Coronavirus briefing: Rishi Sunak answers questions on PPE

With the Government under fire over a lack of crucial items of PPE, Mr Sunak said: "This is an international challenge that many other countries are experiencing.

"Alongside the efforts of British businesses, and our embassies around the world, we are working hard to get the PPE our frontline NHS and social care staff need."

He insisted there were regular shipments despite the "unexpected delays" to the consignment from Turkey.

"Today we unloaded a shipment of 140,000 gowns from Myanmar," he said.

"We are, of course, continuing to pursue every possible option for PPE procurement."

Mr Sunak said: "HMRC opened the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme at eight o'clock this morning. As of four o'clock this afternoon, over 140,000 firms have applied and the grants they will receive will help pay the wages of more than a million people.

"A million people who if they hadn't been furloughed would have been at risk of losing their job.

"Firms applying today should receive their cash in six working days. HMRC will continue to provide updates on the number of people furloughed."

Mr Sunak said the goal of the new schemes was to maintain "our economy's productive capacity so that we can bridge through this crisis".

"That is what we have done," he told the press conference.

Dame Angela McLean, the deputy chief scientific adviser, said the numbers of people testing positive for Covid-19 had stabilised.

Speaking at the daily No 10 news conference, she said the numbers were "pretty much stable and flat".

She said that the numbers being treated in hospital for the disease were also stable across the country, having fallen in London for the past seven days.

"We are looking forward to seeing that pattern replicated across other regions of the country."

The Chancellor insisted the Government is making improvements to ensure key workers get personal protective equipment (PPE).

Mr Sunak said: "Absolutely everybody working incredibly hard on the front line deserves to have the equipment they need to do their jobs safely and we're working round the clock to make sure we can deliver on that.

"We're improving our sourcing internationally and domestically to make sure we can get the PPE we need in what is a very challenging international context.

"But people on the front line can rest assured that we're doing absolutely everything we can and straining everything we can to get the equipment they need."

Public Health England head Professor Yvonne Doyle said a lack of PPE "is a concern" but insisted officials are "working very hard" to improve the situation.

She said: "Yes it is a concern and obviously we want people who are working on the front line with patients at high risk to have what they need.

"Over this weekend I know, for instance, that 12 million pieces have been delivered to 141 trusts and as has been said there is incredible work going on internationally in a very high burn rate situation.

"A difficult situation undoubtedly, working very hard to make it better and trying to make sure we can deliver to where it's most needed."

Mr Sunak refused to be drawn on the cost of the furlough scheme or whether it would be extended again.

He told the press conference: "We don't have an estimate of take up yet - it's just the first day the scheme is open and I expect those numbers to continue to increase over the coming days."

Prof Doyle acknowledged that the total number of those who die with Covid-19 was "undoubtedly" higher than statistics had so far recorded, suggesting that around 10% of deaths took place outside hospital.

Prof Doyle said: "Undoubtedly the hospital data do not tell the whole story of total deaths.

"This week, as for last week, we will have a comprehensive view of that later in the week from ONS."

She said that "we know now, from looking at the pattern, that nine out of 10 deaths do occur in hospital".

Those deaths would not be evenly distributed around the country, she said, adding: "It will mirror where - for instance - there may be more care homes or more hospices."

The Chancellor said he is not persuaded by a 100% Government-backed loan scheme.

"I'm not persuaded that moving to a 100% guarantee is the right thing to do," Mr Sunak said.

"Some people have made some comparisons with what's going on in other countries, I think when you look at the totality of what we're doing it's more significant in scope and scale than most of those other countries.

"But if people are asking the question would that help speed up delivery of the loans then I'm very sympathetic to that and I also want to see that."

He said the latest data shows 12,000 loans have gone out to small businesses with an acceptance rate of around 80-90%, and there have been 35,000 applications.

Rishi Sunak hinted that easing of lockdown restrictions remained some time away, saying "we are not there yet".

The Chancellor said: "At this stage of the crisis we are absolutely focused on sticking to the guidance."

Referring to the Government's five tests for lifting the lockdown, he said: "We are not there yet and it is very clear that, for now, what we should focus on is following the guidance, staying home to protect the NHS.

"Anything else that people might be speculating on is wrong, we are crystal clear on that message."

Asked whether PPE guidance had been downgraded based on availability of equipment rather than safety standards, Prof Doyle said: "The guidance remains exactly the same.

"What has happened over the weekend is to cover people really and given them some security in exceptional circumstances, advice has been produced jointly with the NHS about how to be safe in circumstances where supplies may be at risk.

"And that is a very precautionary set of advice - it's quite the opposite to putting people at risk because there aren't enough supplies.

"It's trying to ensure that people are well secured and safe when there may not be enough supplies, and it also stresses how important it is not to take risks and when it is not right to do certain things and practices with the PPE."