sewing machine and I wear them all the time," she said in a radio interview.
"A lot of us are out there wearing them as we go about our daily lives."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:33 Rishi Sunak is a really, really bad waiter. So bad.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has been seen wearing a face covering while visiting a hospital, while Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden also wore one while attending a gallery this week.
In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon - who is regularly seen wearing a tartan mask - has made it obligatory for shoppers to cover their face with a covering or similar garment.
Image: Nicola Sturgeon is regularly seen wearing a tartan mask
And London mayor Sadiq Khan has told the prime minister in a letter that he is "disappointed and frustrated" that the government has not demanded masks be worn in "busy and enclosed public places".
"Face coverings are not only vital for public health," said Mr Khan.
"They could play an increasing role in supporting public confidence and our economic recovery."
Meanwhile outdoor arts performances - including theatre, opera, and music concerts - will be able to resume from this weekend, while the government has published guidance to enable grassroots team sports to return, beginning with cricket.


skynewspolitics--2020-07-10--Brand Rishi is flying high - but his future relies on UK economic recovery

Boris .
Hillary .
Maggie .
There 's a super league of politicians we are on first name terms with .
And now Rishi - chancellor for only five months - has joined their ranks .
The rise of `` Brand Rishi '' is raising a few eyebrows in Westminster , whether it 's Mr Sunak 's slick Insta game or his penchant for posting soft-focus pictures overlaid with text and bearing his signature in the corner .
What is Rishi up to ?
Could the chancellor have his eyes on the big prize ?
Is he a threat to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretly worried about the meteoric rise of the man living next door ?
My sense is that Number 10 is intensely relaxed about the fact Mr Sunak has better poll ratings than Mr Johnson , because the two men will rise and fall together .
Firefighting a pandemic which has seen the government 's poll ratings fall , Mr Sunak is seen as someone who complements Mr Johnson - his strengths helping the PM 's perceived weaknesses - and as a result Brand Rishi is also good for Brand Boris .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ratings than any chancellor since Gordon Brown .
But there - in a nutshell - is the problem .
While Mr Brown basked in positive polling when he was leading the Treasury , his story shows just how quickly public perception can change ( particularly in the aftermath of a financial crisis ) .
At the moment it may seem like Mr Sunak can do no wrong , but in some ways he is powerless over the recovery .
Despite the billions thrown at the economy , whether through loans , tax cuts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoped for bounce back relies more than anything on consumer confidence and spending .
And many people are still worried about the risk of coronavirus and are reluctant to resume life as normal .
That 's why the tone of the government 's messaging has dramatically changed .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Earlier this week we had `` Eat Out To Help Out '' ( accompanied - of course - by a signed Brand Rishi graphic and a promise of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and on Friday Mr Johnson urged people to get `` back to work if you can '' .
In other words , people spend less money when staying at home than when going to work in town and city centres , with the temptations of cafes and shops around .
It 's a theme we 'll be exploring on this week 's Sophy Ridge on Sunday with Michael Gove - a man who has been consistently at the heart of the government 's response first to lockdown , and then to ease the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Labour 's business minister Lucy Powell and the chair of the TUC Frances O'Grady , to discuss the impact on employees and whether they feel safe and supported to get back into the work place .
But the drive to get people spending is about more than glib jokes about people having a Dishi on Rishi , or the government handing out the equivalent of the Pizza Express meal deal .
It 's about jobs - and to be blunt , Number 10 is frankly frightened about the wave of redundancies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Sunak was honest with Sky News earlier this week when he said the government would not be able to save every job .
With mistakes made early in the pandemic over testing and care homes in particular , those around Mr Johnson know that the government must get the recovery right .
That 's why the fates of the prime minister and the chancellor are deeply entwined .
If the economic recovery falters and fails , it 's not just Rishi who will be in trouble .

Boris. Hillary. Maggie. There's a super league of politicians we are on first name terms with.
And now Rishi - chancellor for only five months - has joined their ranks.
The rise of "Brand Rishi" is raising a few eyebrows in Westminster, whether it's Mr Sunak's slick Insta game or his penchant for posting soft-focus pictures overlaid with text and bearing his signature in the corner.
What is Rishi up to? Could the chancellor have his eyes on the big prize? Is he a threat to Boris Johnson? Is the prime minister secretly worried about the meteoric rise of the man living next door?
My sense is that Number 10 is intensely relaxed about the fact Mr Sunak has better poll ratings than Mr Johnson, because the two men will rise and fall together.
Firefighting a pandemic which has seen the government's poll ratings fall, Mr Sunak is seen as someone who complements Mr Johnson - his strengths helping the PM's perceived weaknesses - and as a result Brand Rishi is also good for Brand Boris.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:33 Sunak walks into confusion when he takes a meal to the wrong table
In fact Mr Sunak is now enjoying better poll ratings than any chancellor since Gordon Brown.
But there - in a nutshell - is the problem.
While Mr Brown basked in positive polling when he was leading the Treasury, his story shows just how quickly public perception can change (particularly in the aftermath of a financial crisis).
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At the moment it may seem like Mr Sunak can do no wrong, but in some ways he is powerless over the recovery. Despite the billions thrown at the economy, whether through loans, tax cuts or the furlough scheme, the much hoped for bounce back relies more than anything on consumer confidence and spending.
And many people are still worried about the risk of coronavirus and are reluctant to resume life as normal.
That's why the tone of the government's messaging has dramatically changed.
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Earlier this week we had "Eat Out To Help Out" (accompanied - of course - by a signed Brand Rishi graphic and a promise of half price food at participating restaurants) and on Friday Mr Johnson urged people to get "back to work if you can".
In other words, people spend less money when staying at home than when going to work in town and city centres, with the temptations of cafes and shops around.
It's a theme we'll be exploring on this week's Sophy Ridge on Sunday with Michael Gove - a man who has been consistently at the heart of the government's response first to lockdown, and then to ease the restrictions.
We'll also be joined by Labour's business minister Lucy Powell and the chair of the TUC Frances O'Grady, to discuss the impact on employees and whether they feel safe and supported to get back into the work place.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:36 Chancellor: 'We can't protect every job'
But the drive to get people spending is about more than glib jokes about people having a Dishi on Rishi, or the government handing out the equivalent of the Pizza Express meal deal.
It's about jobs - and to be blunt, Number 10 is frankly frightened about the wave of redundancies that are set to escalate over the summer.
Mr Sunak was honest with Sky News earlier this week when he said the government would not be able to save every job.
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:: Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
With mistakes made early in the pandemic over testing and care homes in particular, those around Mr Johnson know that the government must get the recovery right.
That's why the fates of the prime minister and the chancellor are deeply entwined.
If the economic recovery falters and fails, it's not just Rishi who will be in trouble.


skynewspolitics--2020-07-10--UK opts out of EU coronavirus vaccine scheme over distribution concerns

The UK is to reject an invite to take part in the EU 's coronavirus vaccine programme because of worries over delays getting doses into the country .
Ministers are understood to be concerned about not being allowed a seat on the scheme 's steering group and being excluded from the decision making process .
Whitehall sources suggested the EU could give preferential treatment to member states when it came to vaccine allocation .
The same sources also said the EU initially demanded Britain drop its support for vaccine development in this country , such as the trials currently going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But an EU source said on Friday that claim was `` not true and misleading '' , adding that the EU will `` always promote all means that would result in the quick finding and production of a successful vaccine '' .
The source also rejected allegations that the UK would be discriminated against , saying doses would be `` distributed according to population '' .
There has been no official confirmation that the UK is to reject the invite , but government sources have insisted the decision is practical not political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missed a deadline to take part in an EU ventilator scheme , after what the government called a `` communications mix up '' .
Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said the move was `` unforgiveable .
: : Listen to the All Out Politics podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker '' The crisis does not stop at any national border .
It is about time the prime minister started showing leadership , including fully participating in all EU efforts to secure critical medical supplies and a vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister 's deputy spokesman said `` work has been taking place to determine whether the UK would take part in this scheme , any participation must be in the interest of the UK '' .

The UK is to reject an invite to take part in the EU's coronavirus vaccine programme because of worries over delays getting doses into the country.
Ministers are understood to be concerned about not being allowed a seat on the scheme's steering group and being excluded from the decision making process.
Whitehall sources suggested the EU could give preferential treatment to member states when it came to vaccine allocation.
Image: A chemical technical assistant in a coronavirus testing centre in Munich
The same sources also said the EU initially demanded Britain drop its support for vaccine development in this country, such as the trials currently going on at Oxford university and Imperial College.
But an EU source said on Friday that claim was "not true and misleading", adding that the EU will "always promote all means that would result in the quick finding and production of a successful vaccine".
The source also rejected allegations that the UK would be discriminated against, saying doses would be "distributed according to population".
There has been no official confirmation that the UK is to reject the invite, but government sources have insisted the decision is practical not political.
Image: An employee at a laboratory in England, where scientists are trying to develop an oral vaccine for COVID-19
It comes months after the UK missed a deadline to take part in an EU ventilator scheme, after what the government called a "communications mix up".
Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said the move was "unforgiveable.
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"The crisis does not stop at any national border. It is about time the prime minister started showing leadership, including fully participating in all EU efforts to secure critical medical supplies and a vaccine," she said.
The prime minister's deputy spokesman said "work has been taking place to determine whether the UK would take part in this scheme, any participation must be in the interest of the UK".


skynewspolitics--2020-07-10--'Let's end it now': Stars call for LGBT+ 'conversion therapy' ban

Celebrities including Elton John , Dua Lipa and Jade Thirlwall have signed a letter calling on the government to ban so-called `` conversion therapy '' for LGBT+ people .
The letter , which has also been signed by representatives from the UK 's five major faith groups and LGBT+ activists , urges Liz Truss , the minister for women and equalities , to `` introduce a truly effective ban on 'conversion therapy ' '' .
The charity Stonewall defines `` conversion therapy '' , sometimes known as `` cure therapy '' , as practices which aim `` to change a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a person 's gender identity '' .
These practices are often based on the assumption that being lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender , or any other part of the LGBT+ community , is a mental illness that can be cured .
`` Let 's end it now , '' the letter says .
`` Let 's finish what was pledged two years ago and ban 'conversion therapy ' for all lesbian , gay , bi , trans , and gender diverse people , of all ages .
`` Until you do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on British soil . ''
The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims classifies `` conversion therapy '' as torture .
Other well-known signatories include musicians Charli XCX , Rina Sawayama , and Years and Years ' Olly Alexander .
Comedians Katherine Ryan and Mae Martin , and TV writer Russell T Davies , have also put their names to the letter .
Three LGBT+ MPs also appear as signatories - Labour 's Ben Bradshaw and Angela Eagle , and Lib Dem leadership candidate Layla Moran , who came out as pansexual earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conversion Therapy in the UK was signed in 2017 by all major medical and psychotherapy groups , including the NHS , the Royal College of GPs , and The British Psychological Society .
The Memorandum was a public commitment by the organisations to end the practice in the UK .
The following year , the then prime minister Theresa May promised to eradicate `` conversion therapy '' , describing the practice as `` abhorrent '' .
But two years on , it is still legal in the UK .
: : Listen to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The government has promised to ban the process , and last month Ms Truss told the House of Commons that her department would set out plans for this `` shortly '' .
`` 'Conversion therapy ' is a vile and abhorrent practice we want to stop , '' she said .
`` We 've commissioned research to look at the scope of these practices in the UK . ''
Ms Truss said she was concerned about under-18s being `` coerced '' into `` so-called 'conversion therapies ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the specific points that we will be addressing when we launch our plans shortly . ''

Celebrities including Elton John, Dua Lipa and Jade Thirlwall have signed a letter calling on the government to ban so-called "conversion therapy" for LGBT+ people.
The letter, which has also been signed by representatives from the UK's five major faith groups and LGBT+ activists, urges Liz Truss, the minister for women and equalities, to "introduce a truly effective ban on 'conversion therapy'".
The charity Stonewall defines "conversion therapy", sometimes known as "cure therapy", as practices which aim "to change a person's sexual orientation or to suppress a person's gender identity".
These practices are often based on the assumption that being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or any other part of the LGBT+ community, is a mental illness that can be cured.
Image: Comedian and actor Stephen Fry has also called for an end to 'conversion therapy'
"Let's end it now," the letter says.
"Let's finish what was pledged two years ago and ban 'conversion therapy' for all lesbian, gay, bi, trans, and gender diverse people, of all ages.
"Until you do, torture will continue to take place on British soil."
The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims classifies "conversion therapy" as torture.
Other well-known signatories include musicians Charli XCX, Rina Sawayama, and Years and Years' Olly Alexander.
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 14:00 This Off Limits episode looks at the 'self-medication crisis' that's affecting transgender people who can't access NHS services
Comedians Katherine Ryan and Mae Martin, and TV writer Russell T Davies, have also put their names to the letter.
Three LGBT+ MPs also appear as signatories - Labour's Ben Bradshaw and Angela Eagle, and Lib Dem leadership candidate Layla Moran, who came out as pansexual earlier this year.
A Memorandum Of Understanding On Conversion Therapy in the UK was signed in 2017 by all major medical and psychotherapy groups, including the NHS, the Royal College of GPs, and The British Psychological Society.
The Memorandum was a public commitment by the organisations to end the practice in the UK.
The following year, the then prime minister Theresa May promised to eradicate "conversion therapy", describing the practice as "abhorrent".
But two years on, it is still legal in the UK.
Image: 'Let's end it now,' say Charli XCX, Rina Sawayama, and Years and Years' Olly Alexander (L to R)
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The government has promised to ban the process, and last month Ms Truss told the House of Commons that her department would set out plans for this "shortly".
"'Conversion therapy' is a vile and abhorrent practice we want to stop," she said.
"We've commissioned research to look at the scope of these practices in the UK."
Ms Truss said she was concerned about under-18s being "coerced" into "so-called 'conversion therapies'", adding: "That is one of the specific points that we will be addressing when we launch our plans shortly."


skynewspolitics--2020-07-10--Ending free transport 'will hit disadvantaged children returning to school'

Some of the most disadvantaged children in London may not return to school in September because of transport costs , teachers have warned .
Pupils in the capital will have to pay to get to school after the Mayor of London , Sadiq Khan , suspended free transport for under-18s as part of a bailout deal with the government .
The change is due to come into force before September , when schools return .
Mr Khan has called on ministers to reconsider the changes , which a spokesman for the Department of Transport ( DfT ) said form part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of young people using buses and other transport in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic .
But teachers and pupils have told Sky News that suspending free transport will force some students to stay at home because they ca n't afford the extra cost .
One pupil , Aaron Griffiths , spends over an hour travelling to college using two public buses .
He told Sky News it would be difficult for students whose parents have lost their jobs to find the extra money , and he warned social distancing restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off far earlier in order to be on time .
Most students in London use public buses and trains to get to school , paid for by Transport for London .
But as part of a £1.6bn bailout package for the struggling network , the government imposed a number of conditions - one of which is the removal of free transport for children .
Sources within government said this is part of a plan to reduce the number of children and teenagers on buses to curb the spread of the virus , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the poorest backgrounds will be forced to pay to get to school .
A DfT spokesman said those most in need will be eligible for free transport but the cost would have to be covered by the local council , adding to spiralling costs already faced by local government .
Mr Khan said it would cost more to means-test each child in the capital than it would to continue the free travel card .
The DfT spokesman said : `` The decision to suspend under-18 travel is a temporary measure to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk of crowding on our transport network .
`` We will also be ensuring that the concession for children eligible under national legislation for free home-to-school travel will continue . ''

Some of the most disadvantaged children in London may not return to school in September because of transport costs, teachers have warned.
Pupils in the capital will have to pay to get to school after the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, suspended free transport for under-18s as part of a bailout deal with the government.
The change is due to come into force before September, when schools return.
Image: Most students in London use public buses and trains to get to school
Mr Khan has called on ministers to reconsider the changes, which a spokesman for the Department of Transport (DfT) said form part of a plan to restrict the number of young people using buses and other transport in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
But teachers and pupils have told Sky News that suspending free transport will force some students to stay at home because they can't afford the extra cost.
One pupil, Aaron Griffiths, spends over an hour travelling to college using two public buses.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 2:33 The plan to get schools back in September
He told Sky News it would be difficult for students whose parents have lost their jobs to find the extra money, and he warned social distancing restrictions on buses will mean he has to set off far earlier in order to be on time.
Most students in London use public buses and trains to get to school, paid for by Transport for London.
But as part of a £1.6bn bailout package for the struggling network, the government imposed a number of conditions - one of which is the removal of free transport for children.
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Sources within government said this is part of a plan to reduce the number of children and teenagers on buses to curb the spread of the virus, but the consequences of the decision mean those from the poorest backgrounds will be forced to pay to get to school.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:15 'Education recovery is critical'
A DfT spokesman said those most in need will be eligible for free transport but the cost would have to be covered by the local council, adding to spiralling costs already faced by local government.
Mr Khan said it would cost more to means-test each child in the capital than it would to continue the free travel card.
The DfT spokesman said: "The decision to suspend under-18 travel is a temporary measure to help tackle the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the risk of crowding on our transport network.
"We will also be ensuring that the concession for children eligible under national legislation for free home-to-school travel will continue."


skynewspolitics--2020-07-11--£700m to ensure Britain's borders 'fully operational' when out of EU

The government will spend £705m to secure Great Britain 's border after leaving the EU , including a lorry park in Kent to deal with potential disruption .
The new funding , for border infrastructure , jobs and technology , will ensure the UK 's border systems are `` fully operational '' after the UK has fully left the EU from 1 January 2021 , the government said .
It will include up to £470m to build the port and inland infrastructure needed to ensure compliance with customs procedures and controls .
£235m will be allocated to IT systems and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Border Force personnel , £20m for new equipment and more than £100m to develop HMRC systems to `` reduce the burden on traders '' .
Cabinet minister Michael Gove said : `` We are taking back control of our borders , and leaving the single market and the customs union at the end of this year bringing both changes and significant opportunities for which we all need to prepare .
That is why we are announcing this major package of investment today .
`` With or without further agreement with the EU , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure , tech and border personnel are in place so that our traders and the border industry are able to manage the changes and seize the opportunities as we lay the foundations for the world 's most effective and secure border . ''
As part of the new infrastructure , the government has purchased land 20 miles from the Port of Dover in Ashford for a new border control centre and lorry park , with work due to start on Monday .
In a letter to residents , which has since been published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maclean said plans had not yet been finalised for the site but it `` is anticipated to form part of the department 's strategy to minimise potential disruption at Kent ports '' .
`` This is likely to involve temporary capacity for the holding of delayed HGVs and facilities for border-related controls to be carried out by government agencies ( eg HM Revenue and Customs ) , '' the minister said .
Former cabinet minister and local MP Damian Green said the site , which is known as MOJO , would initially be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with expected queues before being turned into a checking facility .
While he supported the new customs centre , Mr Green told Sky News he objected to the land being used as a lorry park as it will `` take up much more space '' and has been `` sprung on the area with no consultation '' .
The exact size of the site is not known , but local Conservative councillor Paul Bartlett said he believed it would be bigger than the 11 hectares ( 27 acres ) reported by the Guardian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development would bring much-needed employment to the area , but cautioned the government against using the land just to deal with delays .
`` We do not want the site used as an Operation Brock-type lorry park , '' he said .
`` We want the high end-use for HMRC , trading standards and scientific testing service . ''
Operation Brock saw changes to motorway traffic flows put in place in the South East of England to deal with congestion that could have been caused by a no deal Brexit .
Fencing will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday along with preparatory work such as weeding and the construction of a temporary site office .
There has been concern that new Brexit customs checks could lead to backlogs at the border and delays on roads in the South East of England .
Earlier this week , a letter from international trade secretary Liz Truss was leaked to the Business Insider website in which the cabinet minister expressed her concern about the UK 's ability to properly control borders after the transition period has come to an end next year .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the letter was genuine but told Sky News the government does not comment on leaks .

The government is spending £705m on new border controls and staff as the UK prepares to fully leave the EU at the end of this year.
The money will be spent on border infrastructure, 500 more border force staff and new IT systems and technology.
The government claims the country's border systems will be "fully operational" from 31 December, when the UK is due to leave the Brexit transition period.
But one former Conservative cabinet minister and Kent MP says plans for a new lorry park and customs centre in his constituency have been "sprung on the area with no consultation".
Image: The land will be used for a lorry park at first as queues for ferries are expected after the transition period
Damian Green told Sky News he wants the government to confirm that the initial use of a 27-acre site in Ashford as a lorry park will just be an "insurance policy" and that "in an ideal world, it won't be used at all because the traffic will flow smoothly through Dover".
Mr Green's successor, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, said the investment would allow the UK to "seize the opportunities as we lay the foundations for the world's most effective and secure border".
The government will spend £470m to build port and inland infrastructure, with £235m going on staffing and new IT and data systems.
The investment will apply to English, Scottish and Welsh external borders with arrangements for Northern Ireland due to be published in the coming weeks.
While the EU has said it will implement full checks on goods crossing the channel, the UK will phase in controls over six months.
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Earlier this week, a leaked letter written by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss suggested this could result in a challenge from the World Trade Organisation.
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:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Labour says the letter "lifts the lid on a growing sense of chaos and confusion" in government.
Rachel Reeves, shadow cabinet office minister, said: "This extraordinary letter deserves answers, not just given to the House of Commons, but to the industries and people who stand to be affected if the government gets this badly wrong."
There is concern that - amid the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing deadlock in the Brexit trade talks - the UK is not prepared to fully leave the EU on 31 December.
A deadline for requesting an extension to the transition period has now passed, with ministers insisting the UK will be ready to leave on time.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 5:55 Lorry park may last 'years' after Brexit
One part of the government's investment programme has seen the Department for Transport purchase 27 acres of land in Ashford to build a new border control centre, which will initially be used as a lorry park.
In a letter to residents, which has since been published on Facebook, junior transport minister Rachel Maclean said plans had not yet been finalised for the site but it "is anticipated to form part of the department's strategy to minimise potential disruption at Kent ports".
"This is likely to involve temporary capacity for the holding of delayed HGVs and facilities for border-related controls to be carried out by government agencies (eg HMRC)," the minister said.
Local Conservative councillor Paul Bartlett said the new development would bring much-needed employment to the area, but cautioned the government against using the land just to deal with delays.
"We do not want the site used as an Operation Brock-type lorry park," he said. "We want the high-end use for HMRC, trading standards and scientific testing service."
Image: The government has been practising how to hold lorries in Kent in anticipation of delays when the Brexit transition period ends
Operation Brock saw changes to motorway traffic flows put in place in the South East of England to deal with congestion that could have been caused by a no-deal Brexit.
Fencing will be installed at the Kent location on Monday along with preparatory work such as weeding and the construction of a temporary site office.
There has been concern that new Brexit customs checks could lead to backlogs at the border and delays on roads in the South East.
It comes as Home Secretary Priti Patel prepares to unveil more details on the UK's points-based immigration system, which will come into effect in January after freedom of movement ends.
The system is aimed at cutting the number of low-skilled migrants entering Britain while attracting more highly skilled migrants.
The Sunday Telegraph is also reporting that Chancellor Rishi Sunak is preparing to introduce tax cuts and an overhaul of planning laws for up to 10 new freeports - where taxes and tariffs will not apply - in his autumn Budget.


skynewspolitics--2020-07-12--'Stay at home' message ditched as Gove urges more people to go back to work

More employees should return to work rather than stay at home to ensure `` the economic engines of this country are fired up again '' , Michael Gove has told Sky News .
Ditching the previous government messaging during the coronavirus pandemic , the Cabinet Office minister said people who can `` add value '' from being in the workplace should do so .
His comments came after Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a raft of emergency measures to revive the stricken economy as he warned that jobs are at risk if activity does not return to normal .
The £30bn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meals out , cut stamp duty and pay companies for taking workers off furlough and retaining them into 2021 .
However , the measures have faced criticism in some quarters , with Labour branding them `` very poorly targeted and badly designed schemes '' .
Speaking to Sky News ' Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme , Mr Gove said : `` We want to see more people back at work , on the shop floor , in the office , wherever they can be .
`` Of course in some cases it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from home , but we want to make sure that where people can add value , where the economy can benefit from people being at work , that they are at work .
`` We want to make sure that the economic engines of this country are fired up again and that 's why the chancellor made the series of announcements that he made earlier this week in order to make sure that we are in a position to be able to provide people with safety and security at work , to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future . ''
But Labour 's shadow business minister Lucy Powell was critical of the chancellor 's announcement .
She told Ridge : `` The summer statement this week was a real missed opportunity , possibly the last opportunity we 've had to save tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of jobs over the coming months , with some very poorly targeted and badly designed schemes which are just not up to the task of saving all those jobs , especially in some of the key sectors most adversely affected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TUC union chief Frances O'Grady has argued that firms which can afford it should `` absolutely '' follow the example of Primark , which is reportedly set to reject around £30m in `` bonuses '' from the government for bringing back furloughed staff .
She told Ridge : `` I think what we are worried about is that there is a risk of getting into gimmicks rather than giving the targeted support that industries need . ''
She argued the government , industries and unions needed to talk about national recovery plans and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real trouble '' due to the crisis .
Ms O'Grady said : `` We have to have targeted plans and support to keep them on their feet .
The autumn will be too late .
`` We are looking for flexibility and targeted support to get us through this tough period .
`` It is a lot easier to hold on to good jobs that we have already rather than to try and create them later down the line .
The biggest threat we face now is mass unemployment . ''

More employees should return to work rather than stay at home to ensure "the economic engines of this country are fired up again", Michael Gove has told Sky News.
Ditching the previous government messaging during the coronavirus pandemic, the Cabinet Office minister said people who can "add value" from being in the workplace should do so.
His comments came after Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a raft of emergency measures to revive the stricken economy as he warned that jobs are at risk if activity does not return to normal.
The £30bn COVID-19 recovery package included plans to subsidise meals out, cut stamp duty and pay companies for taking workers off furlough and retaining them into 2021.
However, the measures have faced criticism in some quarters, with Labour branding them "very poorly targeted and badly designed schemes".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 10:51 Powell criticises govt's financial package
Speaking to Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, Mr Gove said: "We want to see more people back at work, on the shop floor, in the office, wherever they can be.
"Of course in some cases it is appropriate and convenient for people to work from home, but we want to make sure that where people can add value, where the economy can benefit from people being at work, that they are at work.
"We want to make sure that the economic engines of this country are fired up again and that's why the chancellor made the series of announcements that he made earlier this week in order to make sure that we are in a position to be able to provide people with safety and security at work, to protect their jobs and to guarantee jobs in the future."
:: Listen to Sophy Ridge On Sunday on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
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But Labour's shadow business minister Lucy Powell was critical of the chancellor's announcement.
She told Ridge: "The summer statement this week was a real missed opportunity, possibly the last opportunity we've had to save tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of jobs over the coming months, with some very poorly targeted and badly designed schemes which are just not up to the task of saving all those jobs, especially in some of the key sectors most adversely affected by this crisis."
Meanwhile, TUC union chief Frances O'Grady has argued that firms which can afford it should "absolutely" follow the example of Primark, which is reportedly set to reject around £30m in "bonuses" from the government for bringing back furloughed staff.
She told Ridge: "I think what we are worried about is that there is a risk of getting into gimmicks rather than giving the targeted support that industries need."
She argued the government, industries and unions needed to talk about national recovery plans and to help sectors that are "in real trouble" due to the crisis.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:36 Chancellor: 'We can't protect every job'
Ms O'Grady said: "We have to have targeted plans and support to keep them on their feet. The autumn will be too late.
"We are looking for flexibility and targeted support to get us through this tough period.
"It is a lot easier to hold on to good jobs that we have already rather than to try and create them later down the line. The biggest threat we face now is mass unemployment."


skynewspolitics--2020-07-12--Huawei 5G rethink expected amid warnings of 'close linkage' to China military

Huawei has `` close linkage '' to the Chinese military , a former spy chief has told Sky News as he said he expected the Government to halt the involvement of the tech giant in the UK 's 5G network .
Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday , Sir Richard Dearlove , who led MI6 from 1999 to 2004 , said the firm was not an `` ordinary international telecommunications company '' but `` an intimate part of the Chinese state '' .
His comments came as a decision is due to be taken on Huawei by the National Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ministerial U-turn .
Sir Richard had been strongly opposed to the government 's plan to allow a limited role for the company in the development of Britain 's next-generation mobile phone network , despite acknowledging it is a `` high-risk vendor '' .
He stressed the need for the UK to `` reset '' its entire relationship with Beijing , arguing that as China had become `` more aggressive internationally '' there was a need for Britain to become `` more assertive '' .
Asked if Boris Johnson will revisit his decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK 's 5G , Sir Richard told Ridge : `` That 's certainly my expectation .
`` I mean , I do n't have any direct inside knowledge but I think I 'm one of the individuals who has been pressing very hard for Huawei to be excluded from the UK 's 5G . ''
He added : `` The problem is we have had a close relationship with Huawei dating back , I think , to the year 2000 , so getting Huawei out of the systems ca n't be done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done cumulatively over time .
`` But it looks to me now as though the government have changed their view .
`` There 's a technical aspect to this because since the American embargo on Huawei was imposed it 's not clear that they 're going to be able anyway to provide the 5G equipment on which the system will depend .
`` I 've always believed that there is a strategic security reason for not allowing the Chinese that degree of involvement in the construction of our critical infrastructure . ''
Sir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state and Huawei was `` absolutely clear-cut '' .
He said : `` Huawei is not a sort of ordinary international telecommunications company , it 's an intimate part of the Chinese state .
`` And if you know anything about Chinese military strategy , they talk about the fusion of civil and military capabilities .
`` There is a close linkage undoubtedly between the Chinese military capability and Huawei . ''
China 's cyber attack capability was also `` a threat '' to the UK , said Sir Richard .
Pressed over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken on Huawei , he said : `` I wonder whether they would - as it were - go that far at the moment .
`` But of course it is a threat .
They have a significant capability in this area and they can probably do it in a manner where although you probably know who the culprit is they could ... make it deniable and say 'oh well it was n't us ' .
`` Of course , it 's a threat and I think we 've known quite significantly that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are prepared to use it . ''

Huawei has "close linkage" to the Chinese military, a former spy chief has told Sky News as he said he expected the Government to halt the involvement of the tech giant in the UK's 5G network.
Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Sir Richard Dearlove, who led MI6 from 1999 to 2004, said the firm was not an "ordinary international telecommunications company" but "an intimate part of the Chinese state".
His comments came as a decision is due to be taken on Huawei by the National Security Council on Tuesday, with reports of a ministerial U-turn.
Image: The firm was to be allowed a limited role in the network despite it being a 'high-risk vendor'
Sir Richard had been strongly opposed to the government's plan to allow a limited role for the company in the development of Britain's next-generation mobile phone network, despite acknowledging it is a "high-risk vendor".
He stressed the need for the UK to "reset" its entire relationship with Beijing, arguing that as China had become "more aggressive internationally" there was a need for Britain to become "more assertive".
Asked if Boris Johnson will revisit his decision to allow Huawei a limited role in the UK's 5G, Sir Richard told Ridge: "That's certainly my expectation.
"I mean, I don't have any direct inside knowledge but I think I'm one of the individuals who has been pressing very hard for Huawei to be excluded from the UK's 5G."
:: Listen to Sophy Ridge On Sunday on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
He added: "The problem is we have had a close relationship with Huawei dating back, I think, to the year 2000, so getting Huawei out of the systems can't be done rapidly - it will have to be done cumulatively over time.
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"But it looks to me now as though the government have changed their view.
"There's a technical aspect to this because since the American embargo on Huawei was imposed it's not clear that they're going to be able anyway to provide the 5G equipment on which the system will depend.
"I've always believed that there is a strategic security reason for not allowing the Chinese that degree of involvement in the construction of our critical infrastructure."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:19 Explained: Why 5G and Huawei matter
Sir Richard said the relationship between the Chinese state and Huawei was "absolutely clear-cut".
He said: "Huawei is not a sort of ordinary international telecommunications company, it's an intimate part of the Chinese state.
"And if you know anything about Chinese military strategy, they talk about the fusion of civil and military capabilities.
"There is a close linkage undoubtedly between the Chinese military capability and Huawei."
China's cyber attack capability was also "a threat" to the UK, said Sir Richard.
Pressed over whether Beijing could retaliate over any decision taken on Huawei, he said: "I wonder whether they would - as it were - go that far at the moment.
"But of course it is a threat. They have a significant capability in this area and they can probably do it in a manner where although you probably know who the culprit is they could... make it deniable and say 'oh well it wasn't us'.
"Of course, it's a threat and I think we've known quite significantly that the Chinese have developed this capability and are prepared to use it."


skynewspolitics--2020-07-11--£705m to ensure Britain's borders 'fully operational' when out of EU

The government is spending £705m on new border controls and staff as the UK prepares to fully leave the EU at the end of this year .
The money will be spent on border infrastructure , 500 more border force staff and new IT systems and technology .
The government claims the country 's border systems will be `` fully operational '' from 31 December , when the UK is due to leave the Brexit transition period .
But one former Conservative cabinet minister and Kent MP says plans for a new lorry park and customs centre in his constituency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no consultation '' .
Damian Green told Sky News he wants the government to confirm that the initial use of a 27-acre site in Ashford as a lorry park will just be an `` insurance policy '' and that `` in an ideal world , it wo n't be used at all because the traffic will flow smoothly through Dover '' .
Mr Green 's successor , Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove , said the investment would allow the UK to `` seize the opportunities as we lay the foundations for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
The government will spend £470m to build port and inland infrastructure , with £235m going on staffing and new IT and data systems .
The investment will apply to English , Scottish and Welsh external borders with arrangements for Northern Ireland due to be published in the coming weeks .
While the EU has said it will implement full checks on goods crossing the channel , the UK will phase in controls over six months .
Earlier this week , a leaked letter written by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the World Trade Organisation .
: : Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker Labour says the letter `` lifts the lid on a growing sense of chaos and confusion '' in government .
Rachel Reeves , shadow cabinet office minister , said : `` This extraordinary letter deserves answers , not just given to the House of Commons , but to the industries and people who stand to be affected if the government gets this badly wrong . ''
There is concern that - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and continuing deadlock in the Brexit trade talks - the UK is not prepared to fully leave the EU on 31 December .
A deadline for requesting an extension to the transition period has now passed , with ministers insisting the UK will be ready to leave on time .
One part of the government 's investment programme has seen the Department for Transport purchase 27 acres of land in Ashford to build a new border control centre , which will initially be used as a lorry park .
In a letter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook , junior transport minister Rachel Maclean said plans had not yet been finalised for the site but it `` is anticipated to form part of the department 's strategy to minimise potential disruption at Kent ports '' .
`` This is likely to involve temporary capacity for the holding of delayed HGVs and facilities for border-related controls to be carried out by government agencies ( eg HMRC ) , '' the minister said .
Local Conservative councillor Paul Bartlett said the new development would bring much-needed employment to the area , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land just to deal with delays .
`` We do not want the site used as an Operation Brock-type lorry park , '' he said .
`` We want the high-end use for HMRC , trading standards and scientific testing service . ''
Operation Brock saw changes to motorway traffic flows put in place in the South East of England to deal with congestion that could have been caused by a no-deal Brexit .
Fencing will be installed at the Kent location on Monday along with preparatory work such as weeding and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There has been concern that new Brexit customs checks could lead to backlogs at the border and delays on roads in the South East .
It comes as Home Secretary Priti Patel prepares to unveil more details on the UK 's points-based immigration system , which will come into effect in January after freedom of movement ends .
The system is aimed at cutting the number of low-skilled migrants entering Britain while attracting more highly skilled migrants .
The Sunday Telegraph is also reporting that Chancellor Rishi Sunak is preparing to introduce tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for up to 10 new freeports - where taxes and tariffs will not apply - in his autumn Budget .