BBC Politics

Thanks for following along with us this afternoon.

The House of Commons is in recess next week, so the next PMQ's session will be Wednesday 4 November.

Hope you can join us then.

Laura Kuenssberg
Political editor

Sir Keir Starmer was particularity trying to push for answers on the exit strategy - of how regions coping day after day with new limits get out on the other side.

It's quite clear that, beyond holding a review after 28 days, the government doesn't have clear criteria.

That's either because they haven't made their minds up yet, because they've been scrambling to sort all this out, or they do - but they are reluctant to make them public at the moment.

Reality Check

When asked about how an area can leave tier 3 restrictions, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "The simplest and most effective way for areas to get out of those restrictions is, of course, to get the R [number] down to one or below.”

That's the reproduction number, the rate at which the virus is spreading.

The PM added that the rates of admission to hospital and other data are also taken into account.

The government says it will review very high risk areas every four weeks, but has not explained what would be deemed as suitable progress for an area to leave tier three restrictions.

We asked the Department of Health to explain what data determines whether an area should enter the top tier. It indicated that the reasons include:

• Number and increase of coronavirus cases
• The positivity rate (or the percentage of tests that come back positive)
• Pressures on the NHS
• Which age groups are being infected

It's likely some of these factors will influence when and how quickly an area leaves tier three as well.

Some areas, which have previously gone into local lockdowns, have already seen them loosened once progress was made, including Luton, Leicester and Oadby and Wigston.

Read more about why some areas are facing tougher restrictions than others here.

Reality Check

The prime minister has repeated his claim that employees of closed businesses in tier 3 areas will get 80% of their income.

“Combine the Universal Credit with the Job Support Scheme that we’ve just announced and workers will be getting 80% of their existing salary,” he said.

We have asked the government how this can be true and have not yet received an explanation.

The Job Support Scheme (which will replace the furlough scheme in November) will provide 67% of normal salary up to a maximum of £2,100 a month.

Whether a worker gets Universal Credit on top of that depends on a number of factors such as the level of their income, whether they have savings and whether they have children.

It is certainly the case that some workers on low incomes will get at least 80% of their usual wages, but it is also the case that some will get less than 80%.

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As PMQs ends, MPs have left the chamber to make way for a ministerial statement on South Yorkshire's tier 3 restrictions which will come in to force in the region at 00:01 on Saturday.

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Image source, HoC

Labour's Helen Hayes asks the PM to justify paying consultants at the firm Serco £7,000 a day to work on test-and-trace.

Boris Johnson says it is important to focus on avoiding the "disaster" of another series of national lockdowns.

That ends this week's Prime Minister's Questions.

Vicki Young
Deputy Political Editor

A few MPs asked the PM about Marcus Rashford’s campaign for free school meals for children during holidays.

There's no sign of government backing down. But we said that last time.

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Image source, HoC

Labour's Lilian Greenwood says the PM is "killing Nottingham businesses" because of a lack of help. She urges him to give more.

Boris Johnson says he "sympathises deeply" with firms suffering in the pandemic and the government will keep giving "the full panoply of support".

On Tuesday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock told that "talks are ongoing about what more might be needed" for Nottinghamshire.

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Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney asks if residents in Barnes, south-west London, are to be "charged £15 a day to own a car" and asks when Hammersmith Bridge will reopen.

The PM blames Labour in London for the bridge's closure.

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Labour MP Sarah Owen, whose Luton constituency had restrictions relaxed earlier in the pandemic, accuses ministers of providing struggling people and firms with nothing but "soundbites".

She ask the PM to provide more support for businesses, warning "entire industries are at stake".

Boris Johnson says the government's regional approach to restrictions is "sensible" and "balanced".

By contrast, he says Labour wants "multiple lockdowns" that "make no sense at all".

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Conservative MP Robin Millar asks if there should be more national lockdowns or policies operating on a more local level.

The PM says that where local leadership is shown, "huge progress" against Covid infection rates can be made. He praises Sheffield City Region's Labour Mayor Dan Jarvis for his cooperation.

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Labour's Janet Davey asks if the PM is saying free travel for under-16s and older people in London should be withdrawn in return for more funding for Transport for London.

Boris Johnson says such policy is "entirely down to" London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

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Lib Dem Daisy Cooper asks about free school meal vouchers being available during holidays. She urges the PM to do "do the the right thing". and provide them.

Boris Johnson says Labour "never did anything like that" while in power, adding that the "most important thing" is to keep children in school, rather than bringing in another England-wide lockdown.

Later this afternoon, MPs will vote on a Labour plan - which backs Marcus Rashford's campaign - to offer food support to poorer families until after Easter.

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Labour's Rupa Huq says many are set to face "destitution" over the next few months.

The PM replies that she is "quite right" to draw attention to the hardships people are facing, adding that keeping children in school is important, as is allowing people to work if possible.

Vicki Young
Deputy Political Editor

SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford made a provocative comparison with rise in unemployment under Margaret Thatcher.

Ministers are facing heavy criticism over their new scheme for workers even though they say that it can be topped up with benefits.

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Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns congratulates the government on its post-Brexit trade negotiations, adding that the EU is not acting in "good faith".

The PM says the UK's internal market will be upheld by legislation currently going through the Lords, as will the Good Friday Agreement.

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SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford accuses Boris Johnson of "finding life such a struggle" on his prime ministerial salary, but asks how low-paid people will cope.

In reply, Boris Johnson says he is proud of the government's support for low earners.

Intervening again, Ian Blackford says without changes to the Job Support Scheme, the furlough replacement, ministers will leave "millions of people on the scrapheap".

He accuses ministers of having made a "deliberate decision to let unemployment soar".

The prime minister replies that Mr Blackford's comments "bear no relation to the facts or the reality of what this government is doing".