Image source, Getty Images

The vaccines minister Nadim Zahawi has been speaking to Mishal Husain on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme about children going back to school in England.

Husain asks: "Is it back to school for all pupils on March 8?"

He says: "Yes. We will give teachers at least two weeks notice to be able to prepare... we've had three million tests in schools since January and 50m lateral flow tests have gone to schools and colleges across the country."

Husain replies: "Two weeks today, 10m pupils will be heading back into school. That's a big difference to the staggered return that's already under way in Scotland and Wales and is being planned for Northern Ireland. Do you accept that that decision on schools in England is likely, or at least could well, push R (the rate of the virus' reproduction) above 1 again?"

Zahawi says it's "no coincidence" that the date of 8 March has been chosen because it's three weeks after the last person in the top four most vulnerable groups has had their first vaccine, so protection will have kicked in.

He's asked if he is going release scientific evidence to show the plan is manageable and safe as one of the teaching unions has called it "a reckless course of action".

He says "we have the most comprehensive data dashboard of any nation in the world" which is shared at every coronavirus press conference.

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi is asked about the High Court ruling on Friday which found Matt Hancock acted unlawfully when his department did not reveal details of contracts it had signed during the Covid pandemic within 30 days of them being signed.

The government struck deals worth hundreds of millions of pounds during the coronavirus pandemic and under the law, the government is required to publish a "contract award notice" within 30 days of the awarding any contracts for public goods or services worth more than £120,000.

The High Court ruled Mr Hancock had not published details within 30 days of contracts being signed, and the public had a right to know where the "vast" amounts spent had gone and how contracts were awarded,

At the weekend, Mr Hancock was asked to apologise but said the contracts were just over a fortnight late on average, because his staff were busy securing national supplies of personal protective equipment.

Mr Zahawi is asked whether he will apologise on behalf of the government. He says it was a "couple of weeks' delay" to the publication of the contracts, and the government publishes contracts "routinely".

"The question that lends itself - do you take that team off their work delivering that critical PPE because they have to fill in some paperwork so that they hit the deadline and are not two weeks or three weeks late, or do you keep them doing their job properly to make sure we've got enough PPE?"

Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has been talking to BBC Breakfast about the government's plan to ease England's lockdown.

He says Labour will study the details properly later, but it was the "right approach to be cautious".

"This has got to be the last lockdown so we do need to proceed with caution," he says.

The timeline for lockdown easing sounds "broadly reasonable", he says.

But he repeats Labour's call for "decent sick pay and isolation support" for people who have been told to self-isolate, as well as an extension to business rates relief and a VAT cut for the hospitality sector.

He says Labour supports the reopening of schools on 8 March for all pupils, but says "it's got to be done safely" with measures including ventilation, testing for pupils and a vaccination plan for teachers and teaching assistants.

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

What's perhaps most interesting about the four tests for the road map is that a rise in infection levels is not, in itself, a barrier to easing restrictions further.

Some members of the scientific community, as well as some teaching unions, believe any increase should not be tolerated.

But, instead, infection rates are only being seen as a problem by the government if they risk a surge in hospitalisations.

That's important. The government's advisers do not consider schools to be a significant driver of infections. But reopening to all pupils could certainly lead to some increase.

The rollout of the vaccination programme, however, weakens the direct link between infections and hospital admissions.

That's not to say a surge in infections can or will be tolerated - the number of Covid patients in hospital is still only just below where it was in the first peak.

What's more, high rates of infection at a time when vaccines are being given provides an ideal breeding ground for mutations.

But it's clear the progress made has created some wriggle room.

Image source, PA Media

Before moving on to each next step of easing lockdown, there are four conditions that must be met.

The government says the four tests are currently being met, so the plan to begin easing measures on 8 March can go ahead.

The four tests are:

• The vaccine programme continues successfully
• Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently reducing the number of people dying with the virus or hospitalised
• Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS
• The assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new variants of concern.

Image source, PA Media

We'll be hearing a lot about England today as Boris Johnson will set out his plan for easing lockdown there.

Throughout the pandemic, each of the devolved nations have had the power to set their own restrictions.

In Scotland, children in early years education and the first three years of primary are returning to school today. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is set to outline a route out of lockdown in the coming days, but has warned people not to book Easter holidays.

In Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford said he hopes the "stay-at-home" requirement could end within three weeks, with some non-essential shops and hairdressers possibly reopening at the same time. Children aged three to seven are starting a phased return to Welsh schools on Monday, along with some college students.

Northern Ireland's health minister has played down the prospect of restrictions being eased in time for Easter. A review of current measures will take place on 18 March.

Pre-school, nursery and pupils in primaries one to three will return to classrooms in Northern Ireland on 8 March. After two weeks, they will resume remote learning so older pupils in years 12 to 14 can go back to school.

The government's vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has been confirming some of the details being reported this morning about the lockdown easing plan.

He said the "important dates" we know this morning are:

• On 8 March, all schools will reopen to all pupils and two people will be able to meet in a public space outdoors to socialise
• On 29 March, outdoor sports can restart and two households, or groups of six, can meet outdoors.

He's asked some more questions about those dates.

From 29 March, if two families amount to more than six people, for example 10 people, will they be able to meet? Correct, it's two families, says Mr Zahawi.

Can people meet in gardens from 29 March? It is outdoor space, Mr Zahawi says, - although it is understood that the government's plan will include private gardens.

Most of Monday's papers look ahead to the announcement later by the PM.

According to the Guardian, social contact with loved ones , externalwill take precedence over the reopening of shops and hospitality - with school sports and family picnics offered as a trade-off for longer closures of shops and restaurants.

The Daily Telegraph reports that the lifting of lockdown will be gradual, spread over at least four months, external, with social distancing rules and guidance to work from home remaining in the near term.

For the Daily Mail, it is a "slow march to freedom", external. But, the paper adds, in a blow to many families, they will not be allowed to take holidays over the Easter weekend.

Read the full round-up of the papers here.

The UK government's Cabinet is meeting later this morning to discuss the finalised plan.

Boris Johnson is expected to make a statement to MPs in the House of Commons at around 15:30 GMT, where he will set out the details.

Then at 19:00 GMT, there’s a press conference with the PM.

Image source, Getty Images

The plan for England's lockdown easing will be set out by the PM later, but we have an idea about what it involves.

It’s expected to include four steps, with step one split into two parts – part one on 8 March and part two on 29 March.

Step one, part one (from 8 March): All schools expected to open with outdoor after-school sports and activities allowed. Recreation in a public space - such as a park - could be allowed between two people, meaning they would be allowed to sit down for a coffee, drink or picnic

Step one, part two (from 29 March): Outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households are expected be allowed, including in private gardens. Outdoor sports facilities such as tennis or basketball courts could reopen and organised adult and children's sport, such as grassroots football, could also return.

It’s also understood the stay at home instruction is expected to be lifted from 29 March – although guidance will likely still recommend staying local, and overnight stays will not be permitted.

At each stage of lockdown easing, four conditions will need to be met which relate to vaccination, the number of deaths and hospitalisations, the infection rate and the risk from new variants.

Read the full story here.

Welcome to today’s live coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. We’ll be bringing you updates throughout the day.

It’s a big day today in England as Boris Johnson will be setting out his plan of how to ease lockdown over the coming weeks and months. Here’s our latest story.