Summary

  • Prime Minister announces expanded virus testing for front-line workers

  • Boris Johnson announces £63m more in welfare help for most vulnerable families

  • PM hints at further measures to ease lockdown in England

  • Zoos and safari parks can reopened on Monday

  • Sir Keir Starmer calls for a 'national taskforce' to deal with re-opening England's schools

  • Plans to re-open all primary schools in England next month have been dropped

  • Health leaders warn the coronavirus crisis could push the number of people waiting for NHS treatment to 10 million

  • Labour councils to review controversial statues and monuments in their towns and cities

  • Northern Ireland secretary to set out guidelines for controversial Troubles pensions

  1. Thanks for joining uspublished at 13:13 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    That's all for our text coverage of PMQs this week.

    We'll be back on the BBC News Coronavirus Live page later this afternoon for full rolling coverage of the PM's briefing in Downing Street.

    Boris JohnsonImage source, Reuters/ Andrew Parsons/10 Downing Street
    Image caption,

    Boris Johnson at last week's daily Coronavirus briefing in Downing Street

  2. What did we learn from PMQs?published at 13:04 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    Boris JohnsonImage source, HoC

    Prime Minister's Questions has just come to an end, so here are some of the highlights:

    • Labour calls for a "national taskforce" to deal with the re-opening of schools
    • Johnson confirms £63m will go to local authorities for welfare over the summer
    • He confirms the Commons will hear more about the progress of the government's test and trace system tomorrow
    • The PM says the 2m social distancing rule is being kept under review
    • He also says it is still the plan to allow hospitality to open "no earlier than 4 July"

  3. Three different figures for coronavirus deathspublished at 13:02 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    Reality Check

    During PMQs, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer used three different figures for deaths during the coronavirus pandemic.

    The first was the cumulative figure that the government uses at its daily briefings, which he pointed out has passed 40,000.

    Yesterday’s figure was 40,883. It’s the number of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus.

    The second figure he used was based on reports of weekly deaths, which are released by the Office for National Statistics for England and Wales, and also by National Records Scotland and Nisra.

    They showed that by 29 May, there had been 50,107 people who had coronavirus mentioned on their death certificates (in these cases, it is enough for a doctor to suspect that the virus was present).

    The final number he gave was for "excess deaths", totalling 63,000.

    That is the number of people who have died in the UK compared with the average number of deaths for this period over the last five years.

    Some of these won’t have involved Covid-19 directly.

  4. Why are BAME people disproportionately hit by virus?published at 13:02 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    Reality Check

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer brought up the impact coronavirus is having on people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

    Separate reviews by the Office for National Statistics, Public Health England and the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank have all concluded that these groups are being disproportionately affected.

    The Office for National Statistics, which based its calculations on geographic, age and health-related factors, found that black, Bangladeshi and Pakistani individuals were almost twice as likely to die from Covid-19 than white people.

    There is no definitive answer as to why these groups are being affected in this way, but explanations include public-facing occupations (such as working in the NHS) and pre-existing health inequalities.

    You can read more about the figures and the findings in this report.

  5. 'A trio of things to pick up on from PMQs'published at 12:53 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    Laura Kuenssberg
    Political editor

    There are trio of things to pick up on from Prime Minister's Questions.

    Firstly Boris Johnson said the government would be expanding targeted testing for front-line workers where there are high percentage of ethnic minorities are working.

    Crucially this testing will be brought in for people who are asymptomatic.

    Secondly the PM announced an extra £63m in welfare help for the most vulnerable families - this was in response to a question from Sir Keir Starmer about providing free school meals vouchers over the Summer holidays.

    The third thing, the teaser, was the PM hinting he would say more about how lockdown will be pulled back when he appears at the press conference this afternoon.

  6. Watch: Can beer gardens open soon?published at 12:52 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

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  7. Watch: PM asked to name Trump's 'good qualities'published at 12:52 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

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  8. Watch: PM urged to act on racism in government departmentspublished at 12:52 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

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  9. Watch: Leaders clash over school re-openingpublished at 12:51 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

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  10. How much is free school meal voucher scheme costing?published at 12:51 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    Reality Check

    Sir Keir Starmer has just challenged the PM to keep the voucher scheme that replaces free school meals going over the summer.

    But how much is the current initiative costing?

    About 1.3 million children in England are eligible for free school meals.

    During the coronavirus pandemic the government said that pupils who have to stay at home would continue to receive free school meals in the form of food parcels or vouchers.

    It has cost more than £129m in England already and is worth £15 per week for each eligible child.

    Normally eligible pupils only receive meals during term time but this year they were given vouchers during the Easter holidays at the height of the coronavirus crisis.

    MPs and campaigners are now calling on the government to extend the scheme to cover the summer holidays at an estimated cost of £19m per week.

    Speaking at PMQs, Boris Johnson said the government was putting £63m into welfare assistance to help vulnerable families, with local authorities being able to use it however they choose.

  11. Johnson: Many families in great hardshippublished at 12:49 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Olivia BlakeImage source, HoC

    Labour's Olivia Blake asks the last question of PMQs and begins with a Bob Marley quote:

    "Today they say that we are free, only to be chained in poverty."

    The MP quotes figures from the Trussell Trust, external that there has been an 89% increase in emergency food parcels needed last month compared to 2019, adding: "People are struggling and need help right now."

    She asks the PM to meet with charities and local government leaders to arrange a boost in funding to help them tackle the issue.

    Boris Johnson agrees the UK is going through a "very difficult crisis... that has put many families to great hardship".

    He says the government has done a "huge amount to help", including providing an extra £3.2bn to local government and another £63m for extra welfare support over the summer.

    He concludes: "She is entirely right we face a huge economic problem. That's why we need to get moving, get this country going forward together."

  12. Public have 'lost trust in the government'published at 12:46 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Rachel HopkinsImage source, HoC

    Labour's Rachel Hopkins says people in the country have "lost trust in the government", are "confused by mix messaging" and feel "angry Dominic Cummings seems to have been let off hook".

    She also says those in her Luton South constituency are "particularly worried" about "inadequate support schemes and the illogical quarantine policy impacting Luton airport".

    "How can they be confident on the next steps for easing lockdown when your government has fallen short so far," she asks.

    Boris Johnson replies that the British public have "ignored propaganda and negativity" from the opposition party.

  13. Watch: Lib Dem leader presses PM on stop and searchpublished at 12:44 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

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  14. Watch: SNP's Blackford on social distancing 'shambles'published at 12:43 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

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  15. Johnson: Whack-a-mole to stamp out local outbreakspublished at 12:43 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Boris JohnsonImage source, HoC

    Tory MP Mark Logan says there has been "much disinformation" about a possible risk in the infection rate - or R number - in the North West of England afetr reports at the weekend it may have risen above one.

    He asks the prime minister to agree with him that having "increasingly up to date local data" on the spread of coronavirus will allow for "greater confidence" for his constituents.

    Boris Johnson says he is "encouraged by NHS test and trace and the progress it is making".

    He says the government is now identify hotspots of the virus and "do whack-a-mole and stamp out outbreaks".

    You can read more here about the infection rate in the North West of England in this analysis by our health correspondent Nick Triggle.

  16. Will PM end 'suspicionless' stop and search powerspublished at 12:39 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Sir Ed DaveyImage source, HoC

    Lib Dem acting leader Sir Ed Davey tells MPs that under "suspicionless" stop and search powers - a black person is 47 times more likely to be stopped and searched, he says.

    Sir Ed adds that often it seems "being black is enough to be suspected of being a criminal" and urges the PM to end the practice.

    Boris Johnson says it is "important stop and search is carried out sensitively".

    He adds that it can be a "very important" tool "in fighting violent crime".

    "It does work - it is not the whole answer but part of the mix."

  17. What are other countries doing about schools?published at 12:36 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    Reality Check

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has just criticised the government’s policy on re-opening schools, saying “plenty of other comparable countries are getting their children back to school”.

    But what are other major countries on the continent actually doing?

    In France, primary schools started to re-open on 11 May in “green” zones, where the rate of infection was low. The government issued detailed instructions to schools on how to ensure the safety of pupils: this includes a maximum of 15 children to a class, no shared toys and staggered arrivals. Children over 11 are required to wear masks.

    In Germany, students who had final exams this year went back first but, from 4 May, primary schools started to re-open too with safety provisions. Germany’s 16 state governments are in charge of the implementation but the majority of them prioritised the return of final year primary pupils.

    Spain partially re-opened from 26 May, to allow for revision classes and state exams, but all other children will not return until September.

    Italy will keep all its schools shut until September.

  18. Johnson: US is a 'bastion of peace'published at 12:35 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Kirsty BlackmanImage source, HoC

    The SNP's Kirsty Blackman - also contributing by video link - asks the PM about the response from US President to death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement, calling it "horrendous".

    Pointing to previous remarks, she says: "Does he still believe Trump has 'many, many good qualities' and if so, what are they?"

    Boris Johnson repeats that "Black lives matter" and the death of George Floyd was "absolutely appalling".

    And on President Trump, he adds: "He is president of the United States, which is our most important ally in the world.

    "And whatever those on the left might say about it, it is a bastion of peace and freedom, and has been for most of my lifetime."

  19. When will PM open beer gardens?published at 12:32 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Peter AldousImage source, HoC

    Conservative Peter Aldous says allowing zoos to re-open is "very good news" and urges the PM to do the same for beer gardens.

    "We want to open hospitality as quickly as possible," replies Boris Johnson.

    He says it is still the plan to allow hospitality to open "no earlier than 4 July".

    However he adds that the disease still poses a danger and that he doesn't want to see a "roiling bacchanalian mass" over the Summer.

  20. Johnson: More on test and trace coming tomorrowpublished at 12:31 British Summer Time 10 June 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Ian BlackfordImage source, HoC

    The leader of the SNP in Westminster, Ian Blackford, is next up by video link. He starts by referring to comments made by the PM in front of the Liaison Committee, saying he did not read all the scientific papers on coronavirus.

    "No wonder it took so long on quarantine measures," he says. "This has been a complete shambles and too little, too late".

    He asks the PM which papers he has read on the 2m social distancing rule, to which Mr Johnson replies he has read a "huge amount".

    The PM then confirms the 2m should be kept under review.

    Mr Blackford says the cabinet has discussed reducing the distance, but "that is not the experts advice right now".

    He adds: "People are losing confidence in this government... will the prime minister continue to ignore the experts or start following the advice of those who have read the scientific papers?"

    Johnson says "the people of this country are overwhelmingly following the guidance" and tomorrow the Commons will hear more on test and trace, which will labour this point.

    He adds: "There are all sorts of views about the 2m view, but clearly as the incidents of the disease come down, the statistical likelihood of being infected goes down."