Sir Edward Leigh (Con) says Liam Fox has simply proven him the record of coaching modules that folks volunteering to assist out with the vaccination programme want to finish. (See 1.24pm.) Why do they want coaching masking points like terrorism?

Hancock says he agrees. He says a few of these coaching necessities have been abolished, together with hearth security and terrorism.

Hancock restates the federal government’s dedication to make sure that everybody within the high 4 precedence teams has had their first dose by the center of February. (See 12.44pm.)

He says the folks in these high 4 classes account for 4 out of 5 of Covid fatalities.

Mark Harper, the Conservative MP who chairs the Covid Restoration Group (see 11.19am), says if so, why can’t the federal government simply conform to elevate the restrictions at this level?

Hancock says will probably be essential to see what the affect of the vaccination programme is having. However he says he doesn’t wish to preserve the restrictions in place for any longer than needed.

Within the Commons Matt Hancock, the well being secretary, has simply began his speech opening the talk on the lockdown laws.

He mentioned that in earlier debates on lockdown restrictions he needed to ask MPs to take it on belief that there can be a means out. However now, he says, the vaccination programme provides a assured means out.

NHS England has reported 674 additional hospital coronavirus deaths. The small print are right here.

That is virtually 100 greater than the whole variety of hospital deaths introduced yesterday (582) which was till now the most important each day determine for hospital deaths introduced by NHS England on this wave of the pandemic.

For comparability, listed here are the equal determine for the final 4 Wednesdays.

Every week in the past as we speak – 494

Two weeks in the past as we speak – 416

Three weeks in the past as we speak – 369

4 weeks in the past as we speak – 344

All these figures relate to individuals who died in hospital after testing constructive for Covid. They’re the headline numbers produced by NHS England. But it surely additionally information sufferers who die in hospital with out having had a constructive take a look at, however the place Covid was talked about on the dying certificates. Right now, along with the 674 headline deaths, NHS England is recording 47 different Covid-related deaths.

The seven mass vaccination centres set to open subsequent week have been outlined – with venues in London, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Surrey and Stevenage.

As PA Media stories, the prime minister’s spokesman informed a Westminster briefing that the centres would come with Robertson Home in Stevenage, the ExCeL Centre in London, the Centre for Life in Newcastle and the Etihad Tennis Centre in Manchester.

The opposite three are Epsom Downs racecourse in Surrey, Ashton Gate stadium in Bristol and Millennium Level in Birmingham.

The spokesman mentioned he anticipated the centres to be run with a mixture of NHS employees and volunteers.

Gavin Williamson has mentioned that Sats won’t go forward in England this yr. He was responding to a query from the Labour MP Paul Blomfield, who mentioned that having Sats this yr would “place an pointless and pointless burden on faculties”.

Williamson replied:

I can completely verify that we received’t be continuing with Sats this yr.

We do recognise that this can be an extra burden on faculties and it’s essential that we’re very a lot targeted on welcoming college students again into the classroom on the very earliest alternative.

The Nationwide Training Union has criticised Gavin Williamson, the schooling secretary, for not saying a transfer to teacher-assessed grades, as a alternative for exams, earlier. In a response to Williamson’s Commons assertion (see 1.33pm), the NEU joint normal secretary Mary Bousted mentioned:

Gavin Williamson mentioned in parliament as we speak that he and Ofqual had ready a contingency for teacher-assessed grades to award qualifications in summer time 2021 however, if so, why did he preserve it from the sector? The NEU alongside different unions had referred to as for buildings to allow such a back-up choice to exams in October. Had these buildings been put in place then we’d be in a a lot better place now to make it occur.

As a substitute, there’s a hazard that implementing such a course of pretty and persistently nationally at this late stage will result in additional excessive stress and workload for schooling employees, college students and fogeys. This stress might have been averted had authorities not been so obsessed and blinkered by their pursuit of exams within the face of the plain prospect that they is probably not truthful or potential.

At Stormont Northern Eire’s schooling minister, Peter Weir, is saying that GCSE, AS and A stage exams are being cancelled this summer time for Northern Eire pupils. These are from the BBC’s Jayne McCormack.

The newest version of the Guardian’s Politics Weekly podcast is out. Heather Stewart and Polly Toynbee talk about the newest Covid restrictions and the federal government’s vaccine rollout plans. Plus, Sally Weale speaks to the previous schooling secretary Estelle Morris about what Gavin Williamson ought to do subsequent.

Williamson is replying to Inexperienced now.

He says lecturers will get assist and steerage as they transfer to a system of teacher-assessed grades.

He says the federal government all the time had plans for this. However he says it will have been higher if exams had been in a position to go forward.

On cancelling BTecs, Williamson mentioned he determined it was higher to depart this determination as much as particular person schools as a result of they know extra concerning the wants of their college students. For instance, they might know if college students want a selected qualification to take up a job supply.

Kate Inexperienced, the shadow schooling secretary, is responding to Gavin Williamson. She says “confusion and chaos” observe the schooling secretary.

She asks what the federal government is doing to make sure that all pupils have the gear they should entry distant studying.

On exams, she asks how the federal government will be sure that requirements are constant.

She criticises him for not cancelling BTec exams this months. Williamson ought to have cancelled them, as an alternative of leaving it as much as schools.

And he or she asks him when he expects pupils to be again at school.

Gavin Williamson, the schooling secretary, is making his assertion to MPs now. He says the federal government wished to maintain faculties open, however needed to shut them.

He says faculties are actually underneath a authorized obligation to offer distant studying. Pupils ought to obtain between three and 5 hours per day. He says Ofsted will guarantee requirements are met.

He confirms that exams won’t happen this summer time.

And he says he’s going to “belief lecturers somewhat than algorithms”. He says instructor evaluation can be used to award grades this summer time. Academics will get coaching and assist in order that the system will be utilized “pretty and persistently” throughout the nation.

Boris Johnson has simply completed his Commons assertion. Earlier he was requested by Liam Fox (Con), the previous worldwide commerce secretary who can also be a professional physician, concerning the circumstances being imposed on folks providing to volunteer for the vaccination programme. Fox mentioned:

As a professional however non-practising physician, I volunteered to assist with the scheme and would urge others to do the identical. However, can I ask the prime minister why I’ve been required to finish programs on battle decision, equality, variety and human rights, transferring and dealing with hundreds and stopping radicalisation with the intention to give a easy Covid jab?

Can I urge him to get the NHS and the Division of Well being to drop the forms, drop the political correctness and do all they’ll to truly get the vaccine programme transferring.

Johnson mentioned that he has been “assured by the well being secretary that each one such obstacles, all such pointless pettifoggery has been eliminated”.