bbcuk--2020-07-09--BBC to go ahead with over-75s licence fee changes

The BBC is to go ahead with a plan to end free TV licences for most over-75s , after a two-month delay because of the coronavirus pandemic .
That means more than three million households will be asked to start paying the £157.50 fee from 1 August .
Only households where someone receives the Pension Credit benefit will still be eligible for a free licence .
The BBC said the new scheme is `` the fairest decision '' , but the government said it was `` deeply frustrating '' .
The controversial change was originally due to be made on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the delay had cost £35m a month .
The cost to the BBC could have reached £1bn a year over time with an ageing population , according to the corporation .
BBC Chairman Sir David Clementi said the decision had `` not been easy '' , but the broadcaster is under `` under severe financial pressure '' and a further delay would have had an impact on programmes .
The BBC has previously warned that making no changes would lead to `` unprecedented closures '' of services .
There was an outcry in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end the scheme for all but those receiving Pension Credit .
More than 630,000 people signed a petition set up by the charity Age UK , which called on the prime minister to take action .
Free TV licences for the over-75s have been provided by the government since 2000 , but responsibility for the provision was passed to the BBC as part of its last licence fee settlement .
Responding to Thursday 's announcement , Culture Minister Matt Warman wrote : `` The Corporation 's settlement - to which they agreed - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , the corporation put the changes on hold because the pandemic had created `` exceptional circumstances '' and `` now is not the right time '' .
It has also previously said the pandemic means it must make an extra £125m savings this year , including the cost of delaying the over-75s changes .
The BBC has now said there will be a `` Covid-safe '' payment system , meaning people can apply online , and there will be a dedicated phone line and support staff .
`` No-one needs to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , to claim for a free TV licence or pay for one , '' a statement said .
TV Licensing will write to all licence holders aged over 75 with clear guidance about how to pay , it said .
Almost 1.6 million people claim Pension Credit , according to the latest government figures .
Of those , 450,000 have already applied for a free licence .
Speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday before the latest announcement , Labour 's shadow culture minister Christian Matheson warned that many pensioners could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and watching TV '' .
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But she added: "Not enough will get it free. There are layers of people above the earning [level] that gets you the benefit who also should be allowed to have a free licence fee... It's the suffering middle who perhaps find life expensive but are not reduced to needing state benefits."


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: Taxes will rise to pay for virus, IFS think tank warns

Taxpayers face a day of reckoning when the government 's massive coronavirus support measures have to be paid off , experts warn .
The Institute of Fiscal Studies think tank says the economy will remain in a `` support and recovery '' phase for some time , but higher taxes are inevitable .
On Wednesday , the chancellor unveiled another £30bn of support , bringing the total cost to £190bn .
But it was revealed the UK 's tax authority queried its value for money .
The most senior civil servant at HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of two measures in his summer statement - the Job Retention Bonus and the eating out support .
Wednesday 's additional spending announced by Mr Sunak is worth nearly £3,000 for every person in the UK - and more than the entire planned health budget for 2020-21 .
It also means that the cost of the crisis so far has risen by more than 40 % since last month , when the government 's spending watchdog , the Office for Budget Responsibility , estimated it at £133bn .
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On Thursday , in its analysis of the latest measures , the IFS predicted that government borrowing would surge to about £350bn this year .
In March , the government forecast a deficit of about £50bn to £60bn this year .
The IFS said it expected further spending support in the autumn Budget , perhaps through targeted tax cuts .
However , IFS director Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the back of our minds that a reckoning , in the form of higher taxes , will come eventually .
`` This is no normal recession .
It 's the deepest in history , '' Mr Johnson said .
The IFS said annual borrowing as a share of the economy was on course to be its highest outside wartime in more than 300 years .
There are some things no chancellor can prepare for - such as what to do if your economy wipes out 18 years ' gains in two months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporarily deep freeze the economy , and pump money into crisis response .
And the thawing process needs more funds , to prevent long term damage .
Now economists are talking about a deficit , a shortfall of way more than the £300bn previously expected .
It 's equivalent to a bigger slice of the economy than at any time since the Second World War .
And it could get bigger ; if more is needed to support the recovery - or in the event of a severe second wave .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carries the economy through a devastating crisis , safeguard the damage to output and jobs - and ensure taxes get paid .
For at some point , there will have to be a discussion about how we pay this back .
The government is currently borrowing record amounts on the financial markets to plug the gap - but that may not be enough .
There may have to be tax hikes , possibly less generous rises in pensions .
But it may be a while until the economy is robust enough to bear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Wednesday 's summer statement , the biggest was the plan to pay employers £1,000 for every furloughed worker they retain past January .
The total bill could rise as high as £9.4bn , but only if every furloughed worker keeps their job .
But Mr Johnson said there was a `` value for money issue '' about the scheme .
`` A lot , probably a majority , of the job retention bonus money will go in respect of jobs that would have been , indeed already have been , returned from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And he said much of the planned cuts in VAT and stamp duty `` will be deadweight '' .
It has also emerged that the UK tax authority had some doubts .
Jim O'Hara , HMRC 's permanent secretary , wrote to the chancellor earlier this week about the Job Retention Bonus and Eat Out To Help Out policies .
On both , he said , advice received by HMRC and the Treasury `` highlights uncertainty around the value for money '' of the proposals .
However , the correspondence showed the chancellor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was a `` compelling case '' .
Businessman Charlie Mullins , founder of Pimlico Plumbers , also questioned if the job retention bonus was money well spent , as he thought some firms would only retain staff until they get the cash .
`` Firms will either want their staff back , or they wo n't .
I just feel some employers will take advantage of this scheme , '' he told the BBC .
Meanwhile , Torsten Bell , chief executive of the Resolution Foundation think tank , said the financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far , was `` approaching the amount we spend on the day-to-day running of our NHS , schools and colleges each year '' .
He welcomed the focus on supporting young people and sectors most affected by lockdown , but added : `` The scale of support ... risks falling short of what will be required .
The chancellor is taking quite a gamble on the strength of the recovery in the months ahead . ''
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"A lot, probably a majority, of the job retention bonus money will go in respect of jobs that would have been, indeed already have been, returned from furlough anyway," he said. And he said much of the planned cuts in VAT and stamp duty "will be deadweight".


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: Scotland enters next phase of lockdown easing

Scotland has entered a new phase of the government 's route map out of lockdown , with Nicola Sturgeon confirming restrictions will be eased further .
The first minister said coronavirus had been suppressed to a `` low level '' .
People will be allowed to meet up in extended groups outdoors , and with two other households indoors , from Friday .
Exemptions to the 2m ( 6ft 6in ) physical distancing rule will also be introduced from 10 July , although the use of face coverings in shops will be mandatory .
Couples who do not live together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Friday onwards , and dates have been set in the coming weeks for the reopening of bars and restaurants and the tourist industry .
Ms Sturgeon said it was still `` essential that we all take the utmost care and strictly follow all public health advice '' .
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Places of worship can resume services at that point, although numbers will be strictly limited, singing and chanting will be limited, and physical distancing will have to be observed. Restrictions on how many people can attend funeral and wedding services will also be eased.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: Planned ops in May fell by 80% in England

Planned operations in England fell by 80 % in May compared with the same month in 2019 , NHS figures show .
The number of people attending A & E was a third lower in June than in the same month last year .
But waiting lists for treatment also fell as fewer people are having key tests for cancer and heart disease .
A raft of stats published on Thursday by NHS England show how dramatically use of the health service has been changed by coronavirus .
Non-emergency surgery , including cancer and heart operations , fell from from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May this year .
This is slightly up from the 41,000 planned operations that took place in April , but remains far below normal .
And there were about half as many procedures that did n't involve being admitted to a hospital bed in May 2020 - 506,000 , compared with 1.1 million in May 2019 .
As services have paused , the number of patients on a waiting list to start treatment has actually fallen -from 4.4 million in May 2019 to 3.8 million patients in May this year .
This had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been going for tests which could indicate people need procedures - and is likely to shoot back up .
Total tests - including scans to look for tumours and tests of heart function - fell by almost a third , from 1.2 million in May 2019 to 870,000 May 2020 .
• Covid 'risk of up to 35,000 extra cancer deaths' • 'More than two million in UK wait for cancer care' Guidance to begin re-opening services for more non-urgent care was issued to trusts in mid-May .
The tranche of data released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & E attendances in June .
These showed there were 1.4 million A & E attendances in June compared with 2.1 million in June 2019 ( though this is slightly up from 1.26m in May ) .
This partly reflects there having been fewer accidents as people have stayed away from roads , sports and pubs .
But it may also include people who stayed away from hospitals out of fear or because they did n't want to be a burden , despite needing urgent care .

This partly reflects there having been fewer accidents as people have stayed away from roads, sports and pubs. But it may also include people who stayed away from hospitals out of fear or because they didn't want to be a burden, despite needing urgent care.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: Frank Ludlow admits selling fake cures to the US

A man has pleaded guilty to selling fake coronavirus cure kits to people in France and the United States .
Frank Ludlow , 59 , was caught by City of London Police trying to send dozens of parcels of fake remedies in a post office near his West Sussex home .
Judge William Mousley said father-of-two Ludlow contacted national governments and `` took advantage of an international crisis '' .
Ludlow was given a suspended 10-month sentence at Portsmouth Crown Court .
American custom officials had intercepted Ludlow 's fake kits at Los Angeles International Airport , with his `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attached , the court was told .
His address was also found by the officials who alerted City of London Police on 23 March .
Hours later , officers went to a post office in Petersfield , Hampshire , to ask for a description of the person who had been sending the packages .
The court heard while officers were talking to staff Ludlow walked in with more packages addressed to France , Shoreham and New York .
Prosecutor Steven Hopper said : `` Mr Ludlow admitted to making the product and had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Despite saying his cures had had not been officially tested , Mr Ludlow told police he was confident it took out 'all viral infections ' . ''
Ludlow `` made elaborate claims '' about wanting to make 1,000 kits a week and he sent a message to a friend saying `` Thank god for Covid-19 '' , Mr Hopper added .
Ludlow admitted three medical product offences but denied fraud charges which were to lie on file , Judge Mousley said .
`` You were exposing customers , attempting to bypass the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international crisis '' the judge told him .
Defence barrister Ben Smitten said Ludlow had spent time in custody and while in lockdown was only allowed out one hour a day .
Ludlow is still facing charges in the United States .
US officials said people who bought the kits were instructed to `` add 18 ounces of water , say a prayer , drink half of the solution , take a probiotic along with bee pollen , and then ingest the remainder of the solution '' .
Between May 2017 and March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Utah between 300 and 400 of these `` treatments '' for $ 50 per kit , many of which she gave away , but some of which she sold for as much as $ 200 , an affidavit stated .

Between May 2017 and March 2020, Ludlow sold a connection in Utah between 300 and 400 of these "treatments" for $50 per kit, many of which she gave away, but some of which she sold for as much as $200, an affidavit stated.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: Sir David Attenborough warns London Zoo risks 'extinction'

London Zoo and its conservation work is at risk of `` extinction '' due to the coronavirus pandemic , Sir David Attenborough has warned .
The broadcaster and naturalist is fronting an appeal to support the Zoological Society of London ( ZSL ) , which runs London and Whipsnade zoos .
The sites have now opened to the public but the closure during lockdown heavily impacted the charity 's income .
Sir David said ZSL faced `` its toughest challenge '' in 200 years .
In a video appeal , the naturalist spoke of the charity 's `` outstanding contribution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` ZSL 's work is vital in driving forward the vision of a world where wildlife thrives .
`` Its two zoos , London and Whipsnade , are home to over 20,000 animals , many of which are endangered in the wild , from tiny dart frogs to majestic tigers and everything in between .
`` ZSL now faces its toughest challenge to date .
Put bluntly , the national institution is now itself at risk of extinction , '' he said .
The society , which was founded in 1826 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the first time since World War Two .
Zoos have reopened their gates but social distancing measures have restricted visitor numbers , ZSL said .
Director general Dominic Jermey said the pandemic had put the zoos under `` immense financial pressure '' .
`` The world can not afford for our work to be stopped ; but we need help to keep going . ''
`` We have no way of recouping what was lost ; we 're fighting our biggest challenge in our 200-year history , '' Mr Jermey added .

"Its two zoos, London and Whipsnade, are home to over 20,000 animals, many of which are endangered in the wild, from tiny dart frogs to majestic tigers and everything in between.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Energy firms hit back at Ofgem plan to cut bills

Energy companies have criticised proposals by the industry 's regulator to cut customer 's bills and spend more on green investments .
Under Ofgem 's plans , households could see their bills cut by £20 a year while firms spend £25bn over five years to invest in the UK 's energy network .
Ofgem said it wanted `` a greener , fairer energy system for consumers '' .
However , National Grid , SSE and Scottish Power all said that the regulator 's plans were flawed .
The energy regulator sets out price controls which dictate how much money gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing them sufficient scope to fund new investment from customers ' bills .
Under its latest proposals , which run from 2021 to 2026 , they will be allowed to spend £25bn on improving gas and electricity networks .
Some £3bn will be used to make the electricity network more environmentally friendly , while more than £1bn will go towards green energy research and reducing the networks ' own impact on the environment .
In order to reduce the cost to consumers , Ofgem says , the return energy firms will be allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly halved .
The regulator said this would mean that `` less of consumers ' money goes towards network companies ' profits , and more towards driving network improvements '' .
Ofgem estimated that cutting returns would save more than £3.3bn over the next five years , which should cut household bills by about £20 a year .
The regulator added that investing in the energy network of the UK was low-risk and should be an attractive option to investors .
`` Strong evidence from water regulation and Ofgem 's offshore transmission regime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and continue to invest robustly in the sector , '' it said .
Citizens Advice said the move could put an end to energy firms `` overcharging energy customers by billions of pounds '' .
`` Ofgem has struck the right balance between shareholder returns and value for money for energy customers , while making sure networks can continue to attract investment , '' said Dame Gillian Guy , chief executive of Citizens Advice .
Uswitch.com.
, the comparison website , also welcomed the move .
`` The amount of profit that network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent years has been a matter of significant controversy , given our energy suppliers have to pass on these charges to our bills . ''
However , National Grid said it was `` extremely disappointed '' with the plans .
`` This proposal leaves us concerned as to our ability to deliver resilient and reliable networks , and jeopardises the delivery of the energy transition and the green recovery . ''
Energy firm SSE said the proposal was likely to be challenged through the Competition and Markets Authority ( CMA ) .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resembles a worrying return to austerity , '' Rob McDonald , the managing director of transmission at SSE , said .
`` At present the draft settlement does not strike the right balance for all stakeholders and without significant changes during the consultation period , there is a real risk that the critical investment in Britain 's electricity networks will be unnecessarily slowed down by an appeal process via the CMA , which is not in any stakeholders ' interests . ''
`` Instead of investing more in creating green jobs and skilled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time when the UK needs them most , this is a short-sighted return to austerity politics .
`` Nobody benefits from this half-baked plan .
It 's bad for jobs , bad for apprenticeships , bad for training and bad for the UK supply chain .
`` Net Zero can be an accelerator of the economic recovery , but only if private companies are given the right conditions for investment .
Slamming the door in investors ' faces by offering one of the lowest rates of return of any developed country traps the @ @ @ @ @ @ @

"At present the draft settlement does not strike the right balance for all stakeholders and without significant changes during the consultation period, there is a real risk that the critical investment in Britain's electricity networks will be unnecessarily slowed down by an appeal process via the CMA, which is not in any stakeholders' interests."


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Tom Meighan: Kasabian singer 'sorry' for assaulting partner

Former Kasabian singer Tom Meighan has publically apologised for assaulting his partner .
The musician was sentenced at Leicester Magistrates ' Court on Tuesday for attacking Vikki Ager while drunk .
Magistrates heard she was struck on the head , threatened with a wooden pallet and dragged across a room before a child witness called 999 .
The Zinthiya Trust , a Leicester-based domestic abuse charity , said there can be `` no excuses '' for what Meighan did .
Meighan , 39 , said the attack in April was a `` a wake-up call for me , for who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming '' .
The musician said on Twitter : `` I am very sorry and deeply regret my recent behaviour .
In no way am I trying to condone my actions or make excuses .
I am completely to blame and accept all responsibility . ''
• Latest news and stories from the East Midlands Meighan was given an 18-month community order , told to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work , ordered to complete five days of rehabilitation , and told to pay a £90 victim surcharge and £85 in prosecution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggled for many years with alcohol addiction '' .
`` I was spiralling out of control .
My mental health was becoming more and more unstable and I was at breaking point , '' he said .
`` I booked myself into a rehabilitation programme for alcoholism .
`` I left the programme three weeks ago and with the support of my family and friends , I 've been taking every day as it comes , getting through each day completely clean and sober . ''
Meighan , of Narborough , said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which had helped him `` understand more about my behavioural issues '' .
He also said he and Ms Ager were `` very much in love and we are looking forward to rebuilding our life together with the support of those close to us '' and described the incident as `` an isolated one '' and `` out of character '' .
On Monday , Kasabian announced Meighan was leaving the band in order to deal with `` personal issues '' .
In a statement after the hearing , the group said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never be excused . ''
Zinthiya Ganeshpanchan , founder of the Zinthiya Trust , has been helping victims of domestic abuse in Leicester for more than a decade .
She said : `` I understand there are various trigger points for abuse , such as alcohol mental or health problems .
They are not excuses - everyone should feel safe in their own homes . ''
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"Often an abuser picks on the people around them that are vulnerable so alcohol or mental health cannot be blamed for their actions. There is still that level of conscience to decide who they are going to be abusive towards.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Manchester Arena attack: Survivors refused role in inquiry

Manchester Arena bombing survivors have lost their bid to be represented at a public inquiry into the 2017 bombing .
In April , chairman Sir John Saunders denied survivors of the blast `` core participant '' status in the hearing .
A group of more than 50 took legal action to give them the same rights as the police , government and families of those who died .
The public inquiry , due to begin in September , will examine the background to the attack and emergency responses .
Saoirse de Bont , who represents more than 50 survivors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
The group 's lawyer Brenda Campbell QC had previously argued the survivors `` have not been treated with importance '' and said if they did not have formal legal status `` they will be watching ( the inquiry ) on YouTube and not assisted to get the answers to their questions '' .
Paul Greaney QC , counsel to the inquiry , said the hearing would focus on those who died in the attack and survivors would be able to engage with the process , without having legal representation of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruling left `` our clients who were seriously injured feeling like they will not have a voice at the public inquiry '' .
`` We understand how vital it is for families who lost loved ones to be the focus of the inquiry , but many of our clients believe their contribution could prove important in carrying out the most thorough investigation , '' she added .
She said the families were now considering any options for appeal .
• The road to the Manchester Arena bombing A total of 600 adults and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May 2017 , the court heard .
Mr Greaney said many survivors would give evidence at the hearings and they were being encouraged to raise any issues with the inquiry team .
The judicial review was heard by Dame Victoria Sharp , the President of the Queen 's Bench Division , and Mr Justice Garnham .
In the ruling , Dame Victoria said the survivors ' application was `` out of time '' as it was made several weeks after the 14-day cut-off following Sir John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We would in any event have refused permission to apply on the ground that the claim itself is not arguable , '' she added .
The full reasons for the decision on the judicial review will be published at a later date .
Twenty-two people were killed and hundreds injured when Salman Abedi , 22 , detonated a suicide bomb as fans left the arena .
His younger brother , Hashem Abedi , was convicted of 22 counts of murder in March at the Old Bailey and is expected to be sentenced in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ West on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram ?
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Paul Greaney QC, counsel to the inquiry, said the hearing would focus on those who died in the attack but many survivors would give evidence and they were being encouraged to raise any issues with the inquiry team.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: Jobs loss warnings, aviation 'ignored' and anger in Leicester

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus outbreak this Thursday morning .
We 'll have another update for you at 18:00 BST .
1 .
We ca n't protect every job , says chancellor The chancellor has warned that the government will not be able to protect `` every single job '' as the UK enters a `` severe recession '' .
Rishi Sunak told BBC Breakfast the government was `` throwing everything we can '' to stem job losses with measures announced yesterday , but people will still lose their jobs on a `` significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the pandemic may push Burger King to permanently shut up to 10 % of its restaurants , its boss warns .
Alasdair Murdoch says 1,600 jobs are at risk , despite a government pledge to subsidise 50 % of restaurant bills - up to £10 per person on Mondays to Wednesdays in August .
3 .
Aviation and gyms 'ignored ' by government There are warnings of further job losses as some sectors , notably the airline and fitness industries , claim they have been forgotten in terms of the government 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say they need tax breaks .
Businesses in Leicester had expected extra help after they were ordered to close on 30 June following a local spike in Covid-19 cases .
But business minister Nadhim Zahawi makes clear in a letter to Labour 's Liz Kendall there will be no additional funding .
The Leicester West MP says she is `` so angry '' .
With many theatres and live entertainment venues in the UK still closed because of coronavirus , comedians , performers and entertainers have taken to online platforms to survive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by signing up to our daily news briefing , delivered from the BBC to your inbox , each weekday morning .
... lockdown rules are changing across the UK .
We explain the powers police have to enforce them .
You can find more information , advice and guides on our coronavirus page and get all the latest in our live page .
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bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: What powers do the police have?

Lockdown rules are changing across the UK .
But who is responsible for making sure people follow them ?
Police have the biggest responsibility for enforcing coronavirus laws - the rules that everyone must follow .
These differ across the UK 's four nations .
But not everything you are asked to do is a legal requirement .
Coronavirus guidance describes government recommendations to help control the virus .
These are not backed by laws .
Ministers have sometimes used the word `` rules '' to refer to the law and sometimes the guidance .
In England , the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of up to 30 people outside , or at home .
Outside means any public place - including beaches , parks , streets and the countryside .
So , if you want to organise a picnic or garden party you can now invite 29 guests .
If you go above that number , the police can turn up and force people to leave .
They could issue you with a penalty ticket .
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• At-a-glance : What can I do now ?
These start at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 days ) , rising to £3,200 for six or more offences .
In exceptional cases , the Crown Prosecution Service could take someone to court .
But , confusingly , the government wants people to do something different .
Its official guidance - not actually a legal obligation - says : `` You should only be socialising in groups of up to two households ( including your support bubble ) indoors and outdoors or up to six people from different households when outdoors . ''
The law in England now allows even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind it can show they have a plan to minimise the risk of spreading coronavirus .
Officers can turn up and inspect the organiser 's written plan .
They can order people to leave if they decide there are genuine dangers .
Lockdown laws in the rest of the UK : • Scotland : What can you now do ?
• Wales : What are the latest lockdown rules ?
The law gets more complicated still .
In England , Health Secretary Matt Hancock has an exceptional new power to completely close a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay away from packed beach This could be used this summer to close beaches or beauty spots if there are concerns from local councils and police about crowds potentially spreading the virus .
If your favourite beach becomes what the law calls a `` restricted area '' , it would be a crime to go there .
Who can force gyms or nail bars to stay shut ?
The final part of the revised law in England covers the shrinking list of businesses still closed .
These are places where there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from close contact - such as nightclubs , gyms , swimming pools and nail bars .
Police have the power to close these businesses .
However , in practice they 're leaving this to local authorities whose trading standards officers can also enforce the law .
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What if pubs and cafes break the rules ?
Pubs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can now open in England - but they could still be forced to close .
That 's because they have a legal duty to keep their staff and customers safe .
The Health and Safety Executive oversees laws and guidance on a safe working environment .
Like the police , it can enforce the law if it believes there is a danger - for instance in an overcrowded factory .
• How will pubs keep drinkers safe ?
When it comes to pubs , the police are likely to be the first to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces have been carrying out spot checks .
Businesses that are open must be able to show they have plans to reduce the risk of transmission - for instance by creating one-way systems around their premises .
If a premises was the source of an outbreak , local public health directors can close it while the virus is tackled .
This is a long-standing power that has been used to contain other diseases .
Leicester is subject to the first UK local lockdown .
Police can break up gatherings of more than six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay away overnight , other than in the home of their bubble household .
• What could a lockdown be like in my area ?
But the city is n't actually walled in , legally speaking .
If a Leicester family fancies a clothes-shopping spree in Nottingham - because stores are still open there - there 's legally nothing to stop them .
Instead , the government hopes people 's sense of civic responsibility will see them follow guidance to stay at home .
Can police make me cover my face ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ requirement to cover the mouth and nose on public transport ( with some exceptions for people who have good reason not to wear one ) .
If you refuse to wear a covering , a police officer , community support officer , or some transport workers can refuse to allow you to board a bus or a train - or direct you to leave .
Police officers and Transport for London staff can issue penalty tickets .

Coronavirus: What powers do police have if people break Covid rules? Published 12 January 2021
Image source, Getty Images
The police's role in the coronavirus pandemic is simple: to ensure we follow national lockdown restrictions.
But in practice, that is a huge challenge for officers who are being asked to monitor behaviour that, until March last year, was perfectly legal.
How do police enforce Covid rules?
Police chiefs have followed a system called "The Four Es". Before fines are issued to rule-breakers, police will first:
Engage with people, to ask why they appear to be breaking the rules
Explain the law, stressing the risks to public health and the NHS
Encourage them to change their behaviour
The fourth "E" is "Enforce" by issuing penalty notices, as a last resort.
Covid rule-breakers are now "increasingly likely" to be fined by officers, the Metropolitan Police commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has said.
What are the fines for breaking Covid rules?
The police have a legal duty to make sure the rules are enforced, alongside council, environmental health and trading standards officers.
If you break coronavirus regulations, you could get a fixed penalty notice , the Covid equivalent of a traffic offence like speeding.
Since March, 32,000 have been issued in England and Wales. Penalties rose sharply during England's November lockdown. Almost 6,500 penalty tickets were handed out as police moved more quickly to enforcement.
In England and Northern Ireland fines start at £200. Fines start at £60 in Wales, and in Scotland, although this is reduced to £30 if paid within 28 days.
Large parties can also be shut down by the police - with fines of up to £10,000.
In extreme circumstances, you could be prosecuted and face an even greater fine imposed by a court.
Image source, West Midlands Police Image caption, Hundreds of people were caught on a drone camera at an illegal party by West Midlands Police
Can police fine me for being in the street?
Yes. All of England is now in a "tier four" national lockdown, with similar measures in place across the rest of the UK.
Under the new lockdown law, you must stay at home unless you have a "reasonable excuse" to be outside. Your home includes property such as a garden, shed or garage - and also access to it.
The government's lockdown guidance sets out examples of reasonable excuses. Police won't fine you for leaving home to go shopping for essential goods, or to use a business that can remain open, or for going to work or education, training or childcare.
There are other reasonable excuses - such as helping other people in their moment of need. Police chiefs are telling frontline officers to use their judgement if they come across a situation not defined in the regulations.
If you want to take part in a protest, the law does not define that as a reasonable excuse to leave home. There is, however, an exception for joining a picket as part of lawful industrial action.
Will police arrest me for exercising?
Exercise is one of the reasonable excuses for being outside in a public space. You cannot be fined for exercising.
But there has been enormous confusion since last March over how long people could exercise for. Cabinet Minister Michael Gove pronounced that spring that he thought half an hour was enough.
There are also questions over how far you can go to exercise. Boris Johnson has been criticised for travelling seven miles from Downing Street to go cycling during lockdown.
There are no restrictions in law in England on how you exercise and for how long. You cannot exercise in groups, but you can run or go on a wander with someone else from your household, support bubble or one person you don't live with.
The government's Covid guidance for exercise explains that law - and mixes it with a non-legal recommendation to only go out once a day - and to stay local.
It says local "means stay in the village, town, or part of the city where you live", but that has no legal force.
Image source, Getty Images
Derbyshire Police have been taking the "stay local" principle seriously. Officers have issued tickets to people who drive five miles to their local beauty spot - including two women accused of an illegal picnic because they were carrying takeaway cups of tea.
Will the police fine me for mingling?
They might. This refers to the ban on "gatherings".
The last-but-one version of the restrictions made it a potential crime to "mingle". That language has now gone from the law - but the rules are far stricter.
While the law in England doesn't criminalise bumping into someone in the street, you can no longer meet anyone socially - other than those in your household, support bubble or people you care for.
How likely am I to be fined?
The Home Office has given the police an extra £30m to pay for Covid patrols in England and Wales.
Over Christmas there were more than 800 fines for what Home Secretary Priti Patel says were "egregious" breaches of the rules.
The National Police Chiefs' Council hasn't abandoned the Four Es - but expect more fines and more officers asking people what they are doing.
Image source, PA Media Image caption, Police patrols were stepped up around the Scotland-England border around Christmas
For instance, the Metropolitan Police has told officers to issue fines "more quickly" to anyone committing obvious, wilful and serious breaches.
Derbyshire Police, who famously put a drone up over hikers in the first lockdown, has issued a similar warning.
Can police make me cover my face?
Yes - while in shops and on public transport. You could face a fixed penalty notice if you don't.
Image source, Reuters
Can police check whether I'm isolating?
If you have returned from an overseas Covid hotspot, or have been told by the NHS Test and Trace system to stay at home, you must quarantine for 10 days.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--UK universities comply with China's internet restrictions

UK universities are testing a new online teaching link for students in China - which will require course materials to comply with Chinese restrictions on the internet .
It enables students in China to keep studying UK degrees online , despite China 's limits on internet access .
But it means students can only reach material on an `` allowed '' list .
Universities UK said it was `` not aware of any instances when course content has been altered '' .
And the universities ' body rejected that this was accepting `` censorship '' .
A spokeswoman said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have better access to UK courses `` while complying with local regulations '' .
But in a separate essay published by the Higher Education Policy Institute , Professor Kerry Brown of King 's College London cautioned of the risk of universities adopting `` self-censorship '' when engaging with China .
MPs on the foreign affairs select committee have previously warned against universities avoiding `` topics sensitive to China '' , such as pro-democracy protests or the treatment of Uighur Muslims .
Chinese students have become an important source of revenue for UK universities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseas students - and Queen 's University Belfast is chartering a plane to bring students from China this autumn .
The pilot project involves four Russell Group universities - King 's College London , Queen Mary University of London , York and Southampton - and is run by JISC , formerly the Joint Information Systems Committee , which provides digital services for UK universities .
China 's internet censorship means that some websites are filtered or blocked - and there have been concerns that students in China could not study online , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a scholarly article .
The technical solution , provided free by the Chinese internet firm Alibaba Cloud , creates a virtual connection between the student in China and the online network of the UK university , where the course is being taught .
But a spokeswoman for JISC says Chinese students will not have free access to the internet , but will only be able to reach `` resources that are controlled and specified '' by the university in the UK .
Any online information used in these UK university courses will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' list , which will list all the links to the educational materials UK institutions include in their course materials '' , said JISC .
This raises questions about academic freedom and free speech - but when asked about whether these principles were being put at risk , the universities have so far referred back to JISC .
JISC , which is an online services provider , says such issues are for the universities - and that `` all course materials have been within regulations .
Nothing was altered or blocked '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the project , said : `` We do not endorse censorship .
This scheme is intended to ensure that Chinese students , learning remotely during the pandemic , can access course materials and are able to continue their studies . ''
The university body said a similar scheme was already operating for Australian universities .
As well as complying with Chinese regulations , this online link is intended to create a more reliable connection , so that students can more easily watch lectures and follow their courses .
JISC says online students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that `` screen traffic between China and the rest of the world , filtering content from overseas used for delivering teaching and learning and blocking some platforms and applications '' .
The pilot will finish this month and it could be offered more widely from September .

But a spokeswoman for JISC says Chinese students will not have free access to the internet, but will only be able to reach "resources that are controlled and specified" by the university in the UK.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Pop music is getting faster (and happier)

`` This is my dancefloor , I fought for , '' Lady Gaga sings euphorically on Free Woman , a track from her new album , Chromatica .
She 's not alone .
The charts are suddenly crammed with pop songs that celebrate joy and sensuality and precipitous thrill : Dua Lipa 's Physical , Doja Cat 's Say So , Harry Styles ' Watermelon Sugar and Gaga 's own Stupid Love .
At the same time , music is getting faster .
The average tempo of 2020 's top 20 best-selling songs is a pulse-quickening 122 beats per minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been since 2009 .
The outbreak of euphoria is as sudden as it is unexpected .
For the last few years , pop has been getting slower , as artists like Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish incorporate the leisurely cadences and rhythms of southern hip-hop and trap music into their songs .
Lyrics have taken a darker turn , too , with expressions of loneliness , fear and anxiety becoming increasingly common .
In 2017 , a Californian mathematician called Natalia Komarova was so shocked by the negativity of the songs her daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The rise of the 'sad banger' Using the research database AcousticBrainz - which allows you to examine musical properties like tempo , key and mood - she and her colleagues at the University of California Irvine examined half a million songs released in the UK between 1985 and 2015 .
They found a significant downturn in the positivity of pop songs .
Where 1985 saw upbeat tracks like Wham 's Freedom , 2015 favoured more sombre music by Sam Smith and Adele .
`` 'Happiness ' is going down , 'brightness ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going up , '' said Komarova of her results , `` and at the same time , the songs are becoming more 'danceable ' and more 'party-like ' . ''
`` So it looks like , while the overall mood is becoming less happy , people seem to want to forget it all and dance . ''
• Five ways music changed in the 2010s • Dancing On My Own : 10 years of Robyn 's 'sad banger' In other words , Komorvoa had identified the rise of the `` sad banger '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up for good times , only to sucker punch your heart with lyrics of Biblical sadness .
For that , we can thank Swedish pop star Robyn , whose hit single Dancing On My Own influenced a generation of songwriters .
Released in 2010 , it documented the brutal moment you see your ex kissing their new partner on a night out , and your world falls apart while everyone around you is having fun .
Lorde called it `` perfect '' , Christine & The Queens said she could `` only marvel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sam Smith observed that it made Robyn `` a huge part of the LGBTQ community because we get to dance our pain away '' .
Turning heartbreak into a fist-pumping emotion was Robyn 's masterstroke - and as the 2010s progressed , her fingerprints were all over hits like Rihanna 's We Found Love , Taylor Swift 's Out Of The Woods and Dua Lipa 's New Rules .
At the same time , however , pop was decelerating .
By 2017 , the average tempo of a hit single in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down from a high of 124bpm in 2009 .
In the US , where hip-hop is more prevalent on the charts , it fell as low as 90.5 bpm .
`` People were burnt out on uptempo , super poppy stuff like they were with hair-metal bands back in the day , '' songwriter Bonnie McKee told Rolling Stone magazine in 2017 .
`` Then as the sociopolitical climate got darker , people just were n't in the mood to hear some upbeat bop . ''
Just three years later , the trend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking at the top 20 now and , if you were to play the chart in order , you would n't think the world is going through a crisis , '' says pop star Raye , who has written for the likes of Beyonce , Little Mix and Stormzy alongside her solo hits .
`` You would expect political or emotional music matching the aura of the time to be more prevalent , but it 's actually the opposite - which shows how we 're coping in the UK especially .
`` Tempo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draws you out of the reality of what is going on right now ; and transports you to somewhere more positive and uplifting . ''
Music journalist Charlie Harding , who hosts the Switched On Pop podcast , agrees there 's been `` an important psychological change '' in people 's listening habits .
`` During moments of great distress , music provides hope .
A pop song gives us permission to access joy , even when the world is burning .
`` But music is more than just escapism .
It can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
Protest anthems motivate us to keep marching in the streets even when our feet are tired .
Dance songs help us blow off steam at home , especially when we ca n't go dancing out on the town .
`` This upbeat shift happened during the great depression and during World War Two .
Once again we need sounds that help us forge a path to the world we want to live in , not the one we 're inhabiting today . ''
That last point is important , because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ written specifically for the bizarre circumstances of 2020 - it just happened to be ready at the right time .
Dua Lipa 's escapist pop opus Future Nostalgia was finished late last year , while Lady Gaga decided to make Chromatica a `` fun '' and `` energetically pure '' dance album back in 2017 .
It followed a period where the star eschewed pure pop to try on new guises - jazz chanteuse , country crooner and Oscar-baiting balladeer .
In that period , the average tempo of her singles dropped below @ @ @ @ @ @ @ escapism .
It 's possibly Gaga 's most personal record to date , discussing topics like her sexual assault , the antipsychotic medication she 's been prescribed , and the fibromyalgia which leaves her in chronic pain .
If you run the lyrics through linguistical analysis software , you 'll find that positive emotional words only slightly outweigh the negative ones ( accounting for 3.36 % vs 3.12 % of the overall total word count ) .
Combined with the album 's accelerated beats , the lyrical tension ultimately creates a feeling of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her problems behind her and struts onto the dancefloor .
`` We knew that Stupid Love felt good , and the other songs we were writing gave gloomy , hard , tearful days bright endings , '' said music producer BloodPop , who worked on 12 of the record 's 16 tracks .
`` You could physically see dance music healing this person in real time so it just became obvious very quickly that that 's what we had to do , '' he told Rolling Stone .
• Why pop music is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • How Dua Lipa released an album from isolation Dua Lipa 's record was cathartic in a different way - written to `` get away from pressures and anxieties and opinions from the outside world , '' as she tried to follow-up her hugely successful debut .
Releasing it during the pandemic gave the music an added sense of urgency .
`` I wanted to give people some happiness during this time , where they do n't have to think about what 's going on and just shut off and dance , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't the only stars putting ecstasy back into the equation - and Spotify can ( sort of ) prove it .
The service helpfully collects metadata on the 50 million songs in its database , rating them for things like `` danceability '' , `` energy '' and `` acoustic-ness '' .
But the measure we 're interested in is called valence - and it rates a song 's positivity .
Tracks with high valence sound more positive ( happy , euphoric ) , while tracks with low valence sound more negative ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a perfect measure .
Pharrell 's Happy gets a score of 96 % , as you might expect , but so does Aloe Blacc 's I Need A Dollar - a story of unemployment and poverty .
You could argue it 's really measuring jauntiness - but that 's still a reasonable indicator of music 's prevailing mood .
We looked at the valence for the UK 's top 20 best-selling singles every year of the last decade .
As you would expect , the score tends to hover around the half-way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 2017 , as listeners sought refuge from political turmoil in songs like Ed Sheeran 's Shape Of You and Luis Fonsi 's Despacito , dragging the average valence up to 62 % .
After a couple of years decline , poptimism is back .
The 20 best-selling songs so far this year score 57 % on the happiness scale .
If you zoom in on individual artists , the pattern becomes even more pronounced .
Lady Gaga , Ed Sheeran , Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift are all on an upwards curve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downbeat or fuelled by revenge in the mid-2010s .
Even Drake , an artist so perennially miserable that there are 84 separate playlists called `` Sad Drake Songs '' on Spotify , has become more optimistic .
His latest hit , Toosie Slide , has a valence of 84 % , making it the `` happiest '' of the 58 singles he 's released so far .
Notably , the song was written specifically to go viral on TikTok , the video sharing app that 's become an increasingly important way for artists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the top 20 best-selling singles in the UK this year were boosted by their presence on the platform - and those songs tend to have a higher valence , scoring an average of 69 % positivity , compared to 49 % for the remaining 12 tracks .
Whatever prompted the shift , pop star Charli XCX is in favour of it .
`` I feel like everything was so hip-hop infused for so long that maybe it 's fun for it to be about it being so sugary and pop and happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shop podcast .
`` That Doja Cat song makes me feel so happy .
And same with the Dua song - it feels like I 'm in a rom-com .
I think that 's really joyous and cool because I feel like there was a lot of darkness in pop for a long time . ''
• Why does Taylor Swift write so many one-note melodies ?
• The ex-stockbroker who writes Little Mix hits Where pop 's biggest names go , imitators will inevitably follow .
But Raye says writing rose-tinted pop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging experience .
`` It 's a real battle between do I address how I feel and what 's going on , or do I just create something that feels the opposite ? ''
she says .
`` But I think if we were to be sitting on Zoom writing ballads , we 'd just feel depressed , so it kind of makes sense to channel this upbeat 80s vibe . ''
Meanwhile , Becky Hill , whose top 10 hits include Wish You Well and Gecko ( Overdrive ) , says aspiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capitalise on the happy pop revival .
`` I try not to compare myself or my music to anyone else because music takes so friggin ' long to get released , '' she says .
`` So if you 're writing for a trend , you 've got to look at that song to not be coming out for the next , at least , eight weeks .
And by that point everyone 's probably moved on to something else . ''
But singer-songwriter Kamille , the Brit Award-winner behind Little Mix 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Do n't Call Me Up says that , when she writes upbeat songs , she 's mostly writing for herself .
`` Music is a haven and an escape , '' she says .
`` When I 'm on streaming services , I 'm listening to something that 's going to make me feel good and give me energy , because I 've got so little of it at the moment . ''
She says that cueing up a track like A-Ha 's Take On Me can alter the course of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes and I feel excited and my heart starts to race .
It 's like a little natural high . ''
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"But music is more than just escapism. It can help us imagine a different way of life. Protest anthems motivate us to keep marching in the streets even when our feet are tired. Dance songs help us blow off steam at home, especially when we can't go dancing out on the town.


bbcuk--2020-07-08--Stormzy's surprise paint job for Croydon teen's bedroom

Imagine being a teenager and finding Stormzy in your house when you get home from school .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ from Croydon .
The rapper was there to help decorate his bedroom as part of @ @ @ @ @ scheme run by decorating company The Good Guys .
The musician also talked about why @ @ @ @ @ the recent Black Lives Matter protests in London , saying : `` One thing I @ @ @ @ @ do is show what it means to be black . ''
He said the protests @ @ @ @ @ adding : `` This ai n't some sort of trend , this is real life @ @ @ @ @ reality for hundreds , thousands of years . ''

Imagine being a teenager and finding Stormzy in your house when you get home from school.
That’s what happened to 15-year-old Ishae from Croydon.
The rapper was there to help decorate his bedroom as part of a “give back” scheme run by decorating company The Good Guys.
The musician also talked about why he'd been cheering at the recent Black Lives Matter protests in London, saying: "One thing I really want this movement to do is show what it means to be black."
He said the protests showed a real pain, adding: "This ain't some sort of trend, this is real life and this has been our reality for hundreds, thousands of years."
Film by Tarah Welsh and David Faye


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Former police chief: 'Raoul Moat isn’t a hero'

The former chief constable of Northumbria Police , who led the manhunt for Raoul Moat in 2010 , has told @ @ @ @ @ she 's still concerned that people see the gunman as a 'hero ' .
Moat @ @ @ @ @ six-hour stand-off with armed police in the market town of Rothbury , in Northumberland .
@ @ @ @ @ after shooting his ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart , murdering her new boyfriend Chris Brown , and @ @ @ @ @ , who then took his own life in 2012 .
Former chief constable of Northumbria @ @ @ @ @ Burden she does not have any sympathy for Moat , even after learning about his @ @ @ @ @ as reports suggest some people intend to mark the 10th anniversary of Moat ’ s @ @ @ @ @ n't feel empathy for somebody who sadistically gunned down and killed one individual and seriously @ @ @ @ @ Sue Sim said .
Click here to listen to Rachel Burden 's interview with Sue @ @ @ @ @

The former chief constable of Northumbria Police, who led the manhunt for Raoul Moat in 2010, has told BBC Radio 5 Live that she's still concerned that people see the gunman as a 'hero'.
Moat shot himself dead after a six-hour stand-off with armed police in the market town of Rothbury, in Northumberland.
He was on the run after shooting his ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, murdering her new boyfriend Chris Brown, and later blinding PC David Rathband, who then took his own life in 2012.
Former chief constable of Northumbria police Sue Sim told Rachel Burden she does not have any sympathy for Moat, even after learning about his troubled childhood.
It comes as reports suggest some people intend to mark the 10th anniversary of Moat’s death.
"I don't feel empathy for somebody who sadistically gunned down and killed one individual and seriously harmed two others,” Sue Sim said.
Click here to listen to Rachel Burden's interview with Sue Sim on BBC Sounds.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Who will be the Lib Dems’ next leader?

Who will be the Lib Dems’ next leader?

Nominations to be the new leader of the Liberal Democrats close on Thursday 9 July .
Acting leader Sir Ed @ @ @ @ @ s education spokesperson , Layla Moran , are vying for the position .
They both @ @ @ @ @ Jessica Parker about their hopes of reviving the party after its 2019 election losses .

Nominations to be the new leader of the Liberal Democrats close on Thursday 9 July.
Acting leader Sir Ed Davey and the party’s education spokesperson, Layla Moran, are vying for the position.
They both spoke to BBC Political Correspondent Jessica Parker about their hopes of reviving the party after its 2019 election losses.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Newspaper headlines: 'Meal deal chancellor' and £30bn rescue plan

The papers are dominated by the chancellor 's mini-budget , and gorge on the opportunities for food-related headlines that his discount-dining scheme offers .
`` Grab a £10 Rishi Dishi '' says the front page of Metro - with the trade body UK Hospitality telling the paper the initiative is a `` huge bonus '' .
`` Rishi Dishes up £30 billion budget of hope '' is the headline in the Daily Express .
The Daily Mail says though lunch may be on the chancellor , `` we will all have to pick up the tab '' .
It calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freebies '' , and describes it as a definite `` break from Tory orthodoxy . ''
The Times spells out just how expensive that feast is .
When added to the other measures to support the economy , it means £189bn is being spent `` nursing '' the country through the Covid crisis .
That 's more than the government spends on actual nurses and indeed the entirety of the health service , the paper says .
The Financial Times calculates borrowing of £350bn will be needed this year to pay for it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balloon to twice the level seen in the aftermath of the financial crisis .
Even so , the Daily Mirror wanted Mr Sunak to do more .
`` Chicken Feed '' is its headline , as it quotes Labour criticism that the country was `` promised a New Deal '' but was instead `` delivered a meal deal '' .
The Sun admits some doubts as to whether the strategy will work , but nonetheless praises it as a `` staggering package of giveaways '' which will `` go down a treat with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Daily Telegraph , considers the chancellor 's remarkably rapid rise .
`` It is still hard to believe that less than a year ago , he was leading a government consultation on the accessibility of disabled lavatories '' , she writes .
Paul Waugh , in HuffpostUK , says there 's considerable support in the party for Mr Sunak 's approach .
It says he ended yesterday to the sound of Tory MPs on the 1922 Committee banging their desks in approval .
That from a body , he points out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favour of borrowing-fuelled spending sprees '' .
Nonetheless , the Financial Times argues , at some point the Chancellor must ultimately stabilise the public finances .
`` Mr Sunak will not be able to play Santa Claus forever '' , it says .
The main story for the tabloids is the latest evidence from the High Court involving the Hollywood actor , Johnny Depp , who is suing the Sun newspaper for libel for its description of him as a `` wife-beater . ''
The Sun itself reports how Mr Depp was accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' his former partner , Amber Heard , on a `` drink- and drug-fuelled rage on a private jet . ''
Mr Depp denies ever being violent towards Ms Heard ; the case continues .
The so-called Great Firewall of China - the vast apparatus that limits free use of the country 's internet - appears to have `` descended on Hong Kong '' , the Guardian reports .
It says the free and open access to websites which was previously one of the territory 's most important advantages now appears in `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many people in Hong Kong `` rushing to erase their digital footprint '' of any signs of dissent , or support for the last year of protests .
As well as private citizens , the FT , says the censorship of the internet has left western tech companies with big questions about how much leeway they will have .
They must now ask themselves whether they will have to abandon Hong Kong , with Singapore looking like the most obvious refuge in Asia , the FT reports .
It says it has learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering a `` total retreat from the territory '' .
Sign up for a morning briefing direct to your inbox The Whiteleaved Oak has stood near Eastnor Castle , in Herefordshire , for 500 years , the Times reports , and was venerated by pagans who favoured it as a site to observe the summer solstice .
Seemingly it was n't treated with such reverence by campers last weekend however .
They left a fire unattended and set the tree ablaze .
All that remains , says the Times , is a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` fantastic tree '' , the local fire chief says , with its demise reinforcing a message he have been trying to get across : in this dry weather `` have barbecues at home in your own garden '' .
Finally , the Guardian reports on the faltering attempts to help the world 's most endangered species of plover .
During lockdown , 29 of the birds were taken to a specially selected , predator-free island in New Zealand , but now appear to have `` absconded '' .
The conservationist leading the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` It is frustrating , we can give them strict instructions , but they choose not to obey . ''
He adds : `` We persist . ''

The Financial Times calculates borrowing of £350bn will be needed this year to pay for it all. It predicts the deficit will balloon to twice the level seen in the aftermath of the financial crisis.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Bow crane collapse: Killed woman was 'very caring'

An 85-year-old woman who died when a crane collapsed on to houses and a block of flats in east London has been described as a `` very caring woman '' .
Jane Harvey was found on the first floor of one home after the 20m ( 65ft ) crane crashed down in Compton Close , Bow , before 14:40 BST on Wednesday .
Sam Atkinson , her great nephew , said Ms Harvey 's family had been left `` extremely traumatised '' by her death .
A construction worker still remains in a critical condition in hospital .
Mr Atkinson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harvey , along with his mother Jacqueline Atkinson , 63 , and their dog .
He described her as being `` loyal to her family '' and said relatives were `` devastated by our loss '' .
`` The last thing you ever think is going to happen is a crane coming through your roof .
It 's extremely traumatising , '' he said .
The Metropolitan Police said specialist firefighters were working to recover her body from the house , with the operation expected to last throughout the day .
The crane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being built in Watts Grove , falling across the development and on to two adjacent houses .
Witnesses described the collapse as being `` like an earthquake '' .
One woman , who asked not to be named , said her family felt `` so lucky to be alive '' as their home was one of those to be damaged .
`` The way that everything fell - if my brother or sister had been in their rooms which is where it hit directly , I just can not bear to think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ambulance Service said it had treated four people , two of whom were taken to hospital with head injuries .
The crane was being used by Swan Housing Association and NU living to build flats on the site of a former electrical substation building .
Scotland Yard said a joint investigation had begun `` involving officers from the Met 's Central East Command Unit and Specialist Crime , the Health and Safety Executive and the London Fire Brigade '' .
No arrests have been made and `` a scene is expected to remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
About 40 people were asked to evacuate their homes with a rest centre being set up to provide accommodation .
Tower Hamlets Mayor John Biggs said it was unknown when they would be able to return as the site had to be made safe .
Speaking about the crane , Mr Biggs said he understood it was still being erected at the time it fell .
He said it was important to `` learn any lessons '' and find out if there were `` any errors '' which led to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be worried by this and ... there 's a question of public assurance as well , '' the mayor said .
A spokeswoman for Swan Housing Association and NU living said they were `` deeply saddened by an incident that has occurred at our Watts Grove development site '' .

"The way that everything fell - if my brother or sister had been in their rooms which is where it hit directly, I just cannot bear to think about it," she said.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: Executive discuss NI's quarantine regulations

The executive is meeting to discuss whether changes can be made to NI 's quarantine regulations .
But it is understood advice forming part of the document from Health Minister Robin Swann has been amended .
A previous draft advised that travellers from the rest of the UK present `` the greatest risk '' of bringing Covid-19 into NI .
However BBC News NI has seen a revised version which does not include that specific wording .
The document now being considered by ministers states that `` travellers from any country with a prevalence higher than NI using the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being infected '' .
However , there are still likely to be `` more travellers to NI from the rest of the UK '' than other countries , it adds .
Incidence and prevalence of the virus constantly change in all countries so any approach adopted by Stormont would need to be `` revisited regularly '' , it says .
The paper from Mr Swann 's department was formed following advice from the chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser .
Changes to England and Scotland 's quarantine rules take effect on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holyrood have agreed separate exemption lists for people arriving from more than 50 destinations that now pose a reduced risk from coronavirus .
It is not clear if Stormont ministers will agree to amend NI 's international coronavirus regulations , despite calls from tourism and travel operators for air bridges to be announced .
Currently anyone entering NI from outside the Common Travel Area must isolate for 14 days .
The Common Travel Area covers the United Kingdom , Republic of Ireland , Isle of Man and the Channel Islands .
Northern Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June , with fines of up to £1,000 possible for those caught leaving isolation prematurely .
Stormont ministers were due to review the international travel regulations at Monday 's executive meeting , but it did not make it on to the agenda .
Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis rejected suggestions of quarantine between UK nations to prevent the spread of coronavirus , arguing it would amount to a `` breach '' of the Common Travel Area .
The government 's focus would be on implementing local lockdowns in cases of specific outbreaks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the executive is also expected to sign off on conditional plans for indoor weddings to be permitted in Northern Ireland from Friday .
They had also set out plans to allow indoor gyms and playgrounds to reopen from 10 July , which are set to be approved if the spread of the virus has remained low .
It had been anticipated that Micheál Martin would visit Stormont on Thursday for the first time since becoming taoiseach ( Irish PM ) last month , but that will now not take place .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not been confirmed and Mr Martin is now expected to meet the first and deputy first ministers at some stage next week .
In the Republic of Ireland , official government advice against all non-essential travel is to remain in place until 20 July .
The Irish government had planned to publish a `` green '' list of countries .
However , concern about surges of the virus in other countries prompted health advice that those restrictions should remain in place .

They had also set out plans to allow indoor gyms and playgrounds to reopen from 10 July, which are set to be approved if the spread of the virus has remained low.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: All pupils in Wales 'back in school full-time' in September

All state schools in Wales will reopen to all pupils in September for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown @ @ @ @ @ Education Minister Kirsty Williams has also said children will not have to socially distance with @ @ @ @ @ `` contact group '' .
Adults in schools , however , will have to socially @ @ @ @ @ The news comes as 900 extra teaching posts are to be created in Wales to @ @ @ @ @ they return .
The Welsh Government said its £29m support package would pay for the @ @ @ @ @ 300 teaching assistants for a year .
• What Covid-19 decisions are made in Wales @ @ @ @ @ children will return to school in Wales will be published next week when most of @ @ @ @ @ be in their final week of a shortened summer term .

Plaid Cymru education spokeswoman Sian Gwenllian said: "While it is not clear why the announcement has taken so long when Scotland and Northern Ireland published their guidance back in early May and June, this will be good news for pupils' education as the interaction between pupil and their teacher is of paramount importance to their learning and wellbeing."


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: Pools, gyms, team sport and outdoor gigs to return

Leisure facilities and beauty services in England will be allowed to reopen , the government has announced .
Pools , gyms , nail bars and tattooists will be able to open their doors again , and team sports - starting with cricket - will be allowed to resume .
Announcing the changes at a briefing at No 10 , Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden urged people to `` work out to help out '' .
Outdoor performances will also be able to resume with limited audiences .
It came as the UK reported the deaths of a further 85 people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total number of deaths to 44,602 .
Mr Dowden said `` all the data '' was continuing to `` move in the right direction '' despite the reopening of pubs and restaurants last weekend .
• Why have n't nail bars , gyms and pools been open ?
• 'It 's a great feeling to have gyms back again' He said normal life was `` slowly returning '' and that this was an important milestone for the country 's performers and artists , who had been `` waiting in the wings since March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to get out there and to play their part , '' he said .
`` Buy the tickets for outdoor plays and musical recitals , get to your local gallery and support your local businesses . ''
But the culture secretary warned the measures were conditional and reversible , adding that the government would impose local lockdowns if cases started to spike .
What will reopen when ?
• Outdoor pools and outdoor theatres will be able to reopen from Saturday 11 July • Grassroots sport will be able to return from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Beauticians , tattooists , spas , tanning salons and other close-contact services can reopen `` subject to some restrictions on particularly high-risk services '' from 13 July • Indoor gyms , swimming pools and sports facilities can reopen from 25 July • Singing and the playing of brass and wind instruments will be allowed in professional environments and Mr Dowden said specific scientific studies on the risks had been commissioned • Small pilots of indoor performances , with socially distanced audiences , will also take place to help work out the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forms of beauty treatment will be able to go ahead , as some are deemed too high-risk .
These include face waxing , sugaring or threading services , facial treatments , make-up application and eyebrow treatments .
Vanita Parti , chief executive of walk-in beauty chain Blink Brow Bar , said that at first she had welcomed the news but then she received an email from the British Beauty Council telling her no treatments to the face would be allowed .
`` I 'm furious .
We ca n't reopen , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many businesses . ''
Guidance for the reopening of sports facilities has been published , including on cleaning regimes , social distancing and protection for staff .
Measures include limiting the number of people using a facility at one time , reducing class sizes and spacing out equipment .
Face coverings will not be mandatory in gyms .
Small numbers of supporters will be able to watch outdoor sports , provided social distancing measures and group size rules are followed .
Each sport will have to submit an action plan to the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with sports where a single ball is used having to show how they can reduce the risk of it transmitting the virus .
The government said a team led by England 's deputy chief medical officer Prof Jonathan Van-Tam had been visiting sports sites to see the sector 's preparations to reopen safely .
When put to him that the restrictions would make exercise `` less fun '' , Mr Dowden said people would get used to the new measures .
He said : `` The judgment we 've taken with this [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is it is better to reopen with those restrictions than not reopen at all . ''
• JOBS : Can my boss force me to go to work ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• FACE MASKS : When should you wear one ?
• TESTING : Who can get a test and how ?
Actors ' union Equity welcomed the reopening of outdoor productions but called for further protection for venues , while Julian Bird , chief executive of the Society of London Theatre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was needed regarding indoor performances .
The announcements follow the government 's pledge of £1.57bn to support the arts industry .
• The latest easing of lockdown comes after retail giants Boots and John Lewis announced plans to cut 5,300 jobs • Chancellor Rishi Sunak said he was `` sorry '' for not helping `` everyone exactly the way they would have wanted '' • The BBC has announced it will go ahead with plans to end free TV licences for most over-75s , which had been postponed due to the pandemic • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of cases in the community is falling .

Each sport will have to submit an action plan to the government of how it will operate safely, with sports where a single ball is used having to show how they can reduce the risk of it transmitting the virus.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: John Lewis and Boots to cut 5,300 jobs

Two of the UK 's biggest High Street retailers , John Lewis and Boots , have announced 5,300 job cuts .
Boots has said 4,000 jobs will go , while John Lewis is shutting down eight stores , putting 1,300 jobs at risk .
The moves come amid warnings that new economic support from Chancellor Rishi Sunak will not be enough to stop millions of workers losing their jobs .
Mr Sunak admitted that he would not be able to protect `` every single job '' as the UK enters a `` severe recession '' .
Boots is consulting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams and shut 48 of its more than 600 Boots Opticians practices .
It has not yet said which outlets will close , but about 7 % of its workforce will lose their jobs .
John Lewis said department stores in Birmingham and Watford will not reopen as the coronavirus lockdown eases .
It also plans to shut down its At Home stores in Croydon , Newbury , Swindon and Tamworth and travel sites at Heathrow airport and London St Pancras .
• £1,000 bonus 'may not be enough to protect jobs' Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday aimed at saving jobs , including a one-off £1,000 payment to employers for every furloughed employee retained to the end of January 2021 .
He also announced measures to benefit the hospitality sector , including giving diners 50 % off eating out from Monday to Wednesday in August .
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the moves to support restaurants , pubs and cafes could also help retail .
`` We very much hope that when people go to their local pub or their restaurant to eat out , those are often in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will encourage the footfall to those areas so we get more people going to our shops as well , '' Mr Dowden said , speaking after announcing the reopening of gyms , indoor pools and outdoor theatres .
John Lewis says some of its stores were in trouble before the virus struck , while Boots already had plans for a shake-up .
The crisis has forced them to speed up efforts to deal with the rise of internet shopping .
And just now they face the phasing out of the government-supported furlough scheme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one , retailers are revealing how many staff they will bring back into stores as the job subsidy is withdrawn .
Most Boots outlets remained open throughout the lockdown to provide pharmacy and healthcare services , but the firm said footfall had `` dramatically reduced '' .
The firm said sales across all Boots UK outlets were down 50 % in the third quarter , and some 70 % at Boots Opticians .
`` Restrictions are beginning to lift , but with an uncertain economic outlook , it is anticipated that the High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' it said .
Boots said last year that it was reviewing the size of its UK operations with the possibility that up to 200 stores could be closed .
The managing director of Boots UK , Sebastian James , described the latest cuts as `` decisive actions to accelerate our transformation plan '' .
John Lewis said the eight stores affected were already `` financially challenged '' even before the pandemic struck .
However , Covid-19 had caused customers to move more quickly towards online shopping and away from stores .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` Closing a shop is always incredibly difficult and today 's announcement will come as very sad news to customers and partners .
`` However , we believe closures are necessary to help us secure the sustainability of the partnership - and continue to meet the needs of our customers , however and wherever they want to shop . ''
Ms White said John Lewis would do everything it could to keep on as many people as possible .
John Lewis had warned in March it could close shops as a plunge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bonuses to their lowest level in almost 70 years .
Former John Lewis boss Andy Street , now mayor of the West Midlands , said the closure of the chain 's flagship Birmingham store was `` deeply disappointing '' .
`` At this stage the closure is only a proposal , and one which I believe risks being a dreadful mistake , '' he tweeted .
He added that his belief in its potential was `` unwavering '' and that he would be making the case for it to stay open .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store has prompted a petition to save it , which has been signed by 4,400 people so far .
Other John Lewis customers took to Twitter to vent their frustrations .
John Lewis and Boots are the latest in a long line of companies to have made cuts during the pandemic .
Other lay-offs announced include : • Up to 5,000 job cuts at Upper Crust owner SSP Group • Up to 12,000 jobs at British Airways • Up to 700 jobs at Harrods • 550 jobs are going at Daily Mirror publisher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus could mean millions of people end up out of work , warning that government incentives to save jobs were not large enough to persuade bosses to keep workers .
Len McCluskey , general secretary of the Unite union , said : `` With no modification to the jobs retention scheme , that dreaded October cliff-edge for businesses and workers has now been set in stone .
`` Our fear is the summer jobs loss tsunami we have been pleading with the government to avoid will now surely only gather pace .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Revo , which represents the retail property sector , warned that three million retail jobs remained in jeopardy unless the government undertook `` a fundamental review of business rates and direct financial support to underwrite rents '' .
Chancellor Rishi Sunak himself told BBC Breakfast : `` Is unemployment going to rise , are people going to lose their jobs ?
Yes , and the scale of this is significant .
`` We are entering one of the most severe recessions this country has ever seen .
That is of course going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on job losses . ''
Lucy Powell , shadow minister for business and consumers , said the job cuts were `` deeply worrying news for staff at John Lewis and Boots '' and described Mr Sunak 's statement as `` a missed opportunity to protect jobs with properly targeted support for the businesses and people that need it '' .
Are you a Boots or a John Lewis employee whose job is at risk ?
Email us at haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
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"We very much hope that when people go to their local pub or their restaurant to eat out, those are often in the centre of towns, hopefully that will encourage the footfall to those areas so we get more people going to our shops as well," Mr Dowden said, speaking after announcing the reopening of gyms, indoor pools and outdoor theatres.


bbcuk--2020-07-09--Coronavirus: Dementia patients 'deteriorating' without family visits

Relatives of care home residents with dementia should be treated as key workers , leading charities say .
In a letter to the health secretary , they write that the care given by family members is `` essential '' to residents ' mental and physical health .
They argue the current limits on visitors have had `` damaging consequences '' .
They want visits to resume safely , with relatives given the same access to care homes and coronavirus testing as staff .
Signed by the bosses of leading charities including Dementia UK and the Alzheimer 's Society , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgently '' address what it calls the `` hidden catastrophe '' happening in care homes .
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care ( DHSC ) has told the BBC it will be setting out further details `` shortly '' on how it can `` carefully and safely '' allow visiting in care homes .
In April , the DHSC said in a document that all `` family and friends should be advised not to visit care homes , except next of kin in exceptional situations such as end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care home deaths than last year The charities say that this `` enforced separation '' has caused a `` deterioration '' in residents ' mental and physical health , particularly for those living with dementia - who make up more than 70 % of the population of care homes .
They argue that family carers remain `` essential members of the residents ' care and support network '' , in providing practical services as well as being their `` advocates , voice and memory '' , and `` keeping them connected to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health Secretary Matt Hancock to publish detailed guidance on care home visits , and grant certain relatives and friends the same `` key worker '' status as members of staff - which would allow them the same access to care homes and coronavirus testing .
During the pandemic , there have been 5,404 excess deaths - an increase of 52.2 % compared with the five-year average - of people with dementia and Alzheimer 's disease in England and Wales , according to the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) . '
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother has severe dementia and lives in a care home .
For months she could n't visit , but when she did , two weeks ago , Rosie was shocked .
Her mother was `` quite slumped over in her wheelchair '' .
It took her a long time to respond .
Worse still , in the last fortnight her mother has stopped eating , refusing to open her mouth when care home workers try to feed her .
Rosie is now worried that she might refuse liquids too , and die .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is promising guidance to allow visits - but also concerned that it may limit how these can happen .
Before coronavirus hit , Rosie 's mother had visits every day from family or friends .
They would sit with her for at least an hour , talking to her .
Rosie would sing Motown songs which her mother loves .
`` Her face would light up , she 'd try to sing along '' she said .
Sometimes she brought food , or would take her out of the home .
She liked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her mother is so much worse , Rosie would like to be treated in the same way as a paid care worker , to be allowed into the home and sit with her mother .
She would be tested for Covid-19 , and wear personal protective equipment ( PPE ) .
This is something leading dementia charities are saying must made possible under new guidance .
`` I 'm her voice , her advocate '' Rosie says .
`` I should be with her .
I 've only got one mother .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without me there '' .
In the letter , the charities say the `` inconsistency '' of the visiting guidance across the UK nations is causing `` additional confusion and stress '' for providers and family members .
In Scotland , care homes that are virus-free for 28 days were able to accept visitors from 3 July .
In Northern Ireland , as of Monday , care homes that are free from the virus can allow one person to visit at a time , with a second person accommodated `` where possible '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to care homes and their residents since 1 June , provided they take place outside and 2m social distancing rules and hygiene procedures are followed .
• Visits to care homes in Scotland to resume in July Care England , which represents most of the independent providers , says new guidance in England is essential - and it is `` not right to keep people with care and support needs locked down indefinitely '' .
Nicci Gerrard is the co-founder of John 's Campaign and has also signed the group letter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ father , Dr John Gerrard - who had Alzheimer 's disease - died in November 2014 , following a stay in hospital without people he knew to closely care for him .
She describes the effect of the lockdown as a `` slow-motion catastrophe '' that has n't been fully recognised yet .
Ms Gerrard says : `` We have received hundreds of messages from family carers who used to go in regularly and who are desperate about what is happening . ''
She says for many residents , family members are `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 're their voice , and their memory '' .
'One Dementia Voice ' , the UK 's leading dementia organisations led by John 's Campaign and the Alzheimer 's Society said it welcomed Mr Hancock 's response to the group 's letter , but added it needed to see the `` detail '' , including whether designated family carers would be given key worker status .
A spokeswoman said it was vital family carers get the same `` safe , regular and repeated testing that key workers do , so they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and give the care for their loved ones with dementia that no one else can '' .
Despite the lack of guidance , many homes in England have been allowing visits from relatives , but usually only once a week per person and for very limited amounts of time .
They check visitors ' temperatures , question them and insist that meetings take place outside , with at least a 2m distance between residents and visitors .

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bbcuk--2020-07-09--Tax boss questions value of Rishi Sunak's job bonus and meal discount plans

Two schemes unveiled by Chancellor Rishi Sunak to stem coronavirus job losses may not be value for money for taxpayers , a top official has warned .
HM Revenue and Customs boss Jim Harra wrote to Mr Sunak to express concerns about paying firms a £1,000 bonus to retain furloughed staff .
He also questioned the value for money of a discount scheme offering 50 % off restaurant meals .
The chancellor rejected his concerns , saying action was needed to save jobs .
The exchanges are revealed in letters between the pair during a standard procedure for assessing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gives diners 50 % off on eating out • Sunak 'sorry ' for not being able to save every job They show Mr Sunak issued so-called `` ministerial directions '' to instruct officials to go ahead with both programmes .
A Treasury official said a decision to press ahead with a policy in such a manner was a `` normal part '' of government business .
A number of other emergency coronavirus measures have been approved in the same way where officials have been unable to sign off on cost-effectiveness .
Under plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered a one-off £1,000 `` job retention bonus '' for every furloughed employee kept to the end of January 2021 .
The UK-wide scheme , which will apply to workers earning over £520 per month , has been estimated to cost up to £9.4bn .
Treasury sources have told the BBC that they have not modelled the likely take-up of the job retention bonus scheme , but hope that it will protect as many as nine million jobs .
A Labour spokesperson said : `` We 're not even 48 hours out from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unravelling fast .
Yesterday we said the job retention bonus was a poorly targeted scheme that was made up on the hoof .
Reports that the Treasury has n't even modelled how many jobs the scheme will protect suggest we were right .
`` We now urgently need more information from the head of HMRC on his decision to require a ministerial direction before implementing the job retention bonus . ''
The government 's furlough scheme - currently paying the 80 % of the wages of 9.4m employees - will be pared back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The chancellor says ministers are `` throwing everything '' at stemming job losses after UK companies announced thousands of cuts in recent weeks .
But he has admitted some firms will claim the bonus who would be keeping staff on in any case , saying there would be a `` dead weight '' cost to the policy .
He told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme : `` In an ideal world ... you would minimise that dead weight and do everything in incredibly targeted fashion .
`` The problem is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy , the scale of what was happening , and indeed the speed that it was happening at demanded a different response . ''
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the bonus scheme `` should be targeted in the areas which most need it , not across the piece '' .
Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Bridget Phillipson has written to Mr Harra asking him to publish HMRC 's modelling of the job bonus scheme .
`` Given the huge amount of public money involved , we need to know if public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for money , '' the Labour MP said .
Mr Harra also questioned the plan to offer diners a 50 % discount for every meal , up to £10 a head , from Monday to Wednesday throughout August , and which is set cost £0.5bn .
In his letters , sent before Wednesday 's announcements , Mr Harra said there was `` sound policy rationale '' behind the aims of both programmes , but it had been hard to estimate their effectiveness .
Of the jobs programme , he wrote : `` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for this scheme , which depends on the overall cost of the scheme and the number of extra jobs it would protect , both of which are currently highly uncertain . ''
He added that he had been unable to conclude the policy `` represents value for money '' to the standards expected in the public spending guidebook .
The chancellor has n't done anything wrong here .
Ministerial direction is designed to allow political choices to be made - even if officials do n't agree with them .
But these letters from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key policies in the summer statement .
Quite simply , the government does n't know how effective they will be , how many jobs they will save , or whether they will provide value for money when we look back on these decisions in a year or so .
Clearly this unprecedented crisis requires some 'out of the box ' thinking .
But the chancellor will be judged on the success of his novel policies .
Mr Harra expressed reservations about the plans for meal discounts , saying : `` There is insufficient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ external opinions that might enable me to reach a conclusion .
`` By nature , this is a novel scheme meaning there are also particular value for money risks surrounding the level of potential losses that could arise . ''
• Taxes will rise to pay for virus , says think tank Replying to the letters from Mr Harra , Rishi Sunak said there were `` broader issues '' to consider outside the normal guidance on public spending , and there were `` compelling reasons '' for the action he has taken .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ play a `` vital role '' in allowing employers to bring back furloughed staff whose jobs would otherwise be at `` acute risk '' .
Defending the meal discount scheme , he said it would make people more likely to visit restaurants and help support up to 1.8m hospitality jobs .

A Labour spokesperson said: "We're not even 48 hours out from the Summer Statement and it's already unravelling fast. Yesterday we said the job retention bonus was a poorly targeted scheme that was made up on the hoof. Reports that the Treasury hasn't even modelled how many jobs the scheme will protect suggest we were right.