conservativehome--2020-03-25--Richard Walton: The challenge of the virus to policing. And how forces will and should respond.

Richard Walton is a Senior Fellow at Policy Exchange and a former Head of Counter-Terrorism Command of the Metropolitan Police .
Boris Johnson shifted the nation on its axis this week with just two words : ‘ national emergency ’ – placing restrictions on liberty never previously seen in peacetime .
The implications for the emergency services are profound but hopefully short-lived .
A health crisis has now become a national crisis , with the role of policing becoming significantly more important following the Prime Minister ’ s pivot from a posture of request , nudge and cajole of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and financial sanctions .
How will the police service respond and how will it enforce the new restrictions being imposed ?
Martin Hewitt , Chair of the National Police Chief ’ s Council said yesterday : “ These measures are here to protect the NHS and to save people ’ s lives and where it becomes necessary , we will enforce them and that is what the public want us to do ” .
Meanwhile , John Apter , national chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales , said : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be challenging , but policing will do all it can to keep the public safe , but we need the public to support us.
” It is not yet clear what power the police will have ( or when ) to question and if necessary fine people failing to comply with the national restrictions , but Hewitt suggested that it will be in place by the end of the week .
He emphasised that British policing had no intention of moving away from its world renowned model of ‘ policing by consent ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislation will need to include an enforcement role for both Special Constables and Police Community Support Officers as well as Police Officers .
It will also be important for fines to be sufficiently high to be a strong deterrent and tiered – increasing to high levels for repeat offenders .
Johnson will be greatly relieved that the Civil Contingency Act 2004 was passed for just this type of crisis , following a review of the Government ’ s response to three previous crises in 2000/1 ( the national floods , fuel protests and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Interestingly , this is the same legislation that created the Civil Contingencies Secretariat and the Civil Contingencies Committee ( COBR ) , two crucially important organs of the Cabinet Office now being used to manage the crisis on a daily basis .
This prescient Act gives Government powers to invoke and enforce ‘ emergency regulations ’ to restrict travel , movement and gatherings for exactly the reasons and in the same way that they have now been invoked .
It also creates an offence of failure to comply under section 22 ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead choose to introduce primary legislation rather than a statutory instrument , giving it freedom to create a law to more easily suit the situation the nation finds itself in .
The new measures will put extreme pressure on the police service but this remains predominantly a health crisis .
The police role is to save lives by supporting their colleagues in the health service , keep the police , prevent crime and now additionally enforce the government ’ s restrictions .
Some police leaders are already feeling the pressure .
Ken Marsh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that there was already “ large amounts of sickness ” among officers in the capital with many others self-isolating , saying : “ So it will be very , very challenging and very , very difficult for us with what ’ s put in front of us…we will be dealing with it , but I ’ m not sure we will have the resources to be able to see it through.
” The resilience of the police service is certainly low , but this is no time to whinge and the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the nation is very strong .
The National Police Co-ordination Centre ( NPoCC ) is able to mobilise resources across the country to meet any surge in demand if one part of the country is more severely affected by the virus than another .
Every force also has a Local Resilience Forum ; multi-agency bodies that have been consulting , collaborating , sharing information and testing and exercising responses to pandemics for many years .
This multi-agency approach should be also extended to local authorities , who should use existing Crime and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enhance community engagement and information sharing between community groups and the elderly and vulnerable .
To support local action , the Home Office and Police Service should also re-invigorate Neighbourhood Watch schemes across the country as they will be a valuable resource when police officer numbers are hit by the virus .
A contingency plan is currently being drawn up to use the military to provide the health service and police with additional support .
This will likely include a range of measures such as using military medical staff and hospital facilities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police at fixed checkpoints .
It will be based on an existing mobilisation plan for providing military support to the police service in response to a terrorist attack ( Operation Temperer ) , which was used effectively for the first time following the Manchester Arena terrorist attack on 22 May 2017 .
New pressures on the police service should , however , be offset by a reduction in demand in some traditional policing functions , for example , through an absence of mass gatherings and reductions in street crime and alcohol related disorder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But some crimes may increase , including domestic violence .
Reports from China suggest that cities under lockdown have reported almost twice as many domestic abuse claims .
In a new Policy Exchange paper ‘ Policing a pandemic ’ , I make a recommendation that the Government should consider pre-empting a potential deterioration in mental health and well-being in individuals and families ( as a result of an increase in stress levels and self-isolation ) leading to increases in domestic violence and devise a plan with Civil Society and Third Sector organisations ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) to prevent these outcomes from occurring .
It remains to be seen whether criminals in gangs who have been responsible for so much gratuitous violence in recent years , will comply with these Government restrictions on movement .
Intensive care units can ill afford to be dealing with victims of stabbings alongside all their other demands .
Online fraud linked to coronavirus is already on the increase with fake websites advertising goods in high demand .
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency recently warned that ‘ Globally , 2,000 online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 34,000 unlicensed and fake products , advertised as “ corona spray ” , “ coronavirus medicines ” or , “ coronaviruses packages ” were seized ’ .
As more people have to work and interact online , the National Crime Agency ( NCA ) should issue guidance and advice on avoiding online fraud , while the National Cyber Security Centre ( NCSC ) should expand existing advice on phishing relating to the Coronavirus crisis .
The coronavirus presents many different and varied challenges for policing but the clue to their role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service ” .
This national emergency will be responded to by the police service like every other challenge in recent times : with courage , resilience and professionalism .
There will be concerns about the resilience of exhausted officers working long hours with additional family pressures , but I have no doubt that they will prevail , just as their colleagues in the other emergency service – the health service – will do too .

Richard Walton is a Senior Fellow at Policy Exchange and a former Head of Counter-Terrorism Command of the Metropolitan Police.
Boris Johnson shifted the nation on its axis this week with just two words: ‘national emergency’ – placing restrictions on liberty never previously seen in peacetime. The implications for the emergency services are profound but hopefully short-lived.
A health crisis has now become a national crisis, with the role of policing becoming significantly more important following the Prime Minister’s pivot from a posture of request, nudge and cajole of the public to one of compliance, enforcement and financial sanctions. How will the police service respond and how will it enforce the new restrictions being imposed?
Martin Hewitt, Chair of the National Police Chief’s Council said yesterday: “These measures are here to protect the NHS and to save people’s lives and where it becomes necessary, we will enforce them and that is what the public want us to do”.
Meanwhile, John Apter, national chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “The practicalities of policing this lockdown will be challenging, but policing will do all it can to keep the public safe, but we need the public to support us.”
It is not yet clear what power the police will have (or when) to question and if necessary fine people failing to comply with the national restrictions, but Hewitt suggested that it will be in place by the end of the week. He emphasised that British policing had no intention of moving away from its world renowned model of ‘policing by consent’.
To achieve this, the new legislation will need to include an enforcement role for both Special Constables and Police Community Support Officers as well as Police Officers. It will also be important for fines to be sufficiently high to be a strong deterrent and tiered – increasing to high levels for repeat offenders.
Johnson will be greatly relieved that the Civil Contingency Act 2004 was passed for just this type of crisis, following a review of the Government’s response to three previous crises in 2000/1 (the national floods, fuel protests and outbreak of foot and mouth disease).
Interestingly, this is the same legislation that created the Civil Contingencies Secretariat and the Civil Contingencies Committee (COBR), two crucially important organs of the Cabinet Office now being used to manage the crisis on a daily basis.
This prescient Act gives Government powers to invoke and enforce ‘emergency regulations’ to restrict travel, movement and gatherings for exactly the reasons and in the same way that they have now been invoked. It also creates an offence of failure to comply under section 22(3), but the Government may instead choose to introduce primary legislation rather than a statutory instrument, giving it freedom to create a law to more easily suit the situation the nation finds itself in.
The new measures will put extreme pressure on the police service but this remains predominantly a health crisis. The police role is to save lives by supporting their colleagues in the health service, keep the police, prevent crime and now additionally enforce the government’s restrictions.
Some police leaders are already feeling the pressure. Ken Marsh, Chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation said that there was already “large amounts of sickness” among officers in the capital with many others self-isolating, saying: “So it will be very, very challenging and very, very difficult for us with what’s put in front of us…we will be dealing with it, but I’m not sure we will have the resources to be able to see it through.”
The resilience of the police service is certainly low, but this is no time to whinge and the police infrastructure, for dealing with the crisis across the nation is very strong. The National Police Co-ordination Centre (NPoCC) is able to mobilise resources across the country to meet any surge in demand if one part of the country is more severely affected by the virus than another.
Every force also has a Local Resilience Forum; multi-agency bodies that have been consulting, collaborating, sharing information and testing and exercising responses to pandemics for many years. This multi-agency approach should be also extended to local authorities, who should use existing Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) to enhance community engagement and information sharing between community groups and the elderly and vulnerable.
To support local action, the Home Office and Police Service should also re-invigorate Neighbourhood Watch schemes across the country as they will be a valuable resource when police officer numbers are hit by the virus.
A contingency plan is currently being drawn up to use the military to provide the health service and police with additional support. This will likely include a range of measures such as using military medical staff and hospital facilities, the backfilling of ambulance workers and armed police at fixed checkpoints. It will be based on an existing mobilisation plan for providing military support to the police service in response to a terrorist attack (Operation Temperer), which was used effectively for the first time following the Manchester Arena terrorist attack on 22 May 2017.
New pressures on the police service should, however, be offset by a reduction in demand in some traditional policing functions, for example, through an absence of mass gatherings and reductions in street crime and alcohol related disorder linked to the night time economy.
But some crimes may increase, including domestic violence. Reports from China suggest that cities under lockdown have reported almost twice as many domestic abuse claims. In a new Policy Exchange paper ‘Policing a pandemic’, I make a recommendation that the Government should consider pre-empting a potential deterioration in mental health and well-being in individuals and families (as a result of an increase in stress levels and self-isolation) leading to increases in domestic violence and devise a plan with Civil Society and Third Sector organisations (such as the relationship counselling charity Relate) to prevent these outcomes from occurring.
It remains to be seen whether criminals in gangs who have been responsible for so much gratuitous violence in recent years, will comply with these Government restrictions on movement. Intensive care units can ill afford to be dealing with victims of stabbings alongside all their other demands.
Online fraud linked to coronavirus is already on the increase with fake websites advertising goods in high demand. The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency recently warned that ‘Globally, 2,000 online advertisements related to COVID-19 were found and more than 34,000 unlicensed and fake products, advertised as “corona spray”, “coronavirus medicines” or, “coronaviruses packages” were seized’.
As more people have to work and interact online, the National Crime Agency (NCA) should issue guidance and advice on avoiding online fraud, while the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) should expand existing advice on phishing relating to the Coronavirus crisis.
The coronavirus presents many different and varied challenges for policing but the clue to their role is in their title: “emergency service”. This national emergency will be responded to by the police service like every other challenge in recent times: with courage, resilience and professionalism. There will be concerns about the resilience of exhausted officers working long hours with additional family pressures, but I have no doubt that they will prevail, just as their colleagues in the other emergency service – the health service – will do too.


conservativehome--2020-03-26--Susan Hall: Some urgent questions for the Mayor about the tube service

Susan Hall is the Leader of the Conservative Group on the London Assembly .
London is facing an unprecedented challenge – we have mere weeks to turn the tide on the coronavirus before the capital reaches the dreaded peak .
The actions the government has taken to stop the spread of the virus will save thousands of lives and Londoners are looking to Mayor Khan to lead the way .
Every single morning this week , we have seen shocking pictures of crowded platforms and Tube trains , despite government instructions to stay at home and avoid public transport .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tube properly is putting London ’ s doctors , nurses , police officers , and teachers , who must still travel to work to keep our city safe , at risk of catching the virus .
It ’ s distressing to see NHS workers taking to Twitter to vent their anger about their commute , putting them at greater risk for their crucial hospital work .
One such nurse Julia Harris , who commutes to Imperial College NHS Trust , tweeted “ travelling to and from work at the hospital is starting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sonographer Nicola Smith tweeted her plea “ Sadiq Khan – put the Tube service back to normal so we can all spread out ” .
It ’ s hard not to think that the Mayor ’ s decision to reduce Transport for London ’ s services has inadvertently turned the Tube into a petri dish for coronavirus .
This dangerous situation is not only putting London ’ s essential workers at risk who must continue to travel , but also turbocharging the spread of the virus in London .
Unless the Mayor can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have failed London ’ s NHS heroes on two fronts : by putting them at risk on their commute to work and failing to stop the spread of the virus which threatens to overwhelm them .
Clearly , some Londoners are using the Tube unnecessarily when they should be at home .
That ’ s why earlier this week , I called for the Mayor to deploy police officers to deter non-essential workers from using the London Underground .
I am pleased that Khan adopted the suggestion and we saw British Transport Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , the Mayor should consider using the Met to give a greater police presence on the Underground to stop irresponsible journeys .
However , it may be the case that the reduced service TfL is providing is just not sufficient for essential workers to travel across the city safely .
The Mayor must be guided by the evidence on this ; if it ’ s clear more services are needed to protect London ’ s NHS heroes , he must provide them .
However , it ’ s not clear that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Transport for London ’ s services .
During the course of one day , the number of TfL staff who are sick or self-isolating rose from 20 per cent to a third while Sadiq Khan toured TV studios to explain why his hands were tied on tube services .
Worse still , the Mayor believes this number will rise , and TfL may have to reduce their services further .
The Mayor must urgently take action to bolster TfL staff to sustain London ’ s transport network and provide more services to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of TfL Daniel Moylan set out excellent questions on actions Khan must be taking to address TfL ’ s staffing problem .
I put these questions in a letter to Sadiq Khan yesterday to see what , if any , action he is taking .
I asked the Mayor : • How many TfL managers with station operator licences have been deployed ?
• How many recently retired/redundant staff have been asked back to work ?
• Have all the Night Tube drivers been redeployed to day shifts ?
• Have drivers been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional hours ( for extra pay ) ?
• Is the absence rate amongst operations staff consistent with broader London experience ?
If not , what steps will be taken ?
• Have the Tube unions been asked to relax restrictive practices ?
The Mayor needs to answer these questions and explain why he isn ’ t taking these actions to keep London ’ s essential workers moving .
While the rest of the country is digging deep and coming up with solutions to keep everyone safe , Khan needs to act now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more trains may be required , and he needs to be able to deliver them to keep our city safe .

Susan Hall is the Leader of the Conservative Group on the London Assembly.
London is facing an unprecedented challenge – we have mere weeks to turn the tide on the coronavirus before the capital reaches the dreaded peak. The actions the government has taken to stop the spread of the virus will save thousands of lives and Londoners are looking to Mayor Khan to lead the way.
Every single morning this week, we have seen shocking pictures of crowded platforms and Tube trains, despite government instructions to stay at home and avoid public transport. Khan’s failure to manage the Tube properly is putting London’s doctors, nurses, police officers, and teachers, who must still travel to work to keep our city safe, at risk of catching the virus.
It’s distressing to see NHS workers taking to Twitter to vent their anger about their commute, putting them at greater risk for their crucial hospital work. One such nurse Julia Harris, who commutes to Imperial College NHS Trust, tweeted “travelling to and from work at the hospital is starting to scare me”, and an NHS sonographer Nicola Smith tweeted her plea “Sadiq Khan – put the Tube service back to normal so we can all spread out”.
It’s hard not to think that the Mayor’s decision to reduce Transport for London’s services has inadvertently turned the Tube into a petri dish for coronavirus. This dangerous situation is not only putting London’s essential workers at risk who must continue to travel, but also turbocharging the spread of the virus in London. Unless the Mayor can urgently resolve this situation, he will have failed London’s NHS heroes on two fronts: by putting them at risk on their commute to work and failing to stop the spread of the virus which threatens to overwhelm them.
Clearly, some Londoners are using the Tube unnecessarily when they should be at home. That’s why earlier this week, I called for the Mayor to deploy police officers to deter non-essential workers from using the London Underground. I am pleased that Khan adopted the suggestion and we saw British Transport Police at busy Tube stations on Wednesday morning. However, the Mayor should consider using the Met to give a greater police presence on the Underground to stop irresponsible journeys.
However, it may be the case that the reduced service TfL is providing is just not sufficient for essential workers to travel across the city safely. The Mayor must be guided by the evidence on this; if it’s clear more services are needed to protect London’s NHS heroes, he must provide them. However, it’s not clear that the Mayor is even in the control of Transport for London’s services.
During the course of one day, the number of TfL staff who are sick or self-isolating rose from 20 per cent to a third while Sadiq Khan toured TV studios to explain why his hands were tied on tube services. Worse still, the Mayor believes this number will rise, and TfL may have to reduce their services further.
The Mayor must urgently take action to bolster TfL staff to sustain London’s transport network and provide more services to protect NHS workers. Former Deputy Chairman of TfL Daniel Moylan set out excellent questions on actions Khan must be taking to address TfL’s staffing problem. I put these questions in a letter to Sadiq Khan yesterday to see what, if any, action he is taking. I asked the Mayor:
How many TfL managers with station operator licences have been deployed? How many recently retired/redundant staff have been asked back to work? Have all the Night Tube drivers been redeployed to day shifts? Have drivers been asked to defer leave and to work additional hours (for extra pay)? Is the absence rate amongst operations staff consistent with broader London experience? If not, what steps will be taken? Have the Tube unions been asked to relax restrictive practices?
The Mayor needs to answer these questions and explain why he isn’t taking these actions to keep London’s essential workers moving. While the rest of the country is digging deep and coming up with solutions to keep everyone safe, Khan needs to act now. TfL is an essential service; more trains may be required, and he needs to be able to deliver them to keep our city safe.


conservativehome--2020-03-26--Calling Conservatives: New public appointments announced. Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct A

Calling Conservatives: New public appointments announced. Chief Executive of the Financial Conduct Authority – and more

Eight years ago , the TaxPayers ’ Alliance reported that “ in the last year , five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories ” .
It currently reports that almost half of avowedly political appointees last year owed their allegiance to Labour Party , compared to less than a third for the Conservatives .
Despite the selection of some Party members or supporters to fill important posts , over time , the Conservatives have punched beneath their weight when it comes to public appointments .
One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number as Labour supporters .
To help remedy this , each week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies , so that qualified Conservatives can be aware of the opportunities presented .
“ As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution , a wave of technological innovation is creating new industries , disrupting existing ones and transforming the way things are made and the way we live .
From AI-powered legal services to autonomous ships , new products , services and business models are emerging which don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its White Paper on Regulation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution , the Government committed to establishing a Regulatory Horizons Council ( RHC ) to identify the implications of technological innovation with high potential benefit for the UK economy and society and advise the government on regulatory reform needed to support its rapid and safe introduction.
” “ This is an opportunity to take on an intellectually demanding role at the heart of international financial services , leading a sizeable and complex organisation .
There is a requirement for strong leadership in a challenging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Under Andrew Bailey , the FCA has formulated a transformation programme , to equip the organisation for the next phase of its development : a data strategy and enhanced analytical skills to rapidly identify harm across an exceptionally broad range of firms of all sizes exploiting fast-moving changes in technology and distribution to target consumers ; enhance employee capabilities and processes to act swiftly on the harms identified ; [ and ] and with a regulatory framework which is appropriate following the completion of EU withdrawal , and which takes advantage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regulation brought by technology and behavioural science.
” “ The Chief Executive will assume office at a time of unprecedented external change .
The political landscape in Europe and around the globe is altering with increasing pace and less predictability .
The British Council is also in constant transformation to deliver within funding constraints in a demanding , more client and customer-facing world .
The aims and goals of the British Council are more necessary than ever .
Delivering them in the complex world of 2020 is more difficult than at any time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chief Executive in terms of vision , agility , ability to simplify and lead with clarity and purpose are substantial .
The Chief Executive will be instrumental in redefining both ‘ soft power ’ and ‘ cultural relations ’ at this pivotal moment and will help define the place of the United Kingdom , for the better , in a ‘ disrupted ’ and uncertain geopolitical world.
” Remuneration : Up to £150k per annum plus bonus to 8 per cent and Civil Service Pension “ The Coast to Capital Strategic Board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , setting a vision for and overseeing delivery of economic prosperity for all in the Coast to Capital area , including through Government funding of projects through the Local Growth Fund .
They are accountable to the LEP Board and for the proper governance of the LEP .
Coast to Capital is seeking an influential and persuasive senior business figure from the C2C area to help lead the region and meet the ambitious vision set out in its strategic plan .
Currently chaired by Tim Wates , who will be stepping down in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a diverse mix of regional business leaders alongside senior politicians and leaders from Universities and Further Education.
” “ The last few years have seen major changes to NHS Resolution ’ s role and standing in the system as a result of both its revised strategy and the new clinical negligence scheme for GPs .
It has been a pleasure and privilege to Chair the organisation through this period of significant change .
Although the course is set for the next few years some of these changes are still at an early stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now a need to progress the development of our infrastructure to support the enhanced role and the NHS will continue to evolve .
I am sure therefore that the next Chair will also find the role both challenging and rewarding.
” “ The Office of Tax Simplification ( OTS ) provides the government with independent advice on simplifying the tax system , to make things easier for taxpayers .
The OTS Board is led by an independent Chair ( Kathryn Cearns OBE ) and Tax Director ( Bill Dodwell ) and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to four independent members , supported by a diverse staff team drawn from the civil service and the private sector , led by the OTS Head of Office David Halsey .
The four independent members of the OTS Board are currently Dame Teresa Graham , John Cullinane , Kathleen Russ and – until his recent resignation – Paul Johnson .
To support its work and further development , the OTS would like to identify an exceptional individual with relevant experience to join its Board as one of its independent members.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ headed by the Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner ( the Commissioner ) who is a statutory appointment required under the Financial Services Act 2012 .
This is a senior position and , whilst the appointment is made by the regulators , it is an independent role , subject to approval by HM Treasury .
The current Commissioner carries out his duties through a company limited by guarantee ( Office of the Complaints Commissioner ) from premises based in the City of London .
He is assisted by three staff .
The Commissioner ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actions or inactions of the UK ’ s current financial services regulators , the Financial Conduct Authority , the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Bank of England ( but only in respect of its oversight of the banking clearing houses and payment schemes ) .
” Remuneration : “ Remuneration is on a level with judicial salaries , pro-rated as appropriate .
”

Eight years ago, the TaxPayers’ Alliance reported that “in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories”.
It currently reports that almost half of avowedly political appointees last year owed their allegiance to Labour Party, compared to less than a third for the Conservatives.
Despite the selection of some Party members or supporters to fill important posts, over time, the Conservatives have punched beneath their weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply don’t apply in the same number as Labour supporters.
To help remedy this, each week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives can be aware of the opportunities presented.
– – – – – – – – – –
Regulatory Horizons Panel – Member
“As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a wave of technological innovation is creating new industries, disrupting existing ones and transforming the way things are made and the way we live. From AI-powered legal services to autonomous ships, new products, services and business models are emerging which don’t fit with existing regulatory systems. In its White Paper on Regulation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Government committed to establishing a Regulatory Horizons Council (RHC) to identify the implications of technological innovation with high potential benefit for the UK economy and society and advise the government on regulatory reform needed to support its rapid and safe introduction.”
Time: 1-2 days per month.
Remuneration: £380 per diem.
Closes: 23 March
– – – – – – – – – –
Financial Conduct Authority – Chief Executive
“This is an opportunity to take on an intellectually demanding role at the heart of international financial services, leading a sizeable and complex organisation. There is a requirement for strong leadership in a challenging environment to undertake a critically important role. Under Andrew Bailey, the FCA has formulated a transformation programme, to equip the organisation for the next phase of its development: a data strategy and enhanced analytical skills to rapidly identify harm across an exceptionally broad range of firms of all sizes exploiting fast-moving changes in technology and distribution to target consumers; enhance employee capabilities and processes to act swiftly on the harms identified; [and] and with a regulatory framework which is appropriate following the completion of EU withdrawal, and which takes advantage of the opportunities for better and more efficient regulation brought by technology and behavioural science.”
Time: Full-time.
Remuneration: Competitive.
Closes: 27 March
– – – – – – – – – –
British Council – Chief Executive
“The Chief Executive will assume office at a time of unprecedented external change. The political landscape in Europe and around the globe is altering with increasing pace and less predictability. The British Council is also in constant transformation to deliver within funding constraints in a demanding, more client and customer-facing world. The aims and goals of the British Council are more necessary than ever. Delivering them in the complex world of 2020 is more difficult than at any time since 1945. The resulting demands on the Chief Executive in terms of vision, agility, ability to simplify and lead with clarity and purpose are substantial. The Chief Executive will be instrumental in redefining both ‘soft power’ and ‘cultural relations’ at this pivotal moment and will help define the place of the United Kingdom, for the better, in a ‘disrupted’ and uncertain geopolitical world.”
Time: Full-time.
Remuneration: Up to £150k per annum plus bonus to 8 per cent and Civil Service Pension
Closes: 27 March
– – – – – – – – – –
Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (C2C LEP) – Chair
“The Coast to Capital Strategic Board comprises private sector and local authority Members, setting a vision for and overseeing delivery of economic prosperity for all in the Coast to Capital area, including through Government funding of projects through the Local Growth Fund. They are accountable to the LEP Board and for the proper governance of the LEP. Coast to Capital is seeking an influential and persuasive senior business figure from the C2C area to help lead the region and meet the ambitious vision set out in its strategic plan. Currently chaired by Tim Wates, who will be stepping down in July 2020, the Board brings together a diverse mix of regional business leaders alongside senior politicians and leaders from Universities and Further Education.”
Time: Four days per month, three-year term.
Remuneration: £20,000 per annum.
Closes: 30 March
– – – – – – – – – –
NHS Resolution – Chair
“The last few years have seen major changes to NHS Resolution’s role and standing in the system as a result of both its revised strategy and the new clinical negligence scheme for GPs. It has been a pleasure and privilege to Chair the organisation through this period of significant change. Although the course is set for the next few years some of these changes are still at an early stage and need to be embedded, there is now a need to progress the development of our infrastructure to support the enhanced role and the NHS will continue to evolve. I am sure therefore that the next Chair will also find the role both challenging and rewarding.”
Time: 2-3 days per week.
Remuneration: £63,000 per annum.
Closes: 06 April
– – – – – – – – – –
Office of Tax Simplification – Board Member
“The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) provides the government with independent advice on simplifying the tax system, to make things easier for taxpayers. The OTS Board is led by an independent Chair (Kathryn Cearns OBE) and Tax Director (Bill Dodwell) and has representatives from HM Treasury and HMRC and up to four independent members, supported by a diverse staff team drawn from the civil service and the private sector, led by the OTS Head of Office David Halsey. The four independent members of the OTS Board are currently Dame Teresa Graham, John Cullinane, Kathleen Russ and – until his recent resignation – Paul Johnson. To support its work and further development, the OTS would like to identify an exceptional individual with relevant experience to join its Board as one of its independent members.”
Time: Approx. 10 days per annum.
Remuneration: “Reasonable expenses”.
Closes: 06 April
– – – – – – – – – –
HM Treasury – Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner
“The Office of the Complaints Commissioner is headed by the Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner (the Commissioner) who is a statutory appointment required under the Financial Services Act 2012. This is a senior position and, whilst the appointment is made by the regulators, it is an independent role, subject to approval by HM Treasury. The current Commissioner carries out his duties through a company limited by guarantee (Office of the Complaints Commissioner) from premises based in the City of London. He is assisted by three staff. The Commissioner’s role is to review independently complaints about the actions or inactions of the UK’s current financial services regulators, the Financial Conduct Authority, the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Bank of England (but only in respect of its oversight of the banking clearing houses and payment schemes).”
Time: Est. three days per week.
Remuneration: “Remuneration is on a level with judicial salaries, pro-rated as appropriate.”
Closes: 13 April


conservativehome--2020-03-26--The last thing we need in the fight against this virus is a Ministry of Supply

Supply , supply , supply .
Clausewitz knew that victory in war depended on it , and we can all see that victory over the Coronavirus depends on it too .
The Editor of this site asked me to look into the arguments for and against a Ministry of Supply , as set up in 1939 .
Immediately after he rang , I happened to speak on the telephone with a friend of mine who lives in sheltered housing , and who suffers from various ailments which mean the Coronavirus would kill her .
She could not have been more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example of the previous Ministry of Supply is not altogether encouraging .
Its creation was demanded by Winston Churchill and others , to show that the Government was at last taking seriously the grievous deficiencies in equipment from which Britain ’ s armed forces suffered in the late 1930s .
The Prime Minister , Neville Chamberlain , resisted .
Here is Chips Channon , Conservative MP for Southend , who hero-worshipped Chamberlain , writing in his diary on 17th November 1938 , soon after Munich , where Hitler was bought off by allowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : By April 1939 , things were looking worse .
Hitler had the previous month annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia , which he was not supposed to do .
Along with the great majority of Conservative MPs , Channon continued loyal to Chamberlain , of whom he wrote on 20th April : Leslie Burgin , a National Liberal MP serving as Minister of Transport , was a nonentity .
A.J.P .
Taylor described him as “ another horse from Caligula ’ s well-stocked stables ” .
Chamberlain still thought there was a chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting back to normal relations with the dictators ” , so wished to give no demonstration of bellicosity , which Churchill ’ s appointment would certainly have been .
In this the Prime Minister was following the course charted by his predecessor , Stanley Baldwin , who in 1936 created the post of Minister for Co-ordination of Defence , but instead of giving it , as expected , to Churchill , conferred it on Sir Thomas Inskip – an appointment described at the time as the most cynical “ since Caligula made his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak of war in September 1939 , Churchill was restored to the Admiralty , where , as he later related , he found Burgin ’ s staff at the Ministry of Supply “ dismally slow and unimaginative ” .
What matters , one begins to see , is not the name of the ministry , but the identity of the minister .
In May 1940 , when Churchill became Prime Minister , he brought to the prosecution of the war his own astonishing dynamism .
In the 1930s , Churchill was an outsider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for he had become a defender of lost causes .
On becoming Prime Minister in May 1940 – a moment at which a defender of lost causes was just what the nation needed – he brought in other outsiders , including his boon companion Lord Beaverbrook , on whom he conferred the new and vital role of Minister of Aircraft Production .
Beaverbrook , regarded by many people from King George VI downwards as an impossibly disreputable figure , was praised by others , including Churchill , for sweeping aside all manner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aircraft the RAF needed to win the Battle of Britain .
The Ministry of Supply went to Herbert Morrison , a leading Labour figure , but Harold Macmillan , one of the handful of Conservative MPs to have supported Churchill in the late 1930s , was made Parliamentary Secretary in that department .
Macmillan was 46 , and regarded by many in the parliamentary party as “ unprepossessing , bookish , eccentric ” ( Chips Channon ) , but as Anthony Sampson relates , in an excellent short biography published in 1968 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective…able to put into practice at last the planning ideas which had been rotating in his mind over the last decade .
The boards and committees which had been so mocked before now took shape .
He helped to reorganise the ministry , to give closer contact between government , industrialists and labour : neat new Area Boards were set up , with representatives from different ministries , which were responsible to the ‘ Industrial Capacity Committee ’ with Macmillan as its chairman .
It was a planners ’ paradise .
He lovingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 7th August 1940 , and jokingly remarked that he would try to introduce State Socialism in the country if he did not have to put up with the tremendous resistance of the Labour movement.
” In July 1941 , Beaverbrook became Minister of Supply , with Macmillan as his admiring pupil : This apprenticeship served Macmillan in good stead : a decade later , when he was charged as Housing Minister with the seemingly impossible task of getting 300,000 houses a year built , he used Beaverbrook ’ s methods , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the promotion of brilliant officials , the sacking or sidelining of useless ones , the setting of over-ambitious targets , the ruthless appropriation of whatever resources were required , and the use of dramatic , self-glorifying publicity , to get the job done .
The houses were built using a mixture of public and private methods which to later eyes came to seem muddled and ineffective .
In the hands of someone as energetic and ruthless as Beaverbrook or Macmillan , the mixture could , on the contrary , be a formidable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they brought to it a wartime determination to make extraordinarily rapid progress , using every tool at their disposal , not caring in the slightest whether a particular lever belonged to the state or to private enterprise .
Here perhaps is the main lesson of this history for the present crisis .
Any system can be made to work by a dynamic leader , who hires other dynamic figures .
To tackle the Coronavirus crisis , four Cabinet committees have been set up , chaired by Matt Hancock ( health ) , Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sector ) , Rishi Sunak ( the economy ) and Dominic Raab ( international ) .
There is reported to have been some ministerial infighting .
This is inevitable , when energetic ministers are bending every sinew to achieve very difficult things in a very short time .
Here is Charles Williams , Beaverbrook ’ s most recent biographer : “ Arguments in the War Cabinet were sharp and at times noisy .
The debate on the use of labour was one such .
Beaverbrook argued that the sole aim was maximum output @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valuable time was lost when workers took cover at the sounding of the warning alarm , he suggested that the alarms be switched off . )
The Minister of Labour , the trade union leader Ernest Bevin , took an opposite view , saying that workers needed proper protection and welfare provision if they were to give of their best .
To make matters worse , Bevin was given to shouting , and Beaverbrook was not used to being shouted at .
Bevin was chalked up as another enemy .
But the list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister has to hire the right people , and back them as long as they are getting things done , no matter who they offend in the process .
Easy to say , not so easy to do .

Supply, supply, supply. Clausewitz knew that victory in war depended on it, and we can all see that victory over the Coronavirus depends on it too.
The Editor of this site asked me to look into the arguments for and against a Ministry of Supply, as set up in 1939.
Immediately after he rang, I happened to speak on the telephone with a friend of mine who lives in sheltered housing, and who suffers from various ailments which mean the Coronavirus would kill her.
She could not have been more enthusiastic about the proposal:
“I think it’s an incredibly good idea, to have a government-run department that makes sure necessary supplies get to chemists and hospitals, and can supply my carers with the proper protective kit they should be wearing.”
But the example of the previous Ministry of Supply is not altogether encouraging. Its creation was demanded by Winston Churchill and others, to show that the Government was at last taking seriously the grievous deficiencies in equipment from which Britain’s armed forces suffered in the late 1930s.
The Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, resisted. Here is Chips Channon, Conservative MP for Southend, who hero-worshipped Chamberlain, writing in his diary on 17th November 1938, soon after Munich, where Hitler was bought off by allowing him to annex the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia:
“Winston Churchill made a terrific attack on the Government, and he begged 50 Conservatives to follow him into the Lobby. Actually only Messrs Macmillan and Bob Boothby went, and the figures, a majority of 196 for the Government, were satisfactory. The PM spoke for one hour one minute, very well, clearly and amusingly. He refused to create a Ministry of Supply.”
By April 1939, things were looking worse. Hitler had the previous month annexed the rest of Czechoslovakia, which he was not supposed to do.
Along with the great majority of Conservative MPs, Channon continued loyal to Chamberlain, of whom he wrote on 20th April:
“The PM played with the House today. In answer to a question, he confirmed that a Ministry of Supply would be set up, and that the name of the Right Honourable Member who would be appointed to the post of its Minister was – and he paused – the temperature of the House rose. ‘Burgin’. The House, half hoping, half-fearing, that it would be Winston, was amazed.”
Leslie Burgin, a National Liberal MP serving as Minister of Transport, was a nonentity. A.J.P. Taylor described him as “another horse from Caligula’s well-stocked stables”.
Chamberlain still thought there was a chance of, in his words, “getting back to normal relations with the dictators”, so wished to give no demonstration of bellicosity, which Churchill’s appointment would certainly have been.
In this the Prime Minister was following the course charted by his predecessor, Stanley Baldwin, who in 1936 created the post of Minister for Co-ordination of Defence, but instead of giving it, as expected, to Churchill, conferred it on Sir Thomas Inskip – an appointment described at the time as the most cynical “since Caligula made his horse a consul”.
At the outbreak of war in September 1939, Churchill was restored to the Admiralty, where, as he later related, he found Burgin’s staff at the Ministry of Supply “dismally slow and unimaginative”.
What matters, one begins to see, is not the name of the ministry, but the identity of the minister. In May 1940, when Churchill became Prime Minister, he brought to the prosecution of the war his own astonishing dynamism.
In the 1930s, Churchill was an outsider, to whom no careerists attached themselves, for he had become a defender of lost causes.
On becoming Prime Minister in May 1940 – a moment at which a defender of lost causes was just what the nation needed – he brought in other outsiders, including his boon companion Lord Beaverbrook, on whom he conferred the new and vital role of Minister of Aircraft Production.
Beaverbrook, regarded by many people from King George VI downwards as an impossibly disreputable figure, was praised by others, including Churchill, for sweeping aside all manner of obstacles in order to produce the aircraft the RAF needed to win the Battle of Britain.
The Ministry of Supply went to Herbert Morrison, a leading Labour figure, but Harold Macmillan, one of the handful of Conservative MPs to have supported Churchill in the late 1930s, was made Parliamentary Secretary in that department.
Macmillan was 46, and regarded by many in the parliamentary party as “unprepossessing, bookish, eccentric” (Chips Channon), but as Anthony Sampson relates, in an excellent short biography published in 1968,
“inside the department Macmillan was very effective…able to put into practice at last the planning ideas which had been rotating in his mind over the last decade. The boards and committees which had been so mocked before now took shape. He helped to reorganise the ministry, to give closer contact between government, industrialists and labour: neat new Area Boards were set up, with representatives from different ministries, which were responsible to the ‘Industrial Capacity Committee’ with Macmillan as its chairman. It was a planners’ paradise. He lovingly explained the new system in a speech on 7th August 1940, and jokingly remarked that he would try to introduce State Socialism in the country if he did not have to put up with the tremendous resistance of the Labour movement.”
In July 1941, Beaverbrook became Minister of Supply, with Macmillan as his admiring pupil:
“He was fascinated by Beaverbrook’s ruthless drive, his mastery of power and his dramatic style: he would ring up his Parliamentary Secretary from Washington at three or four in the morning, and Macmillan found himself working all round the clock until ‘you could not call your soul your own’. Some of Macmillan’s Liberal colleagues suspected that Beaverbrook had had a coarsening influence on him.”
This apprenticeship served Macmillan in good stead: a decade later, when he was charged as Housing Minister with the seemingly impossible task of getting 300,000 houses a year built, he used Beaverbrook’s methods, including the identification and hiring of dynamic businessmen, the promotion of brilliant officials, the sacking or sidelining of useless ones, the setting of over-ambitious targets, the ruthless appropriation of whatever resources were required, and the use of dramatic, self-glorifying publicity, to get the job done.
The houses were built using a mixture of public and private methods which to later eyes came to seem muddled and ineffective. In the hands of someone as energetic and ruthless as Beaverbrook or Macmillan, the mixture could, on the contrary, be a formidable way of surmounting all obstacles.
For they brought to it a wartime determination to make extraordinarily rapid progress, using every tool at their disposal, not caring in the slightest whether a particular lever belonged to the state or to private enterprise.
Here perhaps is the main lesson of this history for the present crisis. Any system can be made to work by a dynamic leader, who hires other dynamic figures.
To tackle the Coronavirus crisis, four Cabinet committees have been set up, chaired by Matt Hancock (health), Michael Gove (the rest of the public sector), Rishi Sunak (the economy) and Dominic Raab (international).
There is reported to have been some ministerial infighting. This is inevitable, when energetic ministers are bending every sinew to achieve very difficult things in a very short time. Here is Charles Williams, Beaverbrook’s most recent biographer:
“Arguments in the War Cabinet were sharp and at times noisy. The debate on the use of labour was one such. Beaverbrook argued that the sole aim was maximum output. (When he found out that valuable time was lost when workers took cover at the sounding of the warning alarm, he suggested that the alarms be switched off.) The Minister of Labour, the trade union leader Ernest Bevin, took an opposite view, saying that workers needed proper protection and welfare provision if they were to give of their best. To make matters worse, Bevin was given to shouting, and Beaverbrook was not used to being shouted at. Bevin was chalked up as another enemy. But the list was becoming alarmingly long.”
The Prime Minister has to hire the right people, and back them as long as they are getting things done, no matter who they offend in the process. Easy to say, not so easy to do.


Coronavirus Count

Total number of recorded cases in the UK : 9,529 ( Up from 8,077 at the last count on this site ) .
Daily confirmed cases : 1,542 ( The last figure published was 1,427 ) .
Total UK deaths : 422 ( The same number as recorded yesterday ) .
From the Government ’ s website Number of coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) cases and risk in the UK .
Total UK cases COVID-19 Cases Update .
The above are figures for England .
“ The risk to the UK has been raised to high ” – From the Government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 ) cases and risk in the UK .
GOVERNMENT RULES ON STAYING AT HOME AND AWAY FROM OTHERS See here .
Published on Monday March 23 .
GUIDANCE : FURTHER BUSINESSES AND PREMISES TO CLOSE See here .
Published on Monday March 23 .
HOW EVERYONE CAN HELP STOP THE CORONAVIRUS ( SOCIAL DISTANCING ) See here .
Republished on Monday March 23 .
STAY AT HOME IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE CORONAVIRUS ( SELF-DISTANCING ) See here .
Republished on Monday March 23 .
See here .
Published on Monday March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHAT AND HOW THEY CAN CLAIM See here .
Published on Friday March 20 .
GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE ON WHAT THE CORONAVIRUS BILL WILL DO See here .
Published on Wednesday March 18 HOW TO AVOID CATCHING OR SPREADING CORONAVIRUS • Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds .
• Always wash your hands when you get home or into work .
• Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available .
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when you cough or sneeze .
• Put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards .
• Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell .
The symptoms of coronavirus are : However , these symptoms do not necessarily mean you have the illness .
The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common , such as cold and flu .
NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You think you might have coronavirus .
• In the last 14 days you ’ ve been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus – see the coronavirus advice for travellers .
• You ’ ve been in close contact with someone with coronavirus .
• In Scotland call your GP or NHS 24 on 111 out of hours .
• In Wales call 111 ( if available in your area ) or 0845 46 47 .
• Do not go to a GP surgery , pharmacy or hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how it ’ s spread and how to avoid catching it – Government NHS website overview .
• Stay at home advice and how to manage self-isolation .
All information taken from Government sources .
Updated as of 7am on Friday March 26th .

HEADLINE FACTS
Total number of lab-confirmed UK cases: 292,950 (Up from 291,409).
Total number of COVID-19 associated UK deaths: 41,481 (Up from 41,279).
Daily number of lab-confirmed UK cases: 1,541 (Up from 1,266).
Daily number of COVID-19 associated UK deaths: 202 (Up from 151).
England total cases: 156,410 (Up from 156,018 ).
England total deaths: 37,069 (Up from 36,883).
England death rate: 279.4 (Was 278.7).
Scotland total cases: 15,709 (Up from 15,682).
Scotland total deaths: 2,439 (Up from 2,434).
Scotland death rate: 288.9 (Was 288.4).
Wales total cases: 14,658 (Up from 14,581).
Wales total deaths: 1,435 (Up from 1,425).
Wales death rate: 467.0 (Was 464.6)
Northern Ireland total cases: 4,838 (Up from 4,822)
Northern Ireland total deaths: 538 (Up from 537).
Northern Ireland death rate: 257.1 (Was 256.3).
From the Government’s website Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK.
DAILY NUMBER OF COVID-19 ASSOCIATED DEATHS BY DATE REPORTED
DAILY NUMBER OF LAB-CONFIRMED ENGLAND CASES
From the Government’s website Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK.
– – –
RISK
“The risk to the UK has been raised to high” –
From the Government’s website Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK.
– – –
NHS VOLUNTEER RESPONDER FORM
See here
(The Government’s scheme to recruit 250,000 volunteers.)
– – –
OUR PLAN TO REBUILD: THE UK GOVERNMENT’S COVID-19 RECOVERY STRATEGY
See here. New as of Monday May 11.
GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE ON THE LOCKDOWN.
See here. New as of Tuesday June 2.
GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE ON SHIELDING AND PROTECTING PEOPLE WHO ARE CLINICALLY EXTREMELY VULNERABLE FROM COVID-19
See here. New as of Tuesday June 2.
GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE ON SOCIAL DISTANCING
See here. New as of Tuesday June 2.
GOVERNMENT WEBSITE: GENERAL ADVICE
See here.
GOVERNMENT WEBSITE: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. WHAT YOU CAN DO AND CAN’T DO
See here.
GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE FOR LANDLORDS, TENANTS AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES NEW
See here. Published on Saturday March 28.
– – –
HOW TO AVOID CATCHING OR SPREADING CORONAVIRUS
Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds .
Always wash your hands when you get home or into work .
Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available .
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze .
Put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards .
Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
SYMPTOMS
The symptoms of coronavirus are:
A cough.
A high temperature.
Shortness of breath.
However, these symptoms do not necessarily mean you have the illness.
The symptoms are similar to other illnesses that are much more common, such as cold and flu.
USING 111
NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do.
Use this service if:
You think you might have coronavirus.
In the last 14 days you’ve been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus – see the coronavirus advice for travellers.
You’ve been in close contact with someone with coronavirus.
In Scotland call your GP or NHS 24 on 111 out of hours.
In Wales call 111 (if available in your area) or 0845 46 47.
In Northern Ireland call 111.
Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
FURTHER LINKS TO GOVERNMENT ADVICE
– – –
(All information taken from Government sources.
Updated as of 19.00 on Friday June 12.)


conservativehome--2020-03-26--Garvan Walshe: South Korea, Taiwan and Germany gained from mass testing.  Why have we been so slow?

Garvan Walshe is a former national and international security policy adviser to the Conservative Party .
Yesterday , Greg Clark held a masterful session of the Science and Technology Committee hearing into the UK ’ s response to the coronavirus .
This was democratic deliberation at its best .
Careful posing of questions designed to elicit information , informed contributions by the MPs present ( who observed social distancing guidelines ) , free of the grandstanding to which these committee ’ s are prone .
Some of this has to do with the seriousness of the moment ; the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empirical personality .
At a time of emergency like this , his talents should be deployed in government fighting this epidemic ; though it is partial compensation that he has been able to shed light on an area where policy has shifted , communication has been less than transparent and , it appears , vital time has been lost .
The implications of that time being lost were set out by Neil Ferguson of Imperial college , who gave evidence at the hearing .
Now that the lockdown has been imposed in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths from the coronavirus were “ unlikely to exceed 20,000 ” .
While this is a huge improvement on the 200,000 to 500,000 deaths that his model predicted , had the Government continued with its previous policy that classified a 60 per cent infection rate as “ desirable ” , it needs to be put in perspective .
Total deaths in Hubei , China , which has about the same population as the UK have so far been recorded as being about 3,100 .
Italy , with about the same population as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acute bed capacity , has so far recored 6,000 deaths .
Now that Italy has been under lockdown for between two and three weeks , the rate of transmission of infection there has slowed , and the epidemic there may well have peaked .
If it declines at the same rate it grew ( a reasonable , though not always correct , assumption ) , a rough estimate of about 12,000 deaths there would be expected .
It is not unreasonable to conclude that the UK could be on track for an Italian-style @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capacity is sufficient , but it is not located in the right places , producing real pressure in places where demand is high and capacity low .
This was entirely avoidable .
The evidence presented at the committee points to a number of serious errors of judgement made in the UK in its response to the outbreak .
To see which , it is necessary to identify the constraints on a response to a disease for which there is no vaccine or treatment .
Two kinds of measures are required to combat the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alive while their immune system fights off the infection , and the reduction of opportunities for the infection to spread .
The constraint on the former is the health system ’ s capacity to provide that care : in this case , intensive care capacity that keeps people breathing even as the virus attacks their lungs .
On the latter , it is the ability to identify people with the virus so they can be cared for and isolated : in short , venitlators and testing .
If the former capacity is exceeded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who need intensive care , and are forced to make agonising choices about who is to be left to die , as is happening in Bergamo .
If the latter capacity is exceeded , then mass social distancing measures are needed , as is happening in most of Europe and parts of the United States .
South Korea and Taiwan , which built up experience from their own failures in the SARS epidemic , were ready with testing and tracking sytems that have contained the spread of the virus , even though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposure to China .
In Europe , Norway and Germany were able to expand their testing capacity in time , which has slowed down the spread of the disase and have kept fatality rates low ( because they identify a greater number of cases ) .
A study by the scientists at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , for example , estimates the UK is only reporting six per cent of all cases , compared to Germany ’ s 69 per cent .
If these figures are accurate , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be around 130,000 ( compared to about 8000 detected at time of writing ) .
While limited testing capacity explains why the UK is confining testing to hospitals , and the SARS experience explains why South Korea and Taiwan responded so quickly , neither of these factors explain why the UK was not able to grow coronavirus testing capacity as quickly as , for instance , Germany , has .
Overall , Britain ’ s performance is on a par with Spain ’ s and Italy ’ s .
Why ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the introduction of social distancing measures until this week .
A major factor revealed by yesterday ’ s testimony was the desire to avoid a second wave of infections as measures imposed early were then relaxed .
But so too , and it featured in communications from the Chief Scientific Officer , was the notion that the severity of this second wave could be reduced by failing to suppress the epidemic through social distancing measures .
This policy was changed following Professor Ferguson ’ s report , but why was it necessary to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Italy was that even detected cases in the thousands could overwhelm the health system of Lombardy , one of the richest regions of Europe ?
It seems that Britain ’ s system of public health policymaking is at last doing the right thing , and adopting international best practice , but it can not afford to take so long to incorporate international lessons as the epidemic progresses .
Crucial weeks have been wasted already .
It ’ s vital no more are .

Garvan Walshe is a former national and international security policy adviser to the Conservative Party.
Yesterday, Greg Clark held a masterful session of the Science and Technology Committee hearing into the UK’s response to the coronavirus. This was democratic deliberation at its best. Careful posing of questions designed to elicit information, informed contributions by the MPs present (who observed social distancing guidelines), free of the grandstanding to which these committee’s are prone.
Some of this has to do with the seriousness of the moment; the rest down to Clark’s serious and empirical personality. At a time of emergency like this, his talents should be deployed in government fighting this epidemic; though it is partial compensation that he has been able to shed light on an area where policy has shifted, communication has been less than transparent and, it appears, vital time has been lost.
The implications of that time being lost were set out by Neil Ferguson of Imperial college, who gave evidence at the hearing. Now that the lockdown has been imposed in the UK, he told the committee that deaths from the coronavirus were “unlikely to exceed 20,000”.
While this is a huge improvement on the 200,000 to 500,000 deaths that his model predicted, had the Government continued with its previous policy that classified a 60 per cent infection rate as “desirable”, it needs to be put in perspective.
Total deaths in Hubei, China, which has about the same population as the UK have so far been recorded as being about 3,100. Italy, with about the same population as the UK, but with a significantly greater acute bed capacity, has so far recored 6,000 deaths.
Now that Italy has been under lockdown for between two and three weeks, the rate of transmission of infection there has slowed, and the epidemic there may well have peaked. If it declines at the same rate it grew (a reasonable, though not always correct, assumption), a rough estimate of about 12,000 deaths there would be expected.
It is not unreasonable to conclude that the UK could be on track for an Italian-style scenario, in which overall intensive care capacity is sufficient, but it is not located in the right places, producing real pressure in places where demand is high and capacity low. This was entirely avoidable.
The evidence presented at the committee points to a number of serious errors of judgement made in the UK in its response to the outbreak. To see which, it is necessary to identify the constraints on a response to a disease for which there is no vaccine or treatment.
Two kinds of measures are required to combat the epidemic: supportive care to keep patients alive while their immune system fights off the infection, and the reduction of opportunities for the infection to spread. The constraint on the former is the health system’s capacity to provide that care: in this case, intensive care capacity that keeps people breathing even as the virus attacks their lungs.
On the latter, it is the ability to identify people with the virus so they can be cared for and isolated: in short, venitlators and testing. If the former capacity is exceeded, doctors are unable to treat everyone who need intensive care, and are forced to make agonising choices about who is to be left to die, as is happening in Bergamo. If the latter capacity is exceeded, then mass social distancing measures are needed, as is happening in most of Europe and parts of the United States.
South Korea and Taiwan, which built up experience from their own failures in the SARS epidemic, were ready with testing and tracking sytems that have contained the spread of the virus, even though, because of proximity, they had huge exposure to China. In Europe, Norway and Germany were able to expand their testing capacity in time, which has slowed down the spread of the disase and have kept fatality rates low (because they identify a greater number of cases).
A study by the scientists at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, for example, estimates the UK is only reporting six per cent of all cases, compared to Germany’s 69 per cent. If these figures are accurate, the total number of cases in the UK would be around 130,000 (compared to about 8000 detected at time of writing).
While limited testing capacity explains why the UK is confining testing to hospitals, and the SARS experience explains why South Korea and Taiwan responded so quickly, neither of these factors explain why the UK was not able to grow coronavirus testing capacity as quickly as, for instance, Germany, has. Overall, Britain’s performance is on a par with Spain’s and Italy’s. Why?
The second matter was the decision to delay the introduction of social distancing measures until this week. A major factor revealed by yesterday’s testimony was the desire to avoid a second wave of infections as measures imposed early were then relaxed.
But so too, and it featured in communications from the Chief Scientific Officer, was the notion that the severity of this second wave could be reduced by failing to suppress the epidemic through social distancing measures. This policy was changed following Professor Ferguson’s report, but why was it necessary to wait for it, when the evidence from Italy was that even detected cases in the thousands could overwhelm the health system of Lombardy, one of the richest regions of Europe?
It seems that Britain’s system of public health policymaking is at last doing the right thing, and adopting international best practice, but it cannot afford to take so long to incorporate international lessons as the epidemic progresses. Crucial weeks have been wasted already. It’s vital no more are.


conservativehome--2020-03-26--Raghib Ali: Could this be our finest hour?

Dr Raghib Ali is an Honorary Consultant in Acute Medicine at the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust .
With numerous news stories over the weekend highlighting the stockpiling of goods leading to shortages for NHS staff and the elderly , nurses being abused and spat at , thefts of hand sanitizer from hospitals , and thieves using the current crisis to defraud and steal from the most vulnerable in society , it is easy to despair at the behaviour of some of our fellow citizens and the state of our society .
But beyond these headlines , something remarkable is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring us hope in these challenging times .
In every city , town , and village – without direction from the government or local councils – huge numbers of people are coming together and volunteering to help the most vulnerable in society .
In just over a week , over 3000 ‘ coronavirus mutual aid groups ’ have been formed – some with thousands of members , others a handful – but all with the same aim of seeing how they can help those in need ( the elderly , disabled , self-isolating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all manner of services including delivering food and medicines , collecting prescriptions , completing errands , walking dogs , and often , most importantly , offering moral and emotional support to those who are living on their own ; or are carers dealing with highly stressful situations at the best of times .
In our own group in High Wycombe , in less than a week , over 1,200 people had joined the group with hundreds of individual commitments to help their fellow citizens , and many people have been working in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robust processes to ensure that volunteers are matched to those in need – while ensuring that protections are in place with regard to safeguarding , data protection , dealing with money , etc .
to ensure that no-one is taken advantage of .
We have had people of all backgrounds , ethnicities , political affiliations , and faiths working together , with differences and divisions being put aside for the common good .
I haven ’ t had time to count the numbers of all volunteers across all 3,000 groups ( and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there must be over a million – which must be the largest group of volunteers for a single cause ever seen in the UK in peacetime .
As an NHS consultant used to seeing the heroic efforts of many of my colleagues , I have nonetheless been inspired and humbled by the many small acts of kindness and sacrifices from ordinary people that I have witnessed over the last week .
There have also been countless examples of organisations including churches , mosques , and businesses , large and small helping their local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliveries , taxis rides , and accommodation for NHS staff .
Finally , it seems we are re-discovering the importance of strong communities and societies .
As David Cameron famously said , “ There is such a thing as society , it ’ s just not the same thing as the state ” .
The response we have seen over the last week shows how the state and society are working together to tackle the unprecedented challenges we face .
10 years after David Cameron launched the big society , it seems it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly encouraging is that the vast majority of people organising these groups and volunteering are from younger generations – belying the stereotypes of the so-called ‘ me , me , me ’ generation .
More broadly , through staying at home and following NHS guidance we are all being asked to do something which may not benefit us directly – but could literally save the lives of many others .
Many of us who are younger , fitter and healthier may feel these unprecedented measures are unnecessary and this is a test for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the young – and I hope we will see everyone complying without recourse to curfews or fines .
This crisis presents an opportunity for our nation and can leave an important legacy of volunteering and looking out for others ; of thinking of your neighbour before yourself , and of stronger families and communities .
Many of these needs existed before this crisis and will continue beyond – over a million older people go months without speaking to anyone , and thousands live on our streets – and we need to ensure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t just go back to the way things were before .
The coronavirus crisis , much like World War Two , will help define what kind of country we are .
Will our grandchildren look back at this time with pride as we do to our previous generations who were asked to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save others ?
What we are being asked to do is much smaller – but every one of us has an important contribution to make – by looking after the elderly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and following the advice to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives .
I hope this time will not be remembered for people fighting over toilet rolls but for how we came together as a nation , made sacrifices to help each other and not only overcame the coronavirus , but left a kinder , better , and more United Kingdom .

Dr Raghib Ali is an Honorary Consultant in Acute Medicine at the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.
With numerous news stories over the weekend highlighting the stockpiling of goods leading to shortages for NHS staff and the elderly, nurses being abused and spat at, thefts of hand sanitizer from hospitals, and thieves using the current crisis to defraud and steal from the most vulnerable in society, it is easy to despair at the behaviour of some of our fellow citizens and the state of our society.
But beyond these headlines, something remarkable is happening all across the county which should bring us hope in these challenging times. In every city, town, and village – without direction from the government or local councils – huge numbers of people are coming together and volunteering to help the most vulnerable in society. In just over a week, over 3000 ‘coronavirus mutual aid groups’ have been formed – some with thousands of members, others a handful – but all with the same aim of seeing how they can help those in need (the elderly, disabled, self-isolating, etc.) They are providing all manner of services including delivering food and medicines, collecting prescriptions, completing errands, walking dogs, and often, most importantly, offering moral and emotional support to those who are living on their own; or are carers dealing with highly stressful situations at the best of times.
In our own group in High Wycombe, in less than a week, over 1,200 people had joined the group with hundreds of individual commitments to help their fellow citizens, and many people have been working in their evenings and weekends to put in place robust processes to ensure that volunteers are matched to those in need – while ensuring that protections are in place with regard to safeguarding, data protection, dealing with money, etc. to ensure that no-one is taken advantage of. We have had people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, political affiliations, and faiths working together, with differences and divisions being put aside for the common good.
I haven’t had time to count the numbers of all volunteers across all 3,000 groups (and there are countless others not listed) but there must be over a million – which must be the largest group of volunteers for a single cause ever seen in the UK in peacetime.
As an NHS consultant used to seeing the heroic efforts of many of my colleagues, I have nonetheless been inspired and humbled by the many small acts of kindness and sacrifices from ordinary people that I have witnessed over the last week. There have also been countless examples of organisations including churches, mosques, and businesses, large and small helping their local communities – through providing free food, deliveries, taxis rides, and accommodation for NHS staff. Finally, it seems we are re-discovering the importance of strong communities and societies.
As David Cameron famously said, “There is such a thing as society, it’s just not the same thing as the state”. The response we have seen over the last week shows how the state and society are working together to tackle the unprecedented challenges we face. 10 years after David Cameron launched the big society, it seems it has finally arrived.
What has been particularly encouraging is that the vast majority of people organising these groups and volunteering are from younger generations – belying the stereotypes of the so-called ‘me, me, me’ generation.
More broadly, through staying at home and following NHS guidance we are all being asked to do something which may not benefit us directly – but could literally save the lives of many others. Many of us who are younger, fitter and healthier may feel these unprecedented measures are unnecessary and this is a test for all of us – and particularly for the young – and I hope we will see everyone complying without recourse to curfews or fines.
This crisis presents an opportunity for our nation and can leave an important legacy of volunteering and looking out for others; of thinking of your neighbour before yourself, and of stronger families and communities. Many of these needs existed before this crisis and will continue beyond – over a million older people go months without speaking to anyone, and thousands live on our streets – and we need to ensure that once this crisis is over, we don’t just go back to the way things were before.
The coronavirus crisis, much like World War Two, will help define what kind of country we are. Will our grandchildren look back at this time with pride as we do to our previous generations who were asked to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save others? What we are being asked to do is much smaller – but every one of us has an important contribution to make – by looking after the elderly and the most vulnerable in our society, and following the advice to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.
I hope this time will not be remembered for people fighting over toilet rolls but for how we came together as a nation, made sacrifices to help each other and not only overcame the coronavirus, but left a kinder, better, and more United Kingdom.


conservativehome--2020-04-16--“We’ve already sacrificed far too much to ease up now.” The Foreign Secretary’s statement: full text

“We’ve already sacrificed far too much to ease up now.” The Foreign Secretary’s statement: full text.

Welcome to the daily coronavirus press conference from Downing Street .
I ’ m joined by Sir Patrick Valance , the Government ’ s Chief Scientific Advisor , and Professor Chris Whitty , the Government ’ s Chief Medical Officer .
Sir Patrick will provide an update on the latest data on coronavirus .
But , first , let me update you on the steps we are taking to defeat the coronavirus , and the decisions we have taken today .
Step-by-step , our action plan aims to slow the spread of the virus .
So that fewer people need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that is the way we can protect the NHS from being overwhelmed .
At every step along this way , we have followed , very carefully and deliberately , the scientific and medical advice that we have received .
So that we take the right steps at the right moment in time .
At the same time , we are dramatically expanding NHS capacity , in terms of the numbers of beds , key staff and life-saving equipment on the front-line , so people get the care they need , at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most .
And that ’ s also why we have directed people to stay at home .
To deny coronavirus the opportunity to spread , to protect the NHS and save lives .
327 , 608 people in the UK have now been tested for the coronavirus ; And sadly , of those with the virus , 13,729 have now died .
These are heart-breaking losses for every family affected .
And it remind us exactly why we need to follow the social distancing guidance .
Earlier today , I chaired meetings of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice from SAGE on the impact of the existing social distancing measures .
There are indications that the measures we have put in place have been successful in slowing down the spread of the virus .
But , SAGE also say that it is a mixed and inconsistent picture and , in some settings , infections are still likely to be increasing .
SAGE assess that the rate of infection , or the R value , is almost certainly below 1 in the community .
That means that on average each infected person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than one other person .
But , overall , we still don ’ t have the infection rate down as far as we need to .
As in other countries , we have issues with the virus spreading in some hospitals and care homes .
In sum , the very clear advice we have received is that any change to our social distancing measures now would risk a significant increase in the spread of the virus .
That would threaten a second peak of the virus , and substantially increase the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made to date , and as a result , would require an even longer period of the more restrictive social distancing measures .
So early relaxation would do more damage to the economy over a longer period .
I want to be clear about this .
The advice from SAGE is that relaxing any of the measures currently in place would risk damage to both public health and our economy .
Patrick and Chris will be able to go into further detail on all of this shortly .
But based on this advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures must remain in place for at least the next 3 weeks .
Now , in terms of the decisions that lie ahead , we want to be as up front with the British people as we possibly can .
So , let me set out 5 specific things which the Government will need to be satisfied of before we will consider it safe to adjust any of the current measures .
First , we must protect the NHS ’ s ability to cope .
We must be confident that we are able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment right across the UK .
The NHS staff have been incredible .
We must continue to support them as much as we can .
Second , we need to see a sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rates from coronavirus so we are confident that we have moved beyond the peak .
Third , we need to have reliable data from SAGE showing that the rate of infection is decreasing to manageable levels across the board .
Fourth , we need to be confident that the range of operational challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in hand , with supply able to meet future demand .
Fifth , and this is really crucial , we need to be confident that any adjustments to the current measures will not risk a second peak of infections that overwhelm the NHS .
The worst thing we could do now is ease up too soon and allow a second peak of the virus to hit the NHS and hit the British people .
It would be the worst outcome , not just for public health , but for the economy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , the current restrictions will remain in place .
The Government will continue to monitor the data on the impact of the virus .
We will soon be able to test 100,000 people every day .
That will give us greater understanding of the scope of infection across the country .
It will also help us plan how to change the measures when we are ready to .
When we are confident on these five points .
Guided by science and data , we will look to adjust the measures to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health , while allowing some economic and social activity to resume .
We will only do it , when the evidence demonstrates that is safe to do it .
It could involve relaxing measures in some areas , while strengthening measures in other areas .
But in formulating the right balance we will be at all times guided by the scientific advice and the evidence .
I should add at this point that we recognise all the economic and social impact the current measures are having .
That is why we put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for jobs and businesses , as well as for hospices and charities who are doing so much to support the most vulnerable in our society .
And , I know that many people would like to hear more detail , some people are calling for exact dates , on what will happen next , and when .
We are as being as open as we responsibly can at this stage .
And it would not be responsible to pre-judge the evidence that SAGE will have and review in just a few weeks ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at other countries , and ask why the UK isn ’ t doing what they ’ re doing .
I can reassure people that we carefully follow what is happening in other countries .
We will always look to learn any lessons in how they are approaching their response .
And I ’ m talking to Foreign Ministers on a daily basis , I know Chris and Patrick are doing the same with their opposite numbers around the world .
Ultimately , we have to do what is right for the British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our experts , Grounded in the conditions here in the UK , and we will make those decisions at the right time for this country .
That ’ s what we have done so far .
That ’ s what we will continue to do .
I appreciate the impact of these measures is considerable on people and businesses across the country .
Being isolated from friends and family .
Whole Households , cooped up inside , all week long .
Parents having difficult conversations with their young children , who just don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t visit grandparents or go outside and meet up with friends as they normally do .
Families struggling managing home-schooling , and balancing that with working from home .
I know there are people very concerned about their household finances .
Worried for their small businesses that remain closed .
We get it .
We know it ’ s rough going at this time .
Every time I come to this lectern , and I read out the grim toll of people who have so sadly passed away .
I walk away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their sons and their daughters must be going through right now .
All the loved ones left with their unbearable , long-term , grief .
It makes me and it makes this government focus even harder on what we must do .
And , I know that , together , united , we must keep up this national effort for a while longer .
We ’ ve just come too far , we ’ ve lost too many loved ones , we ’ ve already sacrificed far too much to ease up now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see the evidence that our efforts are starting to pay off .
And your efforts are paying off .
There is light at the end of the tunnel .
But , we ’ re now at both a delicate and dangerous stage of this pandemic .
If we rush to relax the measures in place , we would risk wasting all the sacrifices and all the progress we have made .
And that would risk a quick return to another lockdown .
With all the threat to life a second peak of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economic damage a second lockdown would carry .
So we need to be patient a while longer .
So please please stay home , save lives and protect the NHS .
So we can safely return to life as close to normal as possible , as soon as possible .
Now is not the moment to give the coronavirus a second chance .
Let ’ s stick together , let ’ s see this through .
And let ’ s defeat the coronavirus for good .
”

“Good afternoon,
Welcome to the daily coronavirus press conference from Downing Street.
I’m joined by Sir Patrick Valance, the Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor, and Professor Chris Whitty, the Government’s Chief Medical Officer.
Sir Patrick will provide an update on the latest data on coronavirus.
But, first, let me update you on the steps we are taking to defeat the coronavirus, and the decisions we have taken today.
Step-by-step, our action plan aims to slow the spread of the virus.
So that fewer people need hospital treatment at any one time, and that is the way we can protect the NHS from being overwhelmed.
At every step along this way, we have followed, very carefully and deliberately, the scientific and medical advice that we have received.
So that we take the right steps at the right moment in time.
At the same time, we are dramatically expanding NHS capacity, in terms of the numbers of beds, key staff and life-saving equipment on the front-line, so people get the care they need, at the point in time that they need it most.
And that’s also why we have directed people to stay at home. To deny coronavirus the opportunity to spread, to protect the NHS and save lives.
Now, today’s data shows that:
327, 608 people in the UK have now been tested for the coronavirus;
103,093 people have tested positive;
And sadly, of those with the virus, 13,729 have now died.
These are heart-breaking losses for every family affected.
And it remind us exactly why we need to follow the social distancing guidance.
Earlier today, I chaired meetings of the Cabinet and COBR to consider the advice from SAGE on the impact of the existing social distancing measures.
There are indications that the measures we have put in place have been successful in slowing down the spread of the virus.
But, SAGE also say that it is a mixed and inconsistent picture and, in some settings, infections are still likely to be increasing.
SAGE assess that the rate of infection, or the R value, is almost certainly below 1 in the community.
That means that on average each infected person is, in turn, infecting less than one other person.
But, overall, we still don’t have the infection rate down as far as we need to.
As in other countries, we have issues with the virus spreading in some hospitals and care homes.
In sum, the very clear advice we have received is that any change to our social distancing measures now would risk a significant increase in the spread of the virus.
That would threaten a second peak of the virus, and substantially increase the number of deaths.
It would undo the progress made to date, and as a result, would require an even longer period of the more restrictive social distancing measures.
So early relaxation would do more damage to the economy over a longer period.
I want to be clear about this. The advice from SAGE is that relaxing any of the measures currently in place would risk damage to both public health and our economy.
Patrick and Chris will be able to go into further detail on all of this shortly.
But based on this advice, the Government has determined that current measures must remain in place for at least the next 3 weeks.
Now, in terms of the decisions that lie ahead, we want to be as up front with the British people as we possibly can.
So, let me set out 5 specific things which the Government will need to be satisfied of before we will consider it safe to adjust any of the current measures.
First, we must protect the NHS’s ability to cope.
We must be confident that we are able to provide sufficient critical care and specialist treatment right across the UK.
The NHS staff have been incredible.
We must continue to support them as much as we can.
Second, we need to see a sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rates from coronavirus so we are confident that we have moved beyond the peak.
Third, we need to have reliable data from SAGE showing that the rate of infection is decreasing to manageable levels across the board.
Fourth, we need to be confident that the range of operational challenges, including testing capacity and PPE, are in hand, with supply able to meet future demand.
Fifth, and this is really crucial, we need to be confident that any adjustments to the current measures will not risk a second peak of infections that overwhelm the NHS.
The worst thing we could do now is ease up too soon and allow a second peak of the virus to hit the NHS and hit the British people.
It would be the worst outcome, not just for public health, but for the economy and for our country as a whole.
So, the current restrictions will remain in place.
The Government will continue to monitor the data on the impact of the virus.
We will soon be able to test 100,000 people every day.
That will give us greater understanding of the scope of infection across the country.
It will also help us plan how to change the measures when we are ready to.
When we are confident on these five points.
Guided by science and data, we will look to adjust the measures to make them as effective as possible in protecting public health, while allowing some economic and social activity to resume.
We will only do it, when the evidence demonstrates that is safe to do it.
It could involve relaxing measures in some areas, while strengthening measures in other areas.
But in formulating the right balance we will be at all times guided by the scientific advice and the evidence.
I should add at this point that we recognise all the economic and social impact the current measures are having.
That is why we put in place an unprecedented package of support for jobs and businesses, as well as for hospices and charities who are doing so much to support the most vulnerable in our society.
And, I know that many people would like to hear more detail, some people are calling for exact dates, on what will happen next, and when.
We are as being as open as we responsibly can at this stage.
And it would not be responsible to pre-judge the evidence that SAGE will have and review in just a few weeks’ time.
I know some people will look at other countries, and ask why the UK isn’t doing what they’re doing.
I can reassure people that we carefully follow what is happening in other countries.
We will always look to learn any lessons in how they are approaching their response.
And I’m talking to Foreign Ministers on a daily basis, I know Chris and Patrick are doing the same with their opposite numbers around the world.
Ultimately, we have to do what is right for the British people, based on the advice of our experts,
Grounded in the conditions here in the UK, and we will make those decisions at the right time for this country.
That’s what we have done so far.
That’s what we will continue to do.
I appreciate the impact of these measures is considerable on people and businesses across the country.
The costs being shouldered.
The sacrifices people are making.
Being isolated from friends and family.
Whole Households, cooped up inside, all week long.
Parents having difficult conversations with their young children, who just don’t understand why they can’t visit grandparents or go outside and meet up with friends as they normally do.
Families struggling managing home-schooling, and balancing that with working from home.
I know there are people very concerned about their household finances.
Uncertain about their jobs.
Worried for their small businesses that remain closed.
We get it.
We know it’s rough going at this time.
Every time I come to this lectern, and I read out the grim toll of people who have so sadly passed away.
I walk away from here, and I think about what their sons and their daughters must be going through right now.
Their brothers and sisters.
Their grandchildren.
All the loved ones left with their unbearable, long-term, grief.
It makes me and it makes this government focus even harder on what we must do.
And, I know that, together, united, we must keep up this national effort for a while longer.
We’ve just come too far, we’ve lost too many loved ones, we’ve already sacrificed far too much to ease up now, especially when we’re beginning to see the evidence that our efforts are starting to pay off.
And your efforts are paying off.
There is light at the end of the tunnel.
But, we’re now at both a delicate and dangerous stage of this pandemic.
If we rush to relax the measures in place, we would risk wasting all the sacrifices and all the progress we have made.
And that would risk a quick return to another lockdown.
With all the threat to life a second peak of the virus would bring, and all the economic damage a second lockdown would carry.
So we need to be patient a while longer.
So please please stay home, save lives and protect the NHS.
So we can safely return to life as close to normal as possible, as soon as possible.
It’s been an incredible national team effort.
Now is not the moment to give the coronavirus a second chance.
Let’s stick together, let’s see this through.
And let’s defeat the coronavirus for good.”