Summary

  • Boris Johnson has faced weekly question time with MPs

  • Keir Starmer challenged the prime minister on government contracts for public relations consultants

  • The PM defended the government's work with the private sector

  • MPs marked Armistice day with a special service in the House of Commons chamber

  • More than 50 Tory MPs have formed a group to opposed any extension to England's lockdown

  • A plan for mass testing of students has been revealed to try to avoid a spike in virus infections at Christmas

  • A study has concluded that the north of England has been 'worst hit' by pandemic

  1. How much PPE is the government providing?published at 13:13 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    Reality Check

    In response to a question about government contracts awarded to private firms for personal protective equipment (PPE) against coronavirus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:“This government has secured and delivered 32 billion items of personal protective equipment.”

    He added that the government has to work with the private sector and that some are more effective than others.

    The 32 billion figure, which the PM quoted, refers to the number of PPE items which have been ordered, according to the government’s latest PPE strategy document from 28 September, external.

    The National Audit Office (NAO) says, external it is looking into the government procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic as “concerns have been raised” about some of them “including around a lack of transparency”. The NAO will report its findings in late 2020.

    The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) says, external 4.6 billion PPE items have been distributed to GPs, social care providers, community pharmacists, dentists and hospices, from February to 1 November 2020.

    The government worked with over 15,000 suppliers.

    The PPE includes masks, gloves, eye protection, aprons and coveralls but also cleaning equipment, general purpose detergent and hand hygiene items.

    You can read more here on PPE supply in the NHS.

  2. The intrigue behind the role of No 10 chief of staffpublished at 12:58 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    Laura Kuenssberg
    Political editor

    This is a classic story of beltway Westminster intrigue, but it is worth talking about, as it tells you something important about how the government is actually run.

    After a bumpy few weeks and a series of u-turns and leaks, the prime minister has been looking for someone to fill a chief of staff role - to try to bring some order to his operation in No 10.

    The Times and Daily Mail reported overnight that he was poised to offer that jobs to his director of communications, Lee Cain.

    Mr Cain is very close to Dominic Cummings - the PM's most senior political adviser - and someone who has worked for Boris Johnson for a very, very long time.

    Some people think it is about promoting somebody from the Vote Leave faction inside government, even though they have been responsible for those bumpy communications in the last few months.

    Others have asked why the PM is just looking at his inner circle, rather than looking outwards to get his operation under control.

    But the added intrigue is sources have confirmed when news reached the PM's fiancée, Carrie Symonds, she made it quite clear she is unhappy about this idea.

    Now, we don't know whether the appointment will go ahead or not.

  3. Have three million been “completely excluded”?published at 12:56 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    Reality Check

    The SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford asked the prime minister about people who he said had been excluded from coronavirus financial assistance.

    “Another group who have been left behind by the prime minister are the three million people who have been completely excluded from UK government support,” he said.

    The three million figure, which was also referred to by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, appears to comes from a group called Excluded UK, which provides a breakdown of the figure.

    The biggest group they cite is the 1.175 million people who earn less than 50% of their income from self-employment and so are not eligible for the support provided for the self-employed.

    But it means that group receives at least half of their income from working as an employee, and that work would make some of them potentially eligible for support from government schemes such as the furlough scheme.

    So while such people would not get as much of their income replaced as workers who are entirely employed or wholly self-employed, it is not right to say that they have been “completely excluded”.

    This post was updated to clarify that some people would not qualify for either scheme because – for example - they’ve recently switched from being employed to self-employed.

  4. Watch: Blackford and Johnson on Universal Creditpublished at 12:51 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

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  5. Watch: Starmer and Johnson on government jobs supportpublished at 12:50 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

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  6. Watch: Starmer challenges PM on government contractspublished at 12:49 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

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  7. Days of 'splashing the cash' are overpublished at 12:47 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    Vicki Young
    Deputy Political Editor

    Over with our TV cousins on BBC2 Politics Live our Deputy Political Editor Vicki Young says that, in recent weeks Labour have attacked the government on incompetence in making Covid decisions, but they are now attacking the government on wasting taxpayers' money on contracts.

    At the beginning of the pandemic, she says, the public were more open to government "splashing the cash" but now questions are being asked "all these months later, is there enough oversight" of these contracts being handed to the private sector.

    Vicki says, the prime minister is painting Sir Keir Starmer as "anti-the private sector". But, people watching will decide if the government need to now look more closely at these contracts.

  8. Main takeaways from PMQspublished at 12:43 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    BBC Politics

    So, here's a quick recap on what came up at PMQs

    • Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer focused his attacks on the amount spent on PR firms and underperforming contracts
    • Boris Johnson defended work with the private sector, and said the cash for PR was helping "fight anti-vaxxers"
    • Sir Keir also pushed on the delays to the furlough extension and for more help for the self-employed
    • Mr Johnson said the UK had offered "one of the most generous programmes in the world" and the government can be "proud of the way we have looked after the entire population"
    • Members from across the House - including the two leaders - paid tribute to the Armed Forces on Armistice Day, and many raised projects for veterans in their local areas.

    We have more analysis and updates to bring you though, so don't go anywhere yet!

  9. Scrappy PMQspublished at 12:41 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    Jonathan Blake
    BBC political correspondent

    Sometimes PMQs delivers parliamentary fireworks, other times it's a bit of a damp squib.

    This afternoon's scrappy exchanges fell into the latter category.

    Sir Keir Starmer tried to use the controversy around the head of the government's vaccine task force to make a bigger point about a lack of "basic accountability and transparency".

    But Boris Johnson went on the counter-attack suggesting Labour was instinctively opposed to the private sector and trumpeted again the week's big news of a vaccine breakthrough.

    The Labour leader attempted to put the PM on the ropes over a lack of support for the self-employed.

    On cue, he responded with the claim the government had done everything it possible could to help.

    You could call it a score-draw but given this week's heavy defeats in the House of Lords and Tory backbenchers organising themselves in opposition to the government's pandemic strategy - the Prime Minister's likely to chalk that session of PMQs up as a win.

  10. New chief of staff makes PM's fiancée 'deeply unhappy'published at 12:38 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020
    Breaking

    BBC Politics

    Outside the heat of the chamber, there is more talk of changes in No 10 and someone else upset with the PM's decisions.

    BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says two sources have now confirmed Lee Cain - the current director of communications in Downing Street - was offered the job of chief of staff over the weekend.

    The idea is to bring more order to things between the famous black door after a fair few mishaps and u-turns in recent weeks - what Laura describes as "bumpy" times.

    But Mr Johnson's own fiancée, Carrie Symonds, is reported to be "deeply unhappy" about the plan.

    Read our political editor's Twitter thread here for more info, external.

  11. We'll help forces families, PM promisespublished at 12:37 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    SalouImage source, HoC

    On Remembrance Day, Conservative Andrew Selous says families of armed forces "put up with more disruption than anyone else" and deserve more help.

    The PM says there is assistance coming on childcare and getting family members into employment.

    That ends PMQs for this week.

  12. PM: I still have good relationship with Trumppublished at 12:34 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    EagleImage source, HoC

    Labour's Angela Eagle asks if the PM has any advice for Donald Trump, who is ignoring the US election verdict.

    Boris Johnson says he has a good relationship with Mr Trump - and President-elect Joe Biden.

    He praises Mr Biden's attitude to climate change, to be discussed at the COP26 conference in Glasgow next year.

  13. Brexit 'allows UK to set immigration policy'published at 12:33 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    CarmichaelImage source, HoC

    Lib Dem Alistair Carmichael raised the case of a constituent in Orkney.

    He says the official definition of deck hands has become "skilled" for immigration purposes, but that the home secretary is ignoring this.

    The PM says the government is now able to control its own immigration police because of Brexit.

  14. MP raises human rights in Pakistanpublished at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    KhanImage source, HoC

    Conservative Imran Ahmed Khan says that while the UK battles Covid, it shouldn't forget the importance of protecting minorities.

    He says four Ahmedi Muslims have recently been shot in Peshawar.

    He asks if Boris Johnson agrees that hatred taught in Pakistan "ends up on the streets of Britain".

    Mr Johnson says the Minister for Asia recently raised this with the Human Rights Minister of Pakistan, and that state supported hatred must end.

    He has asked Pakistan to guarantee fundamental rights of all their citizens.

  15. PM: Help for Wales will continuepublished at 12:29 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    EdwardsImage source, HoC

    Independent MP Jonathan Edwards says help worth £2bn for parts of Wales will end next week and that the UK government is "about to pick our pockets".

    The PM responds that this is not true and that after the end of the post-Brexit transition money will no longer "be siphoned through Brussels".

  16. SNP question benefits supportpublished at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    BlackfordImage source, HoC

    The SNP's Westminster Leader Ian Blackford says the Office of National Statistics figures published yesterday show that the UK faces a "Tory unemployment crisis" as UK unemployment is now at 4.8%.

    He asks the PM to make the £20 uplift to Universal Credit permanent, and to extend it to legacy benefits.

    Mr Johnson says he is "delighted" that a "Scottish nationalist" is supporting Universal Credit. He says the £20 uplift is continuing, and the furlough scheme is continuing through to March.

    Mr Blackford says it is "shameful" that the PM continues to not answer questions on the future of the £20 uplift to UC. He says in the lead up to Christmas, people will be worried about their future, he asks the PM to make support schemes more generous.

    Mr Johnson says that the £20 uplift to UC will continue to next year, and that there is a "winter support package" for the "poorest and neediest... throughout the tough period of Covid".

  17. Starmer: 'Address injustice' for self-employedpublished at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    StarmerImage source, HoC

    Sir Keir says the prime minister "doesn't get it" as the furlough scheme doesn't apply to millions of self-employed people.

    In his final question, the Labour leader asks about a self-employed photographer called Chris, saying he is "desperately waiting for the chancellor to address this injustice".

    But Mr Johnson says the "best way to get his job working again, to get this country back on its feet, is to continue on this path driving the virus down".

    He says he is grateful to those taking part in the "tough autumn measures" and mass testing, and with the addition of the news on a new vaccine this week, the government has "two big boxing gloves to pummel this virus".

    But he calls on people to "continue to work hard, keep discipline and observe the measures we have put in".

  18. Starmer: 'British people paying for mistakes of government'published at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    StarmerImage source, HoC

    Sir Keir says the PM "must know" that the "last minute" extension of the furlough scheme led to thousands losing their jobs.

    The Labour leader says the "British people are paying the price for the mistakes of the prime minister and the chancellor".

    He also says the chancellor has "repeatedly failed to close gaps" in support for the self-employed.

    The PM says the pandemic has been "unquestionably hard on the people of this country and people have suffered".

    But he says the government has "done everything we possibly can to help" - including for the self-employed.

  19. Starmer: Government 'sprays money' at PR firmspublished at 12:15 Greenwich Mean Time 11 November 2020

    PMQsImage source, HoC

    Sir Keir is not yet done on the PR spend, saying there is a "sharp contrast between the way government sprays money at companies that don't deliver" and its "reluctance" to support citizens.

    He said delays by the Chancellor in giving support has led to the rise in redundancies.

    "What's the PM's message to those that have lost jobs because of the chancellor's delay?" he asks.

    But the PM says the Labour leader "knows full well the furlough programme has continued throughout this pandemic" and will do until March.

    He says it is "one of the most generous programmes in the world" and the government can be "proud of the way we have looked after the entire population".