Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak yesterday praised the “inspiring” people and businesses of Scotland during a visit to meet those supported by the UK Government’s £352 billion Plan for Jobs.
Rishi Sunak travelled to Fife, Edinburgh and Glasgow where he visited several businesses that have returned workers from furlough, held a roundtable of Scottish business leaders and saw how Scotland is creating jobs and leading our green recovery.
Around one in three jobs in Scotland have been supported by the UK Government’s support package and more than 90,000 Scottish businesses received more than £4.1 billion in loans since the start of the pandemic.
The Chancellor’s visit came as new figures released yesterday show that the number of people in Scotland on furlough has halved in the last three months, with just 141,500 jobs still furloughed.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:“It’s been inspiring to hear stories of people and businesses in Scotland that are now starting to feel the weight of the pandemic lifting off them as they get back to work – our Plan for Jobs is working and it’s great to see people succeeding after a year of uncertainty.
“It’s been a challenging time but the UK Government has delivered one of the most generous packages of support in the world, protecting one in three Scottish jobs.
“Scotland will be key in ensuring the UK’s economic success – creating jobs, powering our growth and driving a green recovery by hosting COP26 later this year.”
During the visit, the Chancellor toured the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult Turbine in Leven, Fife. The turbine is the leading technology innovation and research centre for offshore renewable energy.
He met SMEs who have used the turbine for development and have benefitted from UK Government funding for green ventures.
The Chancellor highlighted the important contributions Scotland makes to the UK, including towards the UK’s Net Zero transition and climate change leadership on the world stage, ahead of the COP26 Glasgow conference in November.
He also conducted a roundtable with Scottish businesses in the retail banking sector at the new Queen Elizabeth hub in Edinburgh, where he thanked them for their role in responding to the pandemic, keeping call centres and banks open for vulnerable customers, and distributing many of the UK Government business support schemes.
The Chancellor went on to see preparations for the International Festival and the Fringe. The UK Government gave £1m of funding to Edinburgh Festivals this year, to help the festival promote itself digitally to a bigger audience.
He visited a number of small businesses including Liggy’s Cake Company, which was supported through the furlough scheme and is now hiring new staff.
He also visited Dynamic Earth, an award-winning visitor centre in Edinburgh dedicated to educating people about the earth and environmental issues, and met with several staff who have returned from furlough and met a group of children taking part in the centre’s outdoor activities.
NUMBERS ON FURLOUGH FALL TO LOWEST LEVEL SINCE START OF PANDEMIC
Almost three million people have moved off furlough since March, according to latest data
More than half a million people left the scheme in the month of June alone, with fewer than two million people now remaining on furlough
Chancellor welcomes new data while meeting furloughed employees on a visit to Scotland
ALMOST three million people have moved off the furlough scheme since March as the economy began to bounce back and businesses reopened, according to new statistics.
Figures published yesterday which cover up until the end of June, show the fewest number of people on furlough since the scheme launched in March 2020, down from a peak of nearly nine million at the height of the pandemic in May last year.
1.9 million people remained on the scheme by the end of June, more than half a million fewer than the 2.4 million at the end of May.
The Business Insights and Conditions survey (BICS) shows numbers may have fallen even further – with estimates that between 1.1 and 1.6 million people are still on furlough.
It comes as the Chancellor visited Scotland where he has hailed the economic strength of the union and where the Government’s Plan for Jobs has supported businesses and families during the pandemic.
Ahead of meeting Scottish businesses and individuals in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Fife, where he talked to employees who have returned from furlough, Rishi Sunak welcomed the statistics.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “It’s fantastic to see businesses across the UK open, employees returning to work and the numbers of furloughed jobs falling to their lowest levels since the scheme began.
“I’m proud our Plan for Jobs is working and our support will continue in the months ahead.”
The figures also show a striking fall in the number of young people on furlough, who for the first time ever, no longer have the highest take-up of the scheme.
In the last three months, younger people have moved off the scheme twice as fast as all other age brackets, with almost 600,000 under 25s moving off the scheme.
Jobs in sectors including hospitality and retail are now also moving off the scheme the fastest, – with more than a million coming off the scheme in the last three months.
This decline means those in hospitality and retail no longer make up the majority of all those on furlough.
Furlough was extended until the end of September to allow for businesses to adjust beyond the end of the roadmap and to bring people back to work.
Starting on 1st August, the employer contribution to furlough costs will increase to 20% and that contribution level will continue until the scheme ends at the end of September.
The Government’s Plan for Jobs continues and is still in place to provide support, including Kickstart, traineeships and more work coaches to help people find jobs.
The government says this ‘is is the right thing to do’ to reduce long term economic scarring in the labour market and our ongoing Plan for Jobs means that we will continue to support people as the economy recovers.
The Chancellor will visit Scotland today (29 July 2021) to meet people and firms supported by the UK Government’s Plan for Jobs throughout the pandemic.
In advance of the trip, Rishi Sunak hailed the economic strength of the Union and said Scotland’s “innovation and ingenuity” would be key in powering the UK’s future global economy;
He will meet firms in sectors ranging from tech to tourism and see how Scotland is helping drive the UK’s transition to net zero ahead of the COP26 summit in Glasgow later this year.
The Chancellor has hailed the economic strength of the union ahead of a visit to Scotland where he will see first hand how the UK Government’s Plan for Jobs has supported businesses and families during the pandemic.
Rishi Sunak will meet Scottish businesses and individuals in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Fife to discuss how they are recovering from the crisis and find out more about the ways Scottish firms are creating jobs and playing a key role in the UK’s green recovery.
Ahead of the visit, he hailed the economic strength of the union and said Scotland’s “innovation and ingenuity” would be key in powering the UK’s future global economy.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said: “We’ve come through this pandemic as one United Kingdom – with our Plan for Jobs supporting one in three jobs and tens of thousands of businesses across Scotland.
“Thanks to the strength of our Union we’ve deployed the fastest vaccination rollout in Europe and our economy is rebounding faster than expected.
“It’s vital this continues, and Scotland’s innovation and ingenuity will be key in creating jobs, powering our growth and driving a green recovery.”
Since the start of the pandemic the UK government has delivered one of the world’s most generous packages to support, create and protect jobs across the UK.
In Scotland one in three jobs have been supported through the pandemic, over 900,000 people in Scotland were furloughed, more than 90,000 businesses have received loans and £1,535 billion has been paid in self-employment support.
People in Scotland are benefitting from the UK Government’s Plan for Jobs – the Kickstart scheme is already helping thousands of 16-24-year-olds into work, Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) Scotland is providing up to six months of targeted support and 13,500 new Work Coaches have been recruited across Great Britain to give tailored support to people out of work.
On today’s visit, the Chancellor will travel to a number of businesses – both small and large – to meet business owners and furloughed employees who have returned to work after their jobs were protected through the UK-wide scheme.
With just under 100 days until the COP26 summit in Glasgow, he will also see how Scotland is harnessing the power of offshore wind, a sector which supports 2,800 jobs in Scotland and is key in helping the whole of the UK reach our climate goals.
The Chancellor will also meet representatives of Scotland’s financial services sector to thank them for keeping call centres and branches open over the pandemic as well as distributing billions of pounds through UK government loan schemes.
He will discuss his vision for the future of financial services – a sector which accounts for 153,000 jobs in Scotland (financial and professional related services).
He will also see how Scotland’s culture sector is preparing for the summer ahead, as it looks forward to welcoming back locals and tourists who wish to revel in Scotland’s rich cultural heritage.
All young people resident in Scotland under the age of 22 will be eligible for free bus travel from 31 January next year.
The Scottish Government has confirmed the timetable for the roll out of the scheme, delivered in partnership with the Improvement Service, the National Entitlement Card Programme Office and Young Scot.
Legislative changes to allow the scheme to be extended from its original commitment to provide free travel for under-19s will be introduced to the Scottish Parliament this summer.
Approximately 930,000 young people will join the third of Scotland’s population who already benefit from free bus travel through the Older and Disabled Persons Free Bus scheme.
Minister for Transport, Graeme Dey said: “It’s crucial to embed more sustainable travel behaviour from a young age if we are to achieve our world-leading goal of reducing the number of kilometres travelled by car by 20% by 2030 and reaching net zero emissions by 2045.
“We also know that young people have been disproportionately impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, so it’s never been more important that we support them to achieve their fullest potential. Reducing barriers created by transport costs is one really positive action we can take.
“Our National Transport Strategy commits to a fairer, greener transport system which will reduce inequalities and take action to protect our climate. I’m really pleased to be taking decisive action on both of those points by setting out this timetable to provide free bus travel for all under-22s living in Scotland.”
Dr Sarah Gadsden, Chief Executive of The Improvement Service said: “The Improvement Service is committed to providing better life chances for all children and young people. It’s a commitment fully reflected in our strategic priorities. We’re honoured to be a delivery partner for the Young Persons’ Travel Scheme.
“Together with the National Entitlement Card Programme Office, we’re moving at pace to the support the scheme’s roll out, drawing on our experience and expertise from managing the National Entitlement Card Scheme for over 15 years.
“We’re placing our assets at the disposal of the Young Persons’ Travel Scheme, enhancing them to make the application process as easy as possible, both online and when using traditional channels, and to reduce the administrative burdens on Councils.”
Kirsten Urquhart, Interim Chief Executive of Young Scot said: “Young people often tell us about the positive impact free travel would have on their lives. For some, it’ll help them to travel to work or take part in learning. For others, it’ll improve their wellbeing by making it easier to socialise and to meet with their friends and family.
“Free travel that is accessed easily by the Young Scot National Entitlement Card will open doors for young people – helping them to explore opportunities that many would previously not have had the financial means or confidence to take part in.”
Lorna Slater, the Scottish Green MSP for Lothian has welcomed the news that young people will be able to travel for free on the bus from January, thanks to the Scottish Greens!
The measure, secured by the Scottish Greens in budget negotiations, means anyone aged 21 or under will be able to travel across Scotland for free on the bus with a concessionary travel card from 31 January 2022.
The scheme had been delayed by COVID-19 and a shortage of silicone, vital in the manufacture of the concessionary cards.
Green MSP Lorna Slater said: “Free bus travel for young people in Lothian is not only a transformational policy in terms of family budgets, it will open up opportunities for young people, and can help shift people out of cars, aiding efforts to tackle the climate emergency.
“What’s more, as we recover from the pandemic, this policy will be vital in encouraging people back onto public transport safely to ensure we see a green recovery.
“The Scottish Greens believe public transport should be free at the point of use and serve all our communities, and in January we will see a major step forward to this aim.”
The UK Government should make the £20 per week uplift to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit permanent, according to a joint letter issued by cross-party committees from Westminster, the Northern Irish Assembly, the Welsh Senedd and the Scottish Parliament.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak and Work Pensions Secretary, Thérèse Coffey, have confirmed that the uplift will come to an end in October.
However, if the uplift is removed, the 6 million people claiming Universal Credit will lose £1,040 in annual income overnight. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation this could force 500,000 people, including 200,000 children, into poverty.
The letter also raises concerns that the benefit will be removed from families at the same time unemployment is due to peak as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme comes to an end.
The Committees call on the uplift to be extended to legacy benefits, to make sure those in need do not miss out.
The letter was signed by Neil Gray MSP, Convener of Holyrood’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee, Stephen Timms MP, Chair of Westminster’s Work and Pensions Select Committee, Paula Bradley MLA, Chair of Stormont’s Committee for Communities, and Jenny Rathbone MS, Chair of the Senedd’s Equality and Social Justice Committee.
Neil Gray MSP, Convener of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee, said:“The UK Government did the right thing at the start of the pandemic to increase Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit to give better support to people during these incredibly challenging times.
“But removing the uplift in October would have devastating consequences for our most vulnerable in society, who have been hit hardest by this pandemic.
“This risks sending many more people into poverty at a time when we should be doing all we can to support them.
Mr Gray added: “All four of our Committees agree that by spending this money now on social security, we can avoid putting more people into poverty, helping save more money in the longer term on health, education, justice and other social services.”
Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, Chair of the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee, said: “To sweep away such a vital lifeline from people who have felt the very worst effects of the pandemic risks plunging hundreds of thousands of people into poverty at a time when they will have had little or no chance to get back on their feet.
“Six Conservative former welfare secretaries have warned the Chancellor of the grave consequences of his proposed course of action. The strength of feeling on all sides of the political divide, and across the UK, could not be clearer. The Government must change course.
“At the same time, the Government must also increase support for the people who, through no fault of their own, are still claiming older benefits and have received no pandemic-related increases at all – despite their living costs rising during the pandemic.”
Jenny Rathbone MS, Chair, Equality and Social Justice Committee, said:
“Whilst, in Wales, policy relating to Universal Credit and other social security benefits is reserved to Westminster, we are deeply concerned about the impact removing the uplift might have on widening social inequality in Wales; growing indebtedness as a result of the economic impact of Covid; and the ability of low income families to eat as well as pay their rent.”
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: First Minister’s statement – 20 July 2021
Good afternoon everyone. As you can see I am joined today by Dr Nicola Steedman, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and she will answer questions with me shortly.
Firstly, though, an update on the current state of the pandemic, starting with a summary of today’s statistics.
1,604 positive cases were reported yesterday – 9.2% of all of tests carried out. That takes the total number of confirmed cases now to 332,455.
There are 529 people now receiving hospital treatment – which is 7 fewer than yesterday and 47 people are in intensive care, that is 2 more than yesterday.
Sadly, a further 13 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, which means that the total number of deaths registered, under the daily definition, is now 7,813.
As always, my condolences are with everyone who has suffered bereavement.
Now, although case numbers remain high – and I’ll cover the implications of that shortly – they are very much right now on a downward path.
To illustrate that point – in the 7 days up to 2 July, there were an average of 3,305 new cases being reported each day but, in the 7 days to 16 July, that had fallen to an average of 2,112 new cases a day.
So that amounts to a decline in the past two weeks of more than 1/3 – and that is very encouraging. Because of that, we were able to go ahead yesterday with the move to level 0.
But as I said a moment ago, case numbers – though they are definitely falling – do remain higher than we should be comfortable with.
Covid as we know is highly infectious – indeed, Delta is significantly more transmissible than previous variants of the virus.
And although vaccination is weakening the link between Covid cases and serious illness, the virus is still potentially dangerous.
And, of course, long Covid is affecting many, including those in younger age groups.
All of this means that vigilance and care remain really important. Restrictions were eased yesterday as part of a gradual process – but restrictions were not abandoned yesterday.
Important measures and mitigations do remain in place – and we continue to ask people across the country and I do so again today to treat the threat that Covid poses seriously at this stage.
I’ll emphasise that point in more detail towards the end of my remarks, but before then I’ll touch briefly on some other issues.
The first of those is vaccination.
As of this morning, 3,984,433 people had received their first dose of vaccine.
That’s an increase of 2,483 since yesterday. As you can see were are getting to the end of first doses.
In addition to that, 16,340 people had a second dose yesterday and that means the total number of second doses is now 2,995,086.
All adults have now been offered first dose appointments – indeed that has happened earlier than we had initially anticipated.
And as of now, around 90% of all adults in the population have actually taken up the opportunity and had the first jag administered.
Also, more than 2/3 of all adults have had the second dose as well – and that proportion will continue to rise on a daily basis, as the programme of second doses continues.
Remember the clinical advice is that – in order to maximise the protection and the longevity of the protection of the vaccine – we should leave 8 weeks between first and second doses.
I think it’s important to say that the level of uptake achieved so far is quite remarkable by the standard of any previous vaccination programme. And it actually exceeds what we dared hoped for when this programme started back at the turn of the year. That said, we want to see uptake levels increase further, we want to get as close to 100% uptake as it is possible to do.
To put it bluntly, each and every single person who gets jagged helps us take a step back to normality. And of course the converse of that is true, for as long as there remains a proportion of eligible people who have not had the vaccine that leaves us with a vulnerability against the virus.
So we must keep at it.
Although around 90% of all adults have taken up the offer of the first dose, so far amongst 30 – 39 year olds that is only 81% and in the 18 – 29 year old age group it is 70%.
So I want to stress again today and we will keep stressing this that if you are 18 or over, and if you haven’t yet had a first dose, then you can still get it. In fact, we really, really want you to get the first dose of vaccine.
You can access that by registering online, through NHS inform but remember you don’t have to register – you’re also able to simply turn up at one of the drop-in vaccination centres that are now operational across all mainland health board areas.
Covid is – and this is something we should always be thankful for – is less of a threat to younger people than to older people – but that doesn’t mean it poses no threat at all to young people.
Some young people do need hospital care when they get the virus, some young people will even end up in intensive care and of course, as we know, young people can get long Covid which we still don’t fully understand the implications of.
Vaccination will help protect you from those risks– but it will also help you protect other people.
So please – get vaccinated as soon as you possibly can. If you know somebody in a younger age group in your own family that hasn’t had the vaccine yet, please encourage them to do so. There’s lots of information on the NHS Inform website, not just about how to get the vaccine but about the vaccine itself. It is a safe vaccine so please get it or encourage those you know who haven’t done so already to get it.
It’s the single most important thing any of us can do right now to give protection to ourselves but also protect others and of course to help all of us collectively get back to more normality.
Obviously, we want to extend the protection of the vaccine as far as we can.
To that end, the advice yesterday from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on the vaccination of 12 to 17 year olds is important and I want to spend just a couple of minutes talking about that.
At this stage – given that it considers the risk of 12 to 17 year olds falling seriously ill from Covid to be very low – the JCVI is not recommending that we vaccinate all young people in that 12 to 17 year olds age group.
Now, the Scottish Government has always followed the advice of the JCVI – for good reason. You’ll have heard me talk about that before in different contexts including recently that eight week interval between first and second doses.
But I am acutely aware that some other countries are vaccinating younger teenagers and I certainly consider it to be extremely important that this is not ruled out here.
So to that end, the Chief Medical Officer is writing to the JCVI asking that the benefit of vaccinating all 12-17 year olds is kept under close and ongoing review – and that it takes account of all available data from countries already doing this.I think that it is really important if there is a benefit to be got from vaccinating younger teenagers then it’s really important that we make sure younger people don’t lose out on that.
In the meantime though and most immediately, we intend to get on with implementing what the JCVI is recommending – and it is recommending that vaccine should be offered to specific groups of 12 to 17 year olds.
Vaccination is already available to 16 and 17 year olds at higher risk of falling seriously ill and they will continue to be eligible.
But in addition, the JCVI is advising that 12 to 15 year olds should be eligible for vaccination if they have Down’s Syndrome; severe neuro-disabilities; or underlying conditions that mean their immune systems are suppressed.
In addition, it advises vaccination for 12 to 15 year olds with severe learning disabilities; with profound and multiple learning disabilities; or who are on the learning disability register.
Finally, vaccination is recommended for 12 to 17 year olds who are household contacts of people with suppressed immune systems. And in that latter case that is less about the protection of the young person and more about the protection of somebody they may live with.
We will shortly provide details of our operational plans to vaccinate these groups of young people as quickly as possible.
And of course in light of what I said earlier about this advice being kept under review, we will make sure that we are prepared to go further as soon as that is recommended. If indeed that is recommended.
The final point on vaccination I want to stress is that if you are currently 17 years old but if you are due to turn 18 on or before 31 October this year, you are now eligible for vaccination as part of this year’s programme.
You can self-register again through the portal on NHS Inform or go to a drop in centre.
So, I want to just emphasise this point today, if you or indeed if you know somebody in this category, if you are due to turn 18 before the end of October, register for an appointment or go to a drop-in centre, and get your vaccination as soon as possible.
Finally, today, I want to return briefly to the need for all of us to continue to treat this virus seriously and follow all of the rules and advice still in place.
We did take a further very welcome step back to normality yesterday with the next step in what is a careful and gradual easing of restrictions.
Full details of what that means are on the Government’s website.
These rules are more relaxed, considerably more relaxed than the ones we’ve all had to live with in the first part of the year.
But – as I mentioned at the start – case levels are still high and Covid is still dangerous.
So I want to comment more today on the things – in addition of course to that vital imperative of vaccination – that it is important for us still to do so that we are individually and collectively reducing the risk.
Because of vaccination, we are undoubtedly in a much better position than we were last year, or even at the start of this year. But we can’t abandon caution altogether or at least we will be foolish if we do that. We all still have a role to play, in helping to protect ourselves and each other.
Firstly, although the limits have increased slightly as of yesterday, the limit on the number of friends and family who can meet together – 8 people from 4 households indoors and 15 from 15 households outdoors – is still really important because that limits the number of households the virus might spread to as the result of one social occasion.
Face coverings also remain important – and a really good way for all of us to help protect each other – and of course they continue to be a legal requirement in certain settings here in Scotland and indeed that requirement to wear face coverings in some settings is likely to remain in force for some time to come.
Also, please test yourself regularly, particularly if you are planning to visit somebody, or go to an event or perhaps if you’re planning to spend a few days on holiday in a different part of the country.
Free lateral flow tests can be obtained through NHS inform. You can get them sent to you by post but you can also collect them from testing centres and local pharmacies.
Remember If you test positive through one of these devices – or indeed if you have symptoms of the virus – then you should self-isolate, and book a PCR test as quickly as possible.
And, lastly, because it remains really important, please keep following all the basic hygiene measures.
Meet other people outdoors as much as possible and particularly while the weather is as good as it is right now. It’s a really good opportunity to stay outdoors and minimise the risk of transmission that bit more.
As I said a moment ago, stick to the limits on group sizes, and if you are meeting indoors, open windows and keep rooms well ventilated.
And please remember physical distancing, hand-washing, face coverings as I’ve just said – all of these measures are as important now as they have been throughout.
And if all of us do these things, then I hope we will see cases continue to fall in the days and weeks to come and if that happens then that creates the conditions we hope for a further easing of the remaining restrictions over the next few weeks.
My thanks again to everybody for all of your cooperation and all of the sacrifices you continue to make. It doesn’t get any easier but it remains really important so my thanks to everyone.
On England’s so-called ‘Freedom Day’, PM Boris Johnson made a statement at a Downing Street press conference:
Good afternoon, today we’ve reached the fourth step on our roadmap and I know that with cases increasing steadily and with more and more people being asked to self-isolate, there will, of course, be those who would rather that we waited weeks or months longer and kept social distancing and all the restrictions that we have been placing on our lives.
And so I want to remind you all why I believe that taking this step now – however difficult it seems – and the logic remains the same that if we don’t open up now then we face a risk of even tougher conditions in the colder months when the virus has a natural advantage and we lose that firebreak of the school holiday.
And there comes a point when restrictions no longer prevent hospitalisations and deaths, but simply delay the inevitable. And so we have to ask ourselves the question: if not now, when?
And though both hospitalisations and deaths are sadly rising, these numbers are well within the margins of what our scientists predicted at the outset of the roadmap. And so it is right to proceed cautiously in the way that we are.
But it is also right to recognise that this pandemic is far from over. And that is why I’m afraid it is essential to keep up the system of Test, Trace and Isolate. I know how frustrating it is for all those who have been affected – or pinged and I want to explain that people identified as contacts of cases are at least five times more likely to be infected than others.
And even if they have been vaccinated there is a significant risk that they can still pass the disease on. And so as we go forward I’m afraid the continuing sacrifice of a large minority the continuing sacrifice of those who are being asked to isolate remains important to allow the rest of society to get back to something like normality.
And, at this stage, it is simply a consequence of living with Covid and opening up when cases are high in the way that they are.
As you know we will be moving on August the 16th to a system of testing rather than isolation for those who are double vaccinated by which time we hope that the wall of immunity in our country will be even higher.
And, in the meantime, I want to assure you that we will protect crucial services including the staffing of our hospitals and care homes, the supplies of food, water, electricity and medicines, the running of our trains, the protection of our borders and the defence of our realm, by making sure that a very small number of named, fully vaccinated, critical workers to leave isolation solely for this work.
But for the vast majority of us, myself included, I’m afraid we do need to stick with this system for now. And, of course, the only reason we are able to open up in this way at all, is that we have vaccinated such a large proportion of the population – and at such speed.
It is phenomenal that every adult in the country has now been offered a first dose. But unfortunately that does not mean that every person over 18 has yet had a first dose.
So far 96% of over 50s and 83% of 30-50 year olds have taken up the offer in England. But there are still 35 per cent of 18-30 year olds – 3 million people –who are completely unvaccinated.
And though we can see the enthusiasm of millions of young people to get their jabs, we need even more young adults to receive a protection that is of immense benefit to your family and friends – and to yourselves.
And so I would remind everybody that some of life’s most important pleasures and opportunities are likely to be increasingly dependent on vaccination.
There are already countries that require you to be double jabbed as a condition of quarantine free travel and that list seems likely to grow. And we are also concerned – as they are in other countries – by the continuing risk posed by nightclubs.
I don’t want to have to close nightclubs again – as they have elsewhere – but it does means nightclubs need to do the socially responsible thing and make use of the NHS Covid Pass which shows proof of vaccination, a recent negative test or natural immunity – as a means of entry.
As we said last week, we reserve the right to mandate certification at any point, if it is necessary to reduce transmission. And I should serve notice now that by the end of September – when all over 18s will have had the chance to be double jabbed –we are planning to make full vaccination the condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather.
Proof of a negative test will no longer be sufficient. Let me stress – we want people to be able to take back their freedoms as they can today.
We want this country to be able to enjoy the fruits of our massive vaccination campaign. But to do that we must remain cautious and we must continue to get vaccinated.
And that is why we are asking you to come forward and get your jabs now.
In a statement to Parliament, Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi set out self isolation exemptions for those in critical roles, JCVI advice on vaccination for children and upcoming rules for nightclubs
With permission, I would like to make a statement on the pandemic. Today marks an important milestone Mr Speaker in our fight against this virus, as we take Step 4 on our roadmap.
It is a long-awaited moment for the businesses who now can open their doors at long last, the happy couples who can have weddings without curbs on numbers and of course the people who can see more of their loved ones in care homes.
Although we have made huge advances Mr Speaker in our race between the vaccine and the virus, we are not at the finish line yet. Instead, we are entering what I believe to be the next stage. A stage where we continue with caution, while doing what it takes to manage the risk of this virus – which is still with us and still possess a threat. Cases and hospitalisations have risen over the past week, as we predicted Mr Speaker and we know that these numbers will get worse before they get better.
Although there’s never a perfect time to take this step, making the move today gives us the best chance of success. We’re cautiously easing restrictions when we have the natural firebreak of the school holidays and when the warmer weather gives us an advantage. So we will move forward, with caution, drawing on the defences we have built, as we set out in our five-point plan two weeks ago.
One of these five defences is the protective wall provided by our vaccination programme and I would like to start by updating the House on this life-saving work.
Our vaccination programme has given us extra legs in our race against this virus. The protection it has built up in people across the United Kingdom means the ratio between cases and hospitalisations is the lowest it has been during this pandemic.
This reinforces the need to protect as many people as we can, as quickly as we can and we made a four-week delay to Step 4 so we could do exactly that.
8 million more vaccinations in that period. We set the target of giving second doses to two-thirds of UK adults by today – and we hit that target last week, with five days to spare. We also pledged to offer a first dose of a vaccine to all adults — and we’ve met this target too.
And now almost 88 per cent of adults have taken up this offer – and although uptake amongst 18 to 30-year olds is much lower and needs to increase we are looking at this. So our work is not over yet. Just as we strive to reach the remaining adults who have not yet had first or second doses, we are already making our plans for the next stage.
Because we do not know how long immunity lasts and because coronavirus mutates, just like flu, we must stay one step ahead of the virus.
So we are drawing up plans for a potential booster programme — subject to advice, the final advice from the JCVI — so we can protect the most vulnerable ahead of winter.
And we are also looking at extending our vaccination programme so we can protect even more people. We asked the JCVI to consider whether children and young adults should be given the offer of a vaccine – and this advice has been published today.
Before I continue, allow me to apologise to you for mistakenly referencing to this on air this morning, before setting out the details in full before the House.
The JCVI considered not just the health impacts, but also the non-health impacts, like how education is disrupted by outbreaks in schools. I should reassure the House that the number of children and young people who have had severe outcomes from COVID is extremely low with a hospitalisation rate during the second wave of between 100 and 400 for every million.
And when we look at the small numbers that were hospitalised, most of them had severe underlying health conditions.
Today’s advice recommends that we continue to vaccinate 16 to 17-year-olds who are in an at-risk group , as we do now. But it also recommends expanding the offer of the vaccine to some younger children with underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk of COVID-19. This includes children aged 12 to 15 with severe neuro-disabilities, Down’s Syndrome, immunosuppression, and profound or multiple learning disabilities.
The JCVI advice also recommends offering a vaccine to children and young people aged 12 to 17 who live with someone who is immunosuppressed.
This means we can indirectly protect the immunosuppressed, who are at higher risk of serious disease from COVID-19 and may not generate a full immune response to vaccination. Finally, the JCVI advises that we should offer the vaccine to all 17-year-olds who are within three months of their 18th birthday, so we can make sure they are protected as soon as they turn 18.
Together with Health Ministers in all parts of the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State has accepted this advice and has asked the NHS to put it into action as soon as possible.
As we do this, we will be using the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which is the only vaccine in the UK that’s been clinically authorised for people between the ages of 12 and 17. I know that people will have questions about what it means for them and their children. But I can assure them Mr Speaker that nobody needs to come forward at this stage.
The NHS will get in touch with them at the right time, and they will make sure that the jabs are delivered in a setting that meets their complex needs. We also asked the JCVI to consider rolling out vaccines out to all children and young people over the age of 12. And although we are not taking this step today, the JCVI is keeping this matter under review, and they will be looking at more data as it becomes available especially on children with a second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The steps we are taking today mean we will be offering even more vulnerable people the protection that a vaccine brings. And we will all be safer as a result.
We know that vaccines are our most important defence against this virus. This is especially the case in adult social care settings that are home to some of the people most vulnerable people in our communities who are vulnerable to a devastating impact from COVID-19.
So last week, this House passed regulations to make vaccination a condition of deployment in care homes – and the Lords will consider those regulations tomorrow.
These regulations are designed to help maximise vaccine uptake and protect some of our most vulnerable citizens. Yet I recognise the need for more detail on the Government’s analysis of the expected impact of these regulations.
So today we have published an Impact Statement – and we will be publishing a full Impact Assessment as soon as possible.
As we learn to live with COVID-19 we must be pragmatic about how we manage the risks we face. Self-isolation of positive cases and their close contacts remains one of the most effective tools we have for reducing transmission.
However, we recognise there are some very specific circumstances where there would be a serious risk of harm to public welfare if people in critical roles are unable to go to their workplace – like air-traffic controllers or train signallers.
So people in those kinds of roles who have received two vaccinations — plus two weeks beyond a second vaccine — will not need to self-isolate to perform those critical tasks. They will, however, have to continue to self-isolate at all other times.
The people eligible for this will receive personalised letters setting out the steps they must follow. Mr Speaker, this is a sensible and pragmatic step – and one that will be used sparingly and responsibly.
We are being similarly pragmatic at our borders. As my Right Honourable Friend, the Transport Secretary, has confirmed: UK residents arriving from amber countries who have been fully vaccinated will no longer have to quarantine – although they will still need to comply with necessary testing requirements.
This will not apply to France, due to the persistent presence of cases of the Beta variant, which was first identified in South Africa. We are doing everything in our power to restore international travel – and restore it safely. But new variants pose the greatest threat to our path out of this pandemic – and we will not hesitate to act in a similar way with any other country.
We will continue to keep a close eye on the data and be firm and decisive in how we protect the process we have made and the progress we have made. But the enduring message is this: getting vaccinated is the best way to ensure you can travel as freely as possible.
Vaccination also holds the key for doing the things we love doing here at home Mr Speaker. We are supporting the safe re-opening of large, crowded settings — such as nightclubs, as we saw last night, and music venues with the use of the NHS Covid Pass as a condition of entry, to reduce the risks of transmission. I encourage businesses to draw on this support and use the NHS COVID Pass in the weeks ahead.
We will be keeping a close watch on how it is used by venues, and we reserve the right Mr Speaker to mandate it if necessary. By the end of September, everyone aged 18 and over will have the chance to receive full vaccination – and the additional two weeks for that full protection to really take hold.
So at that point we plan to make full vaccination a condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather. Proof of a negative test will no longer be sufficient.
Any decisions will, of course, be subject to parliamentary scrutiny – and we will ensure the appropriate exemptions for those who have genuine medical reasons for why they can’t get vaccinated. And I am clear: we will always look at the evidence available and do all we can to ensure people can continue to do the things they love.
Our vaccination programme has put us on the road to recovery. We should all be proud of how this national effort is helping us take steps towards a more normal life.
But we must keep reinforcing that wall of protection. Getting the jab. Getting the second jab if you’ve had the first. And getting the booster shot if you’re asked to come forward.
And with such a deadly virus – and the continued threat of new variants – our wall of protection must be more than just vaccines alone. We must continue to do all the other sensible things we know can keep the virus at bay. Getting tested. Considering the advice. And continuing to act with caution.
Taken together, Mr Speaker, this will help us all enjoy these new experiences – and safely slow the spread of this deadly virus.
BBC spend in Scotland has fluctuated in recent years and, despite Ofcom praising the BBC’s ability to support Scotland’s creative economy, the BBC missed its spend quota in Scotland last year.
In addition, recent reports have suggested that control of two BBC Scotland studios could be taken over by BBC Studioworks in Elstree, Hertfordshire.
The Scottish Affairs Committee held a previous session with BBC Scotland in 2018.
MPs will use Monday’s session to explore topics including:
The BBC’s commitment to Scotland;
The BBC’s performance in Scotland;
UK Government support for public service broadcasting;
The impact of the rise of streaming services and social media;
How an increasingly digital world could impact the ease at which non-English content – such as BBC Alba and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal – can be found.
Ofcom has found that people in Scotland watch the most broadcast television of any UK nation, with BBC One productions being the top three most-viewed shows in Scotland in 2019.
Witnesses:
Tuesday 20 July, from 10am
Steve Carson, Director, BBC Scotland
Louise Thornton, Head of Multiplatform Commissioning, BBC Scotland
Gary Smith, Head of News and Current Affairs, BBC Scotland
Decision taken to protect public health in Scotland
Fully vaccinated travellers returning to Scotland from France will still be required to self-isolate from tommorow (Monday 19 July).
The decision follows concerns about the persistence of Beta variant cases in France, given this variant – also known as B.1.351 – may evade vaccine protection. It means that anyone who has been in France in the previous 10 days will need to quarantine on arrival to Scotland in their own accommodation and will need a day two and day eight coronavirus (COVID-19) test, regardless of their vaccination status.
From Monday 19 July, travellers from other amber list countries will not be asked to self-isolate if they have been fully vaccinated through the NHS in the UK and 14 days have passed since their second vaccination.
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said: “Nobody wants travel restrictions in place for any longer than is absolutely necessary.
“We have been clear that the green, amber and red lists can change at short notice. It important we act quickly to limit the risk of importation of variants of concern which could undermine the rollout of our vaccine programme.”
UK Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “We have always been clear that we will not hesitate to take rapid action at our borders to stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the gains made by our successful vaccination programme.
“With restrictions lifting on Monday across the country, we will do everything we can to ensure international travel is conducted as safely as possible, and protect our borders from the threat of variants.”
It was announced last night that Mr Javid has tested positive for Covid.
Mr Javid met with the Prime Minister and the Chancellor on Friday, and both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak should be self-isolating.
By good fortune, though, our heroes won’t have to go through this tiresome self-isolation inconvenience – it seems the plucky pair are participants in a ‘pilot programme’ in which daily tests replace that tedious self-isolation. How fortunate is that !!
BUT WAIT …
REVERSE FERRET ALERT!!!
CHANGE OF PLAN: The prime minister and chancellor will now self-isolate as normal after contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who tested positive for coronavirus.
Case numbers continue to rise ahead of the lifting of rules on social contact in England tomorrow, so-called ‘Freedom Day’. Respected epidemiologist Professor Neil Ferguson said this morning that 100,000 cases per day are ‘almost inevitable’.
The Scottish Government has set to support 6,821 school children in Edinburgh with £698,000 of support to buy school clothes through the School Clothing Grant.
The School Clothing Grant was increased this month by the Scottish Government and provides families with primary school children with £120 per child and £150 per child in secondary school.
The support helps families pay for school clothes and shoes.
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon MacDonald said: “The SNP Scottish Government has already helped a significant number of families in Edinburgh with buying school clothes and shoes, and applications are still open for eligible families to apply for the start of the new school year.
“Meeting the costs of buying school clothes can be very challenging for thousands of families across Scotland and the SNP Scottish Government has introduced the School Clothing Grant to ensure every child in Scotland doesn’t miss out.
“Being in a uniform not only breaks stigma in school but gets young people in the right mindset for learning.
“This is another demonstration of our tale of two governments – one in Edinburgh building a social security system built on dignity, fairness and respect, in stark contrast to the one in Westminster preparing to cut Universal Credit which could plunge 20,000 children in Scotland into poverty.”
The number of children and young people estimated will benefit from the minimum school clothing grant, broken down by local authority area, is provided within the following table:
Local Authority
Estimated number of children and young people (in each LA area)
Aberdeen City
3,471
Aberdeenshire
3,376
Angus
2,473
Argyll and Bute
1,463
Clackmannanshire
1,349
Dumfries and Galloway
3,374
Dundee City
6,045
East Ayrshire
4,167
East Dunbartonshire
2,014
East Lothian
1,682
East Renfrewshire
1,714
Edinburgh, City of
6,821
Eilean Siar (Western Isles)
416
Falkirk
4,678
Fife
11,882
Glasgow City
28,464
Highland
4,333
Inverclyde
3,114
Midlothian
2,018
Moray
1,434
North Ayrshire
5,186
North Lanarkshire
10,234
Orkney Islands
227
Perth and Kinross
1,850
Renfrewshire
5,498
Scottish Borders
2,220
Shetland Islands
309
South Ayrshire
2,926
South Lanarkshire
10,622
Stirling
1,692
West Dunbartonshire
3,530
West Lothian
6,498
SCOTLAND
145,080
The funding allocation of the £11.8 million in additional funding for the school clothing grant, broken down by local authority area, is provided within the following table:
Step 4 of the Roadmap to go ahead on Monday 19 July
Prime Minister emphasises caution and personal responsibility
Cases continue to rise but link with hospitalisations and deaths weakened
Step 4 of the Roadmap will proceed as planned on Monday 19 July, the Prime Minister confirmed yesterday.
Moving to Step 4 is a balance of risks and the public should continue to be cautious. The majority of covid restrictions will end on 19 July and guidance will emphasise personal responsibility.
The latest data and modelling show that the government’s “four tests” for easing covid restrictions have been met.
The four tests are:
The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully
Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.
Cases will continue to rise as set out from the start of the Roadmap, but the vaccination programme has substantially weakened the link between infection and serious illness or death.
Hospitalisations and deaths will continue to rise over the coming weeks and months, but both are far lower than the previous wave. The current data does not suggest that unsustainable pressure will be put on the NHS but all data will be kept under constant review.
As of 12 July there are 28,421 new positive cases in England. 461 people were admitted to hospital with covid and there are 2,352 patients in hospital. The latest ONS estimates show that 1 in 160 people have covid in England.
The move to Step 4 was delayed by 4 weeks so more adults could be vaccinated. Nearly 7 million vaccines have already been administered during the delay.
By 19 July two thirds of adults will have received two doses and every adult will have been offered a first dose.
The delay to Step 4 has also moved the end of restrictions closer to the school summer holidays.
All adults should take up the offer of two vaccine doses, to protect themselves and others against covid. Analysis from Public Health England (PHE) and the University of Cambridge suggests that vaccines have so far prevented an estimated 8.5 million infections and 30,000 deaths in England alone.
Data from PHE suggests that one dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is 80% effective against hospitalisations with the Delta variant, increasing to 96% after two doses.
The Prime Minister has today emphasised caution and the expectation for a gradual easing of restrictions, based on informed choice and personal responsibility. Last week he set out a five-point plan to manage the risks while learning to live with covid.
The vaccination programme will continue and all adults will be offered two doses by mid-September. Dependent on final JCVI advice the booster programme will begin from September, offering additional protection to the most vulnerable.
The majority of legal restrictions will be removed and people will be expected to protect themselves and others through informed choice. The government expects and recommends that face coverings are worn in crowded and enclosed spaces, such as public transport, when mixing with people you don’t normally meet.
While the government is no longer instructing people to work from home, a return to the workplace should be gradual and businesses should follow the published guidance.
Organisations and large events will be supported and encouraged to use the NHS COVID Pass in high-risk settings to help limit the risk of infection in their venues.
Positive cases and contacts of positive cases identified by NHS Test and Trace will still be legally required to self-isolate, to help break chains of transmission. There will be an isolation exemption for contacts of positive cases for under 18s and for double vaccinated adults from 16 August. School bubbles will end from 19 July.
Quarantine rules will remain for all those travelling from a red list country, and for amber list countries unless double vaccinated.
All data will be kept under review, and contingency measures will be retained to manage periods of higher risk, such as winter. Guidance will be strengthened if needed, but restrictions will be avoided if possible due to their significant economic, social and health costs.
The government will review the current guidance in September.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a statement at a coronavirus press conference last night:
Like millions of people across this country I woke up this morning sad and rueful, but also filled with pride and hope and with thanks to Gareth Southgate and the whole England squad for the best campaign by any England team in any tournament that I can remember.
They made history. They lifted our spirits – and they brought joy to this country and I know that they will continue to do so.
And to those who have been directing racist abuse at some of the players, I say shame one you, and I hope you will crawl back under the rock from which you emerged.
Because the entire team played like heroes and I’m sure that this is just the beginning of their achievements. I say bring on Qatar next year, and let’s also dare to start to hope that together with Ireland our United Kingdom can host the World Cup in 2030.
Turning now to step four of our roadmap, we’ve come to a stage in the pandemic when there is no easy answer or obvious date for unlocking. We have cases rising significantly – with more than 30,000 per day. And we can see what is happening across Europe as the Delta variant takes hold among our friends.
We know we’re going to see more hospitalisations and more deaths from Covid. But we also know that this wave was clearly foreseen by our scientists when we first set out that roadmap in February.
And if anything, so far, we are in the middle range of their projections for infections and at the lower end of their projections for mortality.
And we also know that if we were now to delay this 4th step – for instance to September or later – then we would be re-opening as the weather gets colder and as the virus acquires a greater natural advantage and when schools are back.
And so we think now is the right moment to proceed, when we have the natural firebreak of the school holidays in the next few days. And Chris and Patrick will set out, in just a minute, how we are meeting the four tests for step 4 in England.
But it is absolutely vital that we proceed now with caution. And I cannot say this powerfully or emphatically enough. This pandemic is not over. This disease coronavirus continues to carry risks for you and for your family.
We cannot simply revert instantly from Monday 19th July to life as it was before Covid.
We will stick to our plan to lift legal restrictions and to lift social distancing, but we expect and recommend that people wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you come into contact with those you don’t normally meet, such as on public transport.
We’re removing the Government instruction to work from home where you can but we don’t expect that the whole country will return to their as one desks from Monday. And we’re setting out guidance for business for a gradual return to work over the summer.
And as a matter of social responsibility we’re urging nightclubs and other venues with large crowds to make use of the NHS Covid Pass – which shows proof of vaccination, a recent negative test or natural immunity – as a means of entry.
We’re updating our guidance for the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable on how they can keep themselves safe and I generally urge everyone to keep thinking of others and to consider the risks.
We’ll keep our tough border policy, including quarantine for those arriving from red list countries.
And we’ll keep the test, trace and isolate system in place.
Every week that goes by we are getting hundreds of thousands more jabs into arms and our delay to the road map that we announced last month has enabled us to get 7 million more jabs in the last 4 weeks alone.
By next Monday, two-thirds of adults will have received a second dose and every adult will have been offered a first dose.
And it is the single most crucial thing now that you get that jab. A jab that could protect you and your family – and allow you, for instance, to go on holiday.
And it is of course only thanks to the vaccine programme that we are able to take these cautious steps now. But to take these steps we must be cautious and we must be vaccinated.
So please get that jab.
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon will announce this afternoon whether Scotland’s Covid-19 restrictions will be eased as planned in the weeks ahead.
