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Covid-19 Update
30 December 2020
Lead MP
Matthew Hancock
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
NHSSocial CareEmploymentForeign Affairs
Other Contributors: 43
At a Glance
Matthew Hancock raised concerns about covid-19 update in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
Today, the UK marks a significant milestone in its fight against the pandemic with the approval of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. This is the single largest stride made since the beginning of the crisis and represents a triumph for British science and collaboration. With funding and access to NHS clinical trials provided from the outset, scientists have developed a safe and effective vaccine that can be stored at normal fridge temperatures, making it accessible worldwide. The UK has ordered 100 million doses, enough to vaccinate every adult in the country twice. Deployment begins on Monday with 530,000 doses available immediately, followed by millions more from AstraZeneca in February. Given the new variant of the virus and rising hospitalisations, tier restrictions are being tightened across England. Three-quarters of the population will be under tier 4 measures to suppress the virus until vaccination can provide a route out of this crisis.
Jon Ashworth
Lab
Hilson
Question
The shadow raises concerns about the impact of long-term restrictions on families and businesses, especially in areas like Leicester and Liverpool. He questions if mass lateral flow testing alone is sufficient to contain the virus.
Minister reply
While recognising the challenges, the minister explains that tier 4 measures are necessary due to sharply rising cases and hospitalisations caused by the new variant.
Jon Ashworth
Lab
Hilson
Question
The shadow asks about NHS staff absence levels, the use of Nightingale hospitals, and how retired NHS staff will be brought back to help.
Minister reply
Acknowledging staff exhaustion, the minister responds by affirming that only a limited number of retired NHS staff have been called back due to staffing constraints across the NHS.
Jon Ashworth
Lab
Hilson
Question
The shadow inquires about vaccine deployment, specifically asking for immediate mass vaccination and setting targets for vaccinating frontline healthcare workers.
Minister reply
The minister confirms that 530,000 doses are available immediately from Monday, with millions more arriving in February. He emphasises the prioritisation of vulnerable groups according to JCVI guidelines.
Jon Ashworth
Lab
Hilson
Question
The shadow questions the necessity for even stricter restrictions than tier 4 and asks about SAGE's advice in real-time.
Minister reply
Acknowledging the difficulty of bringing infections under control with the new variant, the minister confirms that more stringent measures may be necessary if current steps prove insufficient.
Jon Ashworth
Lab
Delyn
Question
Expressed concern about prolonged lockdowns in Leicester and Greater Manchester, the adequacy of mass testing measures in Liverpool, current hospital capacity issues, oxygen supply concerns, staff exhaustion, use of retired NHS staff, and immediate vaccination deployment timelines for frontline workers and care home residents.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the pressures on the NHS, including mutual aid efforts across regions. Confirmed acceleration of vaccine roll-out to include more vulnerable groups sooner due to recent regulatory decisions. Emphasised the importance of personal responsibility in combating virus spread.
Jeremy Hunt
Con
Godalming and Ash
Question
Asked why schools and universities are reopening amidst high NHS pressure, a dangerous new strain, and vaccine roll-out challenges.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the Education Secretary's statement on balancing education needs with virus spread control. Highlighted faster vaccine deployment due to extended dosing intervals.
Central Ayrshire
Question
Welcomed AstraZeneca vaccine approval but questioned the necessity of tightened tier 4 restrictions across England given new variant levels.
Minister reply
Announced significant parts of England moving into tier 4 and supported efforts to manage freedoms while preventing virus spread. Emphasised cooperation with devolved nations for equitable vaccine deployment.
Siobhan Baillie
Con
Stroud
Question
Many businesses in Gloucestershire are gutted to be placed in tier 4. This makes the roll-out of the vaccine even more important. However, there is a worrying increase in anti-vax information in Stroud that is causing a lot of distress and upset for local people. Will the Secretary of State assist me to reassure Stroud about the vaccines and encourage people not to share covid information from unofficial sources?
Minister reply
Yes, I strongly agree with my hon. Friend. We have been very careful to ensure that the independent regulator makes decisions on deploying vaccines. The NHS in Gloucestershire is under significant pressure due to rising rates of coronavirus.
Munira Wilson
Lib Dem
Twickenham
Question
I welcome news about the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine but was shocked that the Secretary of State’s statement made barely any reference to hospital pressures. Major incidents have been declared in Essex and London, with only 28 covid patients in Nightingale hospitals across England. What is the back-up plan?
Minister reply
I will look favourably on requests for military assistance should they be needed. The Nightingales are there as a backup should we need them.
Bernard Jenkin
Con
Harwich and North Essex
Question
Essex has declared a major incident and is submitting a MACA request for assistance with hospital capacity, vaccine roll-out, and testing in schools. Will the Secretary of State look into the German BioNTech test as an alternative to lateral flow tests?
Minister reply
I will absolutely look into the BioNTech test. The Nightingale hospitals are on standby as a backup should we need them.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
Can the Secretary of State confirm discussions with devolved UK Administrations about vaccine roll-out, timescales, and approaches to education and business production? When will the new vaccine start being administered in Rushcliffe?
Minister reply
Discussions have taken place. The Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine will be rolled out starting on Monday 4 January across Northern Ireland as well.
Ruth Edwards
Con
Rushcliffe
Question
The new vaccine approval is good news, but we are in tier 4. Could my right hon. Friend tell me when the new vaccine will start to be administered and if the easier handling requirements will speed up roll-out?
Minister reply
Yes, with the extension of the time interval needed between doses from three or four weeks to 12 weeks, more people can be inoculated with the first dose. This means we can save more lives.
Tulip Siddiq
Lab
Hampstead and Highgate
Question
Yesterday, the Government announced that 1,500 armed forces personnel are being deployed to help secondary schools with mass testing. Could I ask what specific tasks those armed forces will be carrying out?
Minister reply
Support for school testing includes armed forces assistance from those who have experience in rolling out mass testing.
Mark Harper
Con
Faversham and Mid Kent
Question
The Secretary of State’s announcement effectively locks down most of England. Can the Government match AstraZeneca's production schedule so that we can get everyone over 65 vaccinated by the third week of February?
Minister reply
I am delighted to be able to agree with every single word my right hon Friend says. We need to roll out the vaccine as fast as possible.
Kevan Jones
Lab
North Durham
Question
It is very welcome news that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved, but many elderly North Durham constituents are still waiting for the vaccine. Can I ask when my elderly residents in North Durham will receive the vaccine?
Minister reply
I will arrange a meeting between the vaccine roll-out Minister and the right hon. Gentleman to look into that case in particular. Around seven in 10 of the vaccines deployed so far have gone to those over 80.
Mark Menzies
Con
Fylde
Question
Can the Secretary of State assure me that work is being done to ensure that we can get the vaccine into small care homes very quickly in the coming weeks?
Minister reply
Yes, absolutely. It is easier with the AstraZeneca vaccine, and today the NHS has written to GPs who are running the vaccines programme to stress the importance of getting the vaccine to care home residents and staff as soon as possible.
Lilian Greenwood
Lab
Nottingham South
Question
We cannot allow a choice between saving lives and saving livelihoods, so will the Government act to close the gaps in support that have left two in five people who rely on self-employed income excluded from the current support schemes?
Minister reply
The hon. Lady’s question is one for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has done more than almost any Finance Minister in the world to support people with some of the most generous schemes that have ever been put together.
Steve Brine
Con
Hampshire
Question
The vaccine roll-out programme in Hampshire is impressive. What he will not know is that, by the close of play today, just over 40,000 people in the county will have had their first dose. The only thing holding us back, I am told, is supplies. Does today’s decision mean that the county’s endeavour can match its ambition? How many doses exactly will be in the country by the turn of the year?
Minister reply
We have 530,000 doses of the AstraZeneca jab ready to go from Monday and over 3 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine that are ready. Once we move to the 12-week window for dosage, which has been recommended today by the regulator and by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, we will be able to roll those out through January.
Vicky Foxcroft
Lab
Lewisham North
Question
Can he provide some certainty and a timetable that prioritises unpaid carers, given that many of them care for extremely vulnerable people?
Minister reply
The speed of the roll-out will be determined by the speed of manufacture. While we have 530,000 doses ready to go from Monday, we also need to make sure that we receive more approved doses.
Bob Blackman
Con
Harrow East
Question
Many elderly and vulnerable constituents have had to queue for over an hour after their appointed hour. Will my right hon. Friend confirm what those many people who have already had the first dose of the vaccine should do about the second dose?
Minister reply
Those with appointments before 4 January should attend their appointment, and those with appointments from 4 January onwards will have them rescheduled.
David Amess
Con
Southend East
Question
Will my right hon. Friend see what further help they can give us, particularly with delivering the new vaccine?
Minister reply
Yes, of course. The case rate is very high in Southend and I say to everybody in Southend that the single thing that they can do is to limit all social contact unless it is absolutely necessary.
Martyn Day
SNP
Linlithgow and East Falkirk
Question
Is it the UK Government’s plan to loosen restrictions only when the most vulnerable have been vaccinated or when a vaccine has been given to a significant proportion of the population as a whole?
Minister reply
We have not set that out yet, because while our general approach is to vaccinate as many as possible of those who are vulnerable and then be able to lift restrictions, the exact timing depends on the roll-out of the vaccine and its impact on bringing down the rate of transmission.
Craig Mackinlay
Con
Hertsmere
Question
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the speed of roll-out should be governed only by the rate of vaccine production? Will he assure me that his Department will cut through all and any pettifogging rules and bureaucracy to ensure that newly retired nurses and doctors, or those on career breaks, can be approved as vaccinators?
Minister reply
Yes, that is our goal. We changed the law to enable more people to inject vaccines and we have a big training programme on now.
Rupa Huq
Lab
Ealing Central and Acton
Question
By not needing extreme refrigeration, the new Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is a real breakthrough. Will the Health Secretary tell us how it will be administered to over-80s in care homes or at home who are too immobile to travel and who perhaps have carers, including dementia patients, under the hub-and-spoke model? Locally, ambulances are needed, ICU is full, Ealing Hospital is on a black alert and the way that doctors are being told to use oxygen sparingly is raising suspicions that it is running out. Hub-and-spoke is good on paper, but it may be time that the Secretary of State revisits it, because it keeps throwing up loads of anomalies.
Minister reply
The ability of the Oxford vaccine to be easily transported makes a huge difference, because it means we can take it to care homes—we can take the vaccine to the people—rather than the other way round for those who are immobile. Of course, for people who find it easy to travel, it is much more efficient to do it the other way round, so we will have a combination of community roll-out where we take the vaccine to the people and vaccination hubs where people come to get vaccinated. It is all based, as per my previous answer, on optimising the speed of delivery of the vaccine. That is what will both save lives and get us out of the restrictions as fast as possible.
Robbie Moore
Con
Keighley and Ilkley
Question
We all want to ensure that classrooms remain open so that our children’s education continues with as little disruption as possible. We have seen the impact that armed forces personnel have had in Liverpool and Dover in helping to carry out mass testing. Will my right hon. Friend confirm whether plans will be put in place to utilise our armed forces to assist with regular testing in schools, colleges and universities?
Minister reply
The Education Secretary is about to make a statement to set out more details, but the armed forces have been brilliant in all sorts of parts of the response to the pandemic, one of which is supporting schools to get mass testing under way in an appropriate way, using the experience they have gained by helping us so much over this crisis.
Diana R. Johnson
Lab
Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham
Question
As we have heard, by mid-October more than 600 health and social care staff had already died from covid. Professor Andrew Goddard, the president of the Royal College of Physicians, said today: “Frontline NHS and care staff must be vaccinated in the next couple of weeks as a priority, as the current pressures on the NHS will be impossible to withstand without a fit and protected workforce”. With today’s further good news on vaccines, will the Secretary of State give our NHS workforce the undertaking that they will be vaccinated in the next couple of weeks?
Minister reply
We will vaccinate NHS and social care staff as soon as we can. They are, course, in the priority list. They are in priority group 2, except for social care home staff, who are in priority group 1. The groups are all set out according to clinical need. That is the basis on which we will vaccinate. We will also vaccinate at pace, which often means that spare vaccines that are left at the end of the day in a hospital or primary care setting are used to vaccinate staff who are to hand, where that can be done. In short, the answer is that we are trying to do this as quickly as we possibly can.
Question
I congratulate my right hon. Friend and his team on the work they have done to put us in such a relatively strong position to vaccinate in the coming months, and I pay tribute to the team here at the Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust for the work that they are doing at the moment. This area has been in tier 4 for 10 days, and there is a continuing acceleration in the number of infections reported locally. By definition, those are not happening in the business premises that were closed as a result of moving to tiers 3 and 4. What information does the Secretary of State have about where these infections are being transmitted under tier 4?
Minister reply
The majority of infections happen within the household, from one person in a household to another. That is, perhaps, inevitable, because we are physically closest to those with whom we live. Over the last 10 days, it has not yet been possible to do a full analysis of where we think the transmission is happening within tier 4. The reason for that is simply that the data are not available, and the data are particularly difficult to interpret over the Christmas period.
Question
I, too, welcome the vaccine news. I know the Secretary of State is a keen advocate of the use of lateral flow tests in care homes. In one group consisting of three homes in my constituency, it is taking a thousand staff hours a month to deliver just under 4,000 tests. That is not manageable without neglecting other vital duties. What can the Secretary of State offer by way of help?
Minister reply
We have put in more support to help care homes with the challenges that covid throws up, in relation to both testing and other things such as PPE that are so necessary. I am very happy to arrange a meeting between the hon. Gentleman and the Minister for Care, my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham and Mid Kent (Helen Whately), to see what more can be done, and in particular whether the burden that he describes—the time taken to do these vital tests—can be minimised in some way.
Question
I welcome the work that the Secretary of State is doing, and particularly his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for South Thanet (Craig Mackinlay) about the importance of getting enough vaccinators. Even within London boroughs, I am conscious of a difference in the speed of roll-out, even to very vulnerable people. In my constituency, I have a number of recently retired medical people—doctors, clinicians and nurses—who would willingly volunteer if they were asked. In addition, will the Secretary of State make, or has he made, approaches to private healthcare providers? As I understand it, many of them have capacity and, I am told, they would be willing in some cases to make their staff available on a pro bono basis to help the NHS to roll out this vaccine.
Minister reply
Yes, I am pretty sure that that has been done. If it has not, I will absolutely check and get back to my hon. Friend. If anybody who is clinically qualified comes forward, we are very enthusiastic to hear from them.
Emma Lewell
Lab
South Shields
Question
My constituents will be gutted today. We are making sacrifices and our beautiful town’s economy is tanking. More so, the tiering system is not working. Areas that previously moved into tier 4 still have rising infection rates, so what evidence is the Secretary of State using that shows that moving South Shields from tier 3 into tier 4 will reduce the spread of the virus?
Minister reply
It is not easy moving from tier 3 to tier 4. I understand that, but the rates in South Shields are going up sharply. With the support of the council and, indeed, all the councils across the north-east, we have taken this action. The evidence base is that for those areas that have been in tier 4 the longest, we are starting to see a reduction in the rate of increase and in some places a fall, particularly in some parts of Kent.
Question
Yesterday, I went to visit the vaccination hub at Peterborough City Hospital. After everything we have been through, and after seeing hope behind the smiles of those waiting for the jab, I must confess to feeling almost emotional during my visit. I place on record my thanks to everyone working at the hub and within the wider Peterborough NHS. With the superb news today of the approval of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, is now the time to prioritise the vaccination of NHS staff to prevent staff shortages and ease NHS winter pressures?
Minister reply
Yes. My hon. Friend speaks so powerfully for Peterborough. I am glad that the vaccination centre is working well in Peterborough. This new vaccine does mean that we can accelerate the roll-out of the vaccine to NHS staff, and that is good news in Peterborough and across the country.
Angela Eagle
Lab
Wallasey
Question
The Secretary of State has today announced 23 more areas that will move into tier 4. Three quarters of the country is now in tier 4. How long before he looks at this again and can make other announcements? What further escalation will he be considering if even tier 4 does not bring down these soaring infection rates?
Minister reply
For areas in tier 4 where we still need to get the infection rate down, the most important thing we can all do is take responsibility to restrict the spread of infection, because this new variant spreads so easily from person to person. Everybody has to behave.
Cheryl Gillan
Con
Buckinghamshire
Question
Enquires about extra resources for healthcare workers under pressure and those suffering from long covid.
Minister reply
Acknowledges the seriousness of long COVID, mentions support provided to the NHS and research on understanding long COVID better.
Feryal Clark
Lab
Enfield North
Question
Asks about the public health strategy in light of rising cases and hospital pressures.
Minister reply
Reiterates the importance of following public health guidelines due to the new variant, mentions upcoming measures such as testing for schools and vaccine roll-out prioritization.
Adam Afriyie
Con
Wantage
Question
Questions about lifting restrictions based on vaccination priority list progress.
Minister reply
Stresses the goal of vaccination programme is to lift restrictions and restore liberties, mentions acceleration in roll-out but timing dependent on manufacture.
Clive Efford
Lab
Eltham
Question
Inquires about information from SAGE regarding schools' role in infection spread and mass vaccination for schools.
Minister reply
Reiterates vaccinating according to clinical need, as it is the best way to protect lives and lift restrictions.
Daisy Cooper
Lib Dem
St Albans
Question
Asks about including unpaid carers in priority categories for vaccination.
Minister reply
States vaccinating according to clinical need, mentions a good case for prioritising teachers and unpaid carers after clinical needs.
Aaron Bell
Con
City of Chester
Question
Inquires about criteria for moving out of tier 4 once vaccination is rolled out.
Minister reply
Confirms looking at the impact on NHS and case numbers, mentions fewer hospitalizations as vaccine rollout progresses.
Jeremy Corbyn
Ind
Islington North
Question
Asks about support for vulnerable people with disabilities and mental health issues.
Minister reply
Acknowledges the clinical prioritisation includes those under 50 who are clinically vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19.
Desmond Swayne
Con
New Forest West
Question
Questions about lifting restrictions based on reduction in hospital admissions.
Minister reply
Explains that protecting the NHS and stopping deaths from disease is paramount, mentions vaccine as a route out of crisis.
Meg Hillier
Lab Co-op
Hackney South and Shoreditch
Question
Enquires about deployment of nurses to support the NHS under pressure.
Minister reply
Reaffirms importance of supporting NHS with workforce, mentions increasing number of nurses by over 13,000 in past year.
Suzanne Webb
Lab
Question
There is no doubt that the news of the vaccine and the Brexit deal are a grand finale to what has been a difficult year, albeit one with mixed emotions, as constituencies such as mine go into tier 4. As a fitting way to end this statement, will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking everybody working in the NHS and social care, not just across my constituency but in all constituencies, for the work they have done this year and especially those who worked tirelessly over Christmas to help to keep the most vulnerable safe? Will he also extend an extra special thank you to all those caring for children with disabilities and special needs, such as Lifted Spirits, who are a bunch of mums and dads in my constituency? As I am sure he will agree, this has been a particularly challenging year too for those who are carers.
Minister reply
In what I hope is my last statement of the year, and most likely my last answer of the year, I thank my hon. Friend for her question, and not just for praising those at Lifted Spirits and others who are doing so much to care for others, but for giving me the opportunity and the prompting to thank NHS staff who during 2020 have done more than in almost certainly any other year since its formation, and the social care staff of this country, who have gone out of their way to care for others and those who are most vulnerable, not just to covid but to other health problems. There is no limit to my gratitude to those who are working so hard; they really put their shoulders to the wheel. The attitude of the NHS—that when there is a crisis, we lean in, we come together and we fix it—inspires me, and I know inspires so many other people.
Shadow Comment
Jon Ashworth
Shadow Comment
While acknowledging the necessity of tightening tier restrictions, Jon Ashworth raises concerns about the impact on families and businesses in areas like Leicester and Liverpool. He questions whether mass lateral flow testing alone is sufficient to contain the virus. The shadow criticises the NHS's current state, highlighting staff exhaustion and hospital capacity issues, including oxygen supply shortages. He urges immediate action for mass vaccination, setting targets for vaccinating frontline healthcare workers, care home residents, and those with terminal illnesses. Ashworth also calls for real-time publication of advice from SAGE to determine necessary restrictions.
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