Questions Tabled on Monday 9 November 2020
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Spotlight Briefing Note
Spotlight briefing Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic Ten questions on the next phase of the UK’s COVID-19 response October 2020 Overview • There are a number of questions which remain as to the next phase of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. • What values have informed the most recent decisions on COVID-19 restrictions? Public health measures involve a number of challenging trade-offs between different rights and interests. Alongside the scientific evidence, it must be made clear which values are guiding decisions about which, and whose, interests take priority, and why. • Is the government considering the use of “immunity certificates” in the next phase of the response? Any approach which relies on a system of ‘immunity certification’ raises a number of ethical questions concerning individual rights versus the public interest, and social justice. If the Government is considering such a system, there must be a robust and open debate now. • How will development of an effective COVID-19 vaccine affect uptake - and what should be done? Issues around the speed of development, changes in regulation, and communication with the public may all affect public trust and uptake of any vaccine. Consideration about how to address these issues should take place now. • What discussions are taking place on setting priorities for vaccine allocation within the UK? There is a range of different values which can be taken into consideration when setting priorities for access to limited doses of a vaccine. What values and interests will guide decision-making in this area must be clearly set out. • How will the UK ensure a sustained commitment to global solidarity? The global nature of the pandemic shows the importance of working as part of a global effort. -
Report of the Global Travel Taskforce: the Safe Return of International Travel
Report of the Global Travel Taskforce The Safe Return of International Travel Presented to the Prime Minister by the Secretary of State for Transport April 2021 Department for Transport Great Minster House 33 Horseferry Road London SW1P 4DR © Crown copyright 2021 This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3. The National Archives at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/contact-us. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This publication is also available on our website at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport. Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport Contents Foreword: Statement from the Secretary of State for Transport 2 1 Executive summary 4 Recommendations 5 2 The safe return of international travel 7 3 A risk-based approach to reopening international travel 9 Towards a risk-based framework 9 A risk-based approach 9 Health measures for arrivals 10 Checkpoints and transition to future travel 11 Restart of the cruise sector 12 4 Readiness for international travel restart 13 Border readiness 13 Safety 13 5 Consumer clarity and confidence 15 Communications and confidence 15 Consumer protections 16 6 Transition to future travel 17 Working together towards common global standards 17 Travel certification 18 1 Report of the Global Travel Taskforce – The Safe Return of International Travel Foreword In February, the Prime Minister asked me to develop the framework for a safe and sustainable return to non-essential international travel when the time is right. -
Home Office Preparedness for COVID-19 (Coronavirus): Management of the Borders: Government Response to the Committee’S Fifth Report
House of Commons Home Affairs Committee Home Office preparedness for COVID-19 (coronavirus): management of the borders: Government Response to the Committee’s Fifth Report Sixth Special Report of Session 2019–21 Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 11 November 2020 HC 974 Published on 13 November 2020 by authority of the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee The Home Affairs Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Home Office and its associated public bodies. Current membership Yvette Cooper MP (Labour, Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford) Chair Diane Abbott MP (Labour, Hackney North and Stoke Newington) Dehenna Davison MP (Conservative, Bishop Auckland) Ruth Edwards MP (Conservative, Rushcliffe) Laura Farris MP (Conservative, Newbury) Simon Fell MP (Conservative, Barrow and Furness) Andrew Gwynne MP (Labour, Denton and Reddish) Adam Holloway MP (Conservative, Gravesham) Dame Diana Johnson MP (Labour, Kingston upon Hull North) Tim Loughton MP (Conservative, East Worthing and Shoreham) Stuart C McDonald MP (Scottish National Party, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East) Powers The Committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the internet via www.parliament.uk. Publications © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020. This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament Licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright-parliament/. Committee reports are published on the Committee’s website at www.parliament.uk/homeaffairscom and in print by Order of the House. -
Whole Day Download the Hansard
Monday Volume 681 28 September 2020 No. 109 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 28 September 2020 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. HER MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT MEMBERS OF THE CABINET (FORMED BY THE RT HON. BORIS JOHNSON, MP, DECEMBER 2019) PRIME MINISTER,FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY,MINISTER FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE AND MINISTER FOR THE UNION— The Rt Hon. Boris Johnson, MP CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER—The Rt Hon. Rishi Sunak, MP SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN,COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS AND FIRST SECRETARY OF STATE— The Rt Hon. Dominic Raab, MP SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT—The Rt Hon. Priti Patel, MP CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER AND MINISTER FOR THE CABINET OFFICE—The Rt Hon. Michael Gove, MP LORD CHANCELLOR AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOR JUSTICE—The Rt Hon. Robert Buckland, QC, MP SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE—The Rt Hon. Ben Wallace, MP SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE—The Rt Hon. Matt Hancock, MP SECRETARY OF STATE FOR BUSINESS,ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY—The Rt Hon. Alok Sharma, MP SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE, AND MINISTER FOR WOMEN AND EQUALITIES—The Rt Hon. Elizabeth Truss, MP SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WORK AND PENSIONS—The Rt Hon. Dr Thérèse Coffey, MP SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EDUCATION—The Rt Hon. Gavin Williamson CBE, MP SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT,FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS—The Rt Hon. -
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COR0251 Supplementary written evidence submitted by Kelley Lee, Julianne Piper and Benoit Gomis, Pandemics and Borders Project, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Canada (COR0251) WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE BORDER MANAGEMENT OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS? 1. The UK, and other countries with rising vaccination levels, are entering a challenging period in relation to border management. Increased vaccination means lower transmission and thus pressures to relax public health measures including increased travel domestically and abroad. At the same time, the volume of circulating virus globally, new variants continue to evolve, with those more transmissible and virulent, and/or vaccine-evasive VOC moving the goalposts on herd immunity. 2. Most disruptive would be if a partial-escape variant emerges, i.e., one able to infect a significant number of fully vaccinated people and cause severe disease. A recent study modelled different scenarios in Canada for vaccine coverage and efficacy. The most damaging, by far, was a partial-escape variant. COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths were predicted to be twice as high as the next most serious scenario.1 Even with 75% full vaccination of the total population (Canada’s present target for the end of the summer), a partial-escape variant could result in a fourth wave. Even at 90% full vaccination, the study showed a partial-escape variant would be disruptive. 3. Effective management of travel-related risks will thus be critical over next 12-18 months, particularly given slow progress on achieving global equity in access to vaccines. There are risks to the gains achieved from mass vaccination. -
Letter Tony Nikolic Wrote to New South Wales Minister
4. I am instructed to send this letter to sitting Members of Parliament (State and Federal). 5. The most recent Orders from the NSW State Government on Airport workers at Kingsford Smith Airport (Sydney) has caused a number of airport employees (including pregnant and single wage families/adults) to go on stress leave because they have been given an ultimatum to get the vaccine or potentially lose their positions. The amount of emails and calls from airline industry staff to my office is most concerning and I am instructed to make this representation on their behalf because they believe their elected representatives are not taking notice. 6. We are also mindful that the airport staff, front-line workers, pilots, police, paramedics and medical staff are also seeking the protection of all rights and responsibilities pursuant to Australian and International laws. 7. There are people taking sick leave from airport duties due to the mental health related issues and pressures being placed on them to take a vaccine. We understand that that the Australian Government cannot guarantee the vaccines safety in the short, mid and long term, but yet the NSW Government are issuing Orders for companies to vaccinate all staff, whilst Federal Parliamentarians do not question the validity or acknowledge this growing concern in electorates all over Australia. 8. I am instructed those workers are not allowed on Commonwealth airport property effective as of 6 July 2021 as a result of State Orders. The workers are not only feeling the pressures imposed upon them with speed and stealth at which the Orders were passed, but they are also concerned about being targeted if they speak out. -
Daily Report Thursday, 14 January 2021 CONTENTS
Daily Report Thursday, 14 January 2021 This report shows written answers and statements provided on 14 January 2021 and the information is correct at the time of publication (06:29 P.M., 14 January 2021). For the latest information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written statements, please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/ CONTENTS ANSWERS 7 Police and Crime BUSINESS, ENERGY AND Commissioners: Elections 15 INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 7 Schools: Procurement 16 Additional Restrictions Grant 7 Veterans: Suicide 16 Business: Coronavirus 7 DEFENCE 17 Business: Grants 8 Armed Forces: Health Conditions of Employment: Services 17 Re-employment 9 Defence: Expenditure 17 Industrial Health and Safety: HMS Montrose: Repairs and Coronavirus 9 Maintenance 18 Motor Neurone Disease: HMS Queen Elizabeth: Research 10 Repairs and Maintenance 18 Podiatry: Coronavirus 11 DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND Public Houses: Coronavirus 11 SPORT 19 Wind Power 12 British Telecom: Disclosure of Information 19 CABINET OFFICE 13 Broadband: Elmet and Civil Servants: Business Rothwell 20 Interests 13 Broadband: Greater London 20 Coronavirus: Disease Control 13 Chatterley Whitfield Colliery 21 Coronavirus: Lung Diseases 13 Data Protection 22 Debts 14 Educational Broadcasting: Fisheries: UK Relations with Coronavirus 23 EU 14 Events Industry and Iron and Steel: Procurement 14 Performing Arts: Greater National Security Council: London 23 Coronavirus 15 Football: Dementia 24 Football: Gambling 24 Organic Food: UK Trade with Freedom of Expression -
BMJ in the News Is a Weekly Digest of Journal Stories, Plus Any Other News
BMJ in the News is a weekly digest of journal stories, plus any other news about the company that has appeared in the national and a selection of English-speaking international media. A total of 25 journals were picked up in the media last week (21-27 September) - our highlights include: ● Research in The BMJ on excess belly fat and risk of early death was covered widely, including CNN, The Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph. ● The New York Times ran an op-ed by Peter Doshi, Associate Editor at The BMJ on covid-19 vaccine trials. ● Research in Thorax warning that patients with no symptoms carry as much covid-19 virus as those with symptoms generated global headlines, including NBC News, New York Daily News and The Guardian. BMJ PRESS RELEASES The BMJ | BMJ Open Open Heart | Thorax EXTERNAL PRESS RELEASES BMJ Open | BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care British Journal of Sports Medicine | Emergency Medicine Journal OTHER COVERAGE The BMJ | Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases Archives of Disease in Childhood | BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine BMJ Global Health | BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health BMJ Open Respiratory Research | Frontline Gastroenterology Gut | Heart Injury Prevention | Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health Journal of Medical Ethics | Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry Medical Humanities | Occupational & Environmental Medicine Postgraduate Medical Journal | Practical Neurology Vet Record B MJ New Co-Editors-in-Chief for BMJ Quality -
20200424-Covid 19-Part 5 Week 10-23
List of Annexes Annex 1 China ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Annex 2 Taiwan .................................................................................................................................... 40 Annex 3 Japan ....................................................................................................................................... 62 Annex 4 South Korea ............................................................................................................................ 65 Annex 5 Italy ......................................................................................................................................... 77 Annex 6 Portugal ................................................................................................................................... 84 Annex 6 Spain ....................................................................................................................................... 91 Annex 8 Belgiun .................................................................................................................................. 103 Annex 9 Germany ............................................................................................................................... 108 Annex 10 The Netherlands .................................................................................................................. 114 Annex 11 France ................................................................................................................................ -
WHO Backs Rollout of Astrazeneca Vaccine
this week TWINS page 423 • VACCINATING CHILDREN page 424 • BRITISH CYCLING page 427 FRANK HOERMANN/DPA/PA/ALAMY FRANK WHO backs rollout of AstraZeneca vaccine Doctors have warned of the risks associated On 16 March WHO’s chief scientist, Soumya The World Health Organization with pausing or delaying vaccination Swaminathan, said, “We do not want has urged people not to panic programmes against covid-19, as the people to panic, and we would, for the time amid reports of blood clotting number of European countries that have being, recommend that countries continue disorders in patients receiving the vaccine halted use of the Oxford University and vaccinating with AstraZeneca . So far, we AstraZeneca vaccine rose to 16. do not fi nd an association between these Denmark, Norway, Bulgaria, Iceland, events and the vaccine.” France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, The EMA said there had been 30 reports Slovenia, and Cyprus have suspended all of thromboembolic events among nearly use of the vaccine. Five other countries fi ve million people given the AstraZeneca (Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and vaccine in the European Economic Area. Luxembourg) have paused the use of a AstraZeneca has said 37 blood clots have LATEST ONLINE batch of a million doses of the vaccine. been reported among more than 17 million NHS and social The moves came after reports of people vaccinated in the EU and Britain. care need an extra blood clotting disorders. The Norwegian Five of the cases were deep vein thrombosis, £12bn to get back Medicines Agency said last week it was and 22 were pulmonary embolisms. -
Daily Report Wednesday, 18 November 2020 CONTENTS
Daily Report Wednesday, 18 November 2020 This report shows written answers and statements provided on 18 November 2020 and the information is correct at the time of publication (06:49 P.M., 18 November 2020). For the latest information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written statements, please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/ CONTENTS ANSWERS 5 Music: Coronavirus 13 BUSINESS, ENERGY AND Protective Clothing: INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 5 Exemptions 13 Business: Coronavirus 5 DEFENCE 14 Climate Change 5 Armed Forces: Coronavirus 14 Electricity: Storage 6 DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND Energy Supply 6 SPORT 14 Fireworks 7 Broadband 14 Fossil Fuels: Finance 7 Churches: Community Development 15 Green Homes Grant Scheme 7 Churches: Repairs and Green Homes Grant Scheme: Maintenance 15 Coronavirus 8 Coronavirus: Disease Control 16 Holiday Leave: Coronavirus 9 Entertainments: Churches 17 Hospitality Industry and Retail Sector Council 9 Gambling 17 Hospitality Industry and Internet: Training 17 Tourism: Coronavirus 10 Social Media: Epilepsy 18 Mortality Rates: Coronavirus 10 EDUCATION 18 OneWeb 11 Department for Education: Public Relations: Coronavirus 11 Data Protection 18 Tickets: Repayments 11 Primary Education: Literacy 18 Tidal Power and Wave Power 12 Schools: Coventry 19 CABINET OFFICE 12 Students: Housing 20 Cabinet Office: Contracts 12 ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS 23 Coronavirus 12 Cats: Tagging 23 Coronavirus: Death 13 Food Supply 23 Coronavirus: Wakefield 38 Sanitary Protection: Plastics 23 Coronavirus: -
Operation Moonshot Proposals Are Scientifically Unsound
EDITORIALS BMJ: first published as 10.1136/bmj.m3699 on 22 September 2020. Downloaded from 1 University of Birmingham, Operation Moonshot proposals are scientifically unsound Birmingham, UK They could do more harm than good to people, populations, and the economy 2 University of Leicester. Leicester, UK Jonathan J Deeks, 1 Anthony J Brookes, 2 Allyson M Pollock3 3 Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK Correspondence to: J Deeks The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test is balance of costs and harms against the potential [email protected] useful (but not perfect) for detecting SARS-CoV-2 benefits has not been evaluated Cite this as: BMJ 2020;370:m3699 virus RNA in symptomatic patients.1 However, Testing conundrums http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3699 problems arise using the test for purposes that Published: 22 September 2020 disregard symptoms or time of infection—namely, Now, Operation Moonshot has proposed that mass case finding, mass screening, and disease screening with less accurate point-of-care tests will surveillance. help “reduce the ‘R’ rate, keep the economy open and enable a return to normal life.”10 Could this work? This is because PCR is not a test of infectiousness. Rather, the test detects trace amounts of viral genome The Moonshot proposals are based exclusively on sequence, which may be either live transmissible computer modelling11 not empirical evidence. virus or irrelevant RNA fragments from previous Critically, the model considers repeated use of tests infection.2 When people with symptoms or who have that are positive only in infected people with high been recently exposed receive a positive PCR result viral loads of SARS-CoV-2.