Labour's Darren Jones, who chairs the business committee, has a short and sharp run of exchanges with the PM.

Asked how much of the British economy will end up in state ownership after the crisis, Johnson says he can't provide a figure.

Asked how government support will be split between sectors, Johnson says he can't give an answer.

And asked about why there hasn't been an extension to the self-employment scheme past this coming weekend, despite a three-month extension to the furlough scheme, Johnson says the government is keeping it "under review".

Jones concludes his set of questions asking again about the PM's chief aide Dominic Cummings, and asks Johnson to outline which of the allegations in the press proved to be untrue.

The PM says he has "nothing to add", before saying: "I have repeatedly said to other distinguished members of this committee my strong belief is... although I understand people's frustrations and indignation with the whole business... I think what the country wants is for us to focus on how to go forward on the test and trace scheme, how to protect their jobs... and to beat this virus."

Jessica Parker
BBC political correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Ah, does the shadow of the Dominic Cummings saga cast itself again?

As the questions turned to what the government will do in future, former business secretary Greg Clark asked if, when track and trace is up and running, it will be compulsory for people to stay at home - or can people use their judgement?

Dominic Cummings’ critics say the "stay-at-home" advice was certainly compulsory, with few exceptions, back in late March.

And they’ve lambasted the chief aide’s judgement that he could – within the rules – first head to County Durham to self-isolate and then test his eyesight on a drive to Barnard Castle.

Nevertheless, Boris Johnson hints that sanctions, financial or otherwise, could be levied on those who don’t obey the new rules around track and trace.

Mel Stride also asked the PM if he will maintain the triple lock for pensions - a promise that was included in the Conservative manifesto.

"We are going to keep all our manifesto promises," replies Johnson.

Stride also asks if the government can guarantee there will be no rises in income tax or VAT.

"You know where my instincts lie," replies the prime minister.

Earlier, Tory MP Caroline Nokes pressed her point on female representation in policy-making, saying the UK went into the pandemic with record female employment - but to come out of it, will need a "functioning childcare system with additional assistance".

Johnson says the government has "already invested considerably in supporting childcare, and we will do whatever it takes to help women get back into work".

Pushed on the impact of women on government decisions - and the lack of women representing the government during the crisis - Johnson says he doesn't think there have been enough appointments, but adds: "There had been a lot.

"It is certainly true I would like to have had more female representation in press conferences so far."

He is asked by Sir Bernard if having women around the table makes a difference to the big decisions. The PM replies: "It makes a huge difference. It may be a vaguely sexist thing to say, but it is very important."

But asked how many women is enough to have in his team, Johnson says: "Oh boy, that is a question I am not confident to pronounce.

"It is incredibly important to us as Conservatives and if we have more than 50%, that would be great."

Treasury committee chair Mel Stride asks if, given the PM has ruled out austerity, the country should expect a rise in taxes.

"You're just going to have to wait until the chancellor brings forward his proposals," replies Johnson.

Stride asks the question again and the PM says he wants to keep taxes "as low as we can" while investing in public services.

Tory MP and chair of the women and equalities committee Caroline Nokes asks what advice the government has taken on the effect on women of the phased return to work - especially on childcare.

Johnson lists a number of appointments he has made who were women, but Ms Nokes interrupts, saying the Equality and Human Rights Commission believes they have "been ignored".

The PM says a general study is being conducted across Whitehall about the inequalities linked to Covid, which will report at the end of the month.

Asked about concerns around childcare and legal protections for women returning to work, Johnson says: "It is very important people are given the protections they need and while it is true more women have been furloughed, it is also a more generous scheme than virtually any other scheme in the world.

"We need to get moving, keep fighting the virus and help people get into work."

Image source, EPA

As senior MPs continue to question Boris Johnson, just a reminder that we are expecting the usual UK daily press conference to take place straight after at around 17.30 BST.

The briefing will be led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who will be speaking alongside Jonathan Van Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England.

We’re also expecting to hear from Dido Harding, who heads up the UK’s test and trace programme – after the PM announced it would start in England tomorrow.

Stephen Timms now asks if the UK is going to need a much bigger employment support programme once the pandemic is over.

"It is very likely," says the PM and he praises the actions the government has already taken so far, such as the furlough scheme.

"The challenge now is going to be getting the economy moving again," he says.

Stephen Timms, of the work and pensions committee, asks the PM about a couple in his constituency - they both work but the husband wasn't put on the worker retention scheme and they can no longer pay their rent.

Because they are on leave to remain in the UK they can't claim benefits, Timms says.

"Isn't it wrong that a hard-working, law-abiding family are being forced into destitution?" he asks.

"Why aren't they eligible for universal credit?" Johnson replies.

Timms explains those are the conditions attached to their leave to remain.

"I'm going to have to come back to you on that - clearly people who work hard for this country should have support," replies Johnson.

Asked if he will support the opening of summer schools to help left-behind children, Johnson says the "short answer is we will support any measures we can to level-up".

He says there is "no doubt there are huge social injustices taking place at the moment, with some children having better access to tutoring and schooling at home".

He adds: "That's not fair and is one of the reasons we need to get schools back."

Robert Halfon MP then asks for a number of policy pledges from the PM - namely an apprenticeship guarantee for pupils and for NHS students to be reimbursed for their fees for the academic year.

Johnson promises to look at both these suggestions but makes no firm commitment.

And asked about whether universities are taking the right approach by going fully online for the next year, or are better to create a hybrid way forward, the PM says: "It is a matter for universities.

"Face-to-face is preferable and I think all universities understand that."

Reality Check

At the beginning of this session, as MPs questioned the PM about his adviser Dominic Cummings, Labour's Yvette Cooper pressed Mr Johnson to clarify what the rules were for parents with Covid-19 symptoms after saying the current advice was “unclear”.

Mr Johnson replied that those with exceptional childcare problems might have to vary their arrangements.

So what are the rules?

The stay at home guidelines, external say people who live with someone who develops symptoms "must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days".

However, the same guidance document also says that “we are aware that not all these measures will be possible” if you are living with children.

On Friday, Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England, pointed out that "risk to life" would be a valid reason to break lockdown rules.

Back in March, Dr Harries said that if both parents were unable to look after a small child and had no access to family or other support, they should get help from local authority "hubs".

Tory MP Robert Halfon moves on to schools, asking the PM to reassure the public the phased school opening is "absolutely safe".

Johnson says the government "knows we can do it in a safe, socially distanced way" with the early years, reception, year-one and year-six pupils returning on Monday.

He says he "accepts not everybody will go back on day one, but we do expect people to return to school".

The PM says further years returning to school will be "kept under review".

Jessica Parker
BBC political correspondent

Jeremy Hunt v Boris Johnson; remember that?

They were the final two in last year’s Conservative party leadership contest.

Mr Hunt, a former health secretary, asks about claims we’ve heard before that the UK was too slow on testing.

Amongst the PM’s responses he says the “brutal reality” is the country didn’t learn the lessons from Sars or Mers outbreaks.

Ministers have previously pushed back on claims that it was this government that really failed to get to grips with what was coming.

However senior figures have also talked about learning lessons in future.

And many people more broadly believe that a public inquiry is near-inevitable down the track.

Chair of the housing, communities and local government committee Clive Betts asks why the government didn't make more use of local directors of public health - who he says are experts in tracking - in the design of the test, track and trace system.

"We're not trying to reinvent the wheel," insists Johnson, adding: "We are using local experts."

Betts argues that local involvement was "an afterthought" and seeks to find out more about how the model will work locally.

Johnson points to the example of Weston-Super-Mare where there was an outbreak.

"We moved very quickly to close things down - that is the whack-a-mole tactics we are going to use," the PM says.

James Gallagher
Health and science correspondent, BBC News

Boris Johnson has confirmed the system of track and trace in England will start on Thursday.

If you test positive for the coronavirus then you will be asked to provide details of who you have come into close contact with.

You will be told you must self-isolate for 14 days, even if you never become sick.

The prime minister said if people did not, then the government would consider bringing in fines.

The point is to pivot from lockdown for everyone to isolation for a few.

The PM tells the committee the government's test-and-trace system will launch tomorrow.

He says it will be a "very important tool" in tackling coronavirus.

Johnson adds it will "be getting steadily better to becoming world-beating in the next few days as we go through June".

But he defends the time it has taken, saying the government had come from a "complete standing start to a huge operation".

Hunt then asks about people being discharged from hospitals to care homes and passing on the virus.

The PM says there was a "huge effort... to try to protect care homes", adding: "Don't forget, every discharge was made by clinicians and not when they were suspected coronavirus victims.

"And the number of discharges into care homes went down by 40%. It is just not true there was some concerted effort to get people out of NHS beds into care homes."

Hunt then asks about why there isn't a 24-hour turnaround time for test results.

Johnson says it is the "goal" but refused to give the committee a deadline for it to be met, saying he has been "forbidden from announcing any more targets or deadlines".

The questions to the PM now turn to the government's approach to tackling the pandemic.

The health committee chair, MP and former Conservative health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, says track and trace could be a "game changer" but is only possible with strong testing.

He asks the PM why it took until April to introduce a 100,000 test target.

Johnson says there were many difficulties with the virus, such as people being able to pass it on before showing symptoms.

But he says Public Health England "did not have the capacity" to launch a tracking system earlier, "nor did we have enough experienced trackers ready to mount the kind of operation they did in some other countries".

Johnson says the "brutal reality is this country did not learn the lessons" of previous outbreaks, and "did not have a testing operation ready to go but we now have that".

Jessica Parker
BBC political correspondent

Labour’s Yvette Cooper didn't hold back.

She is a veteran scrutineer and tries to crystallise the accusation that the PM is putting political concerns, in keeping his adviser, above the national interest.

But no matter how many of them try to get Boris Johnson to budge on this, it hasn’t worked.

However, he’s set himself up for a difficult balancing act, saying he understands the feelings of people who are angry about the whole thing whilst also effectively saying he doesn’t agree with their point of view.

An attempt also to suggest that the affair has turned into something of a political “ding dong”, strung out by the media.