Thank you, Madam President,

The United Kingdom welcomes Jamaica’s engagement with the UPR process, and we recognise the progress made in the area of media freedom.

However, we remain concerned by reports of abuses in the correctional system and the high rate of fatal shooting incidents involving the security services. We urge the Government to continue to work to reduce fatal shooting incidents, including by strengthening the Independent Commission of Investigations, and ensuring that the Jamaican correctional system adheres to international human rights standards.

We recommend that Jamaica:

1. Respond constructively to the anticipated Government Taskforce report on the long-term incarceration of mentally ill people in Jamaican prisons and address the systemic failures identified by the Independent Commission on Investigations;

2. Improve effectiveness of victim identification and support for victims of human trafficking by developing victim-centered, trauma-informed procedures in law enforcement operations, investigations and criminal justice proceedings, and increase efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict traffickers; and

3. Adopt an open, merit-based process when selecting national candidates for UN Treaty Body elections.

Thank you.

Published 11 November 2020

• Findings from independent evaluation of lateral flow tests published
• Findings from PHE Porton Down and Oxford University shows newly deployed lateral flow tests are highly reliable, sensitive and accurate in multiple settings
• Lateral flow tests deployed in Liverpool shown to have over 99.6% specificity

Extensive clinical evaluation from Public Health England (PHE) and the University of Oxford show lateral flow tests are accurate and sensitive enough to be used in the community, including for asymptomatic people.

Lateral flow tests are rapid turnaround tests that can process COVID-19 samples on site without the need for laboratory equipment, with most generating results in under half an hour.

As part of the government’s strategy for testing the effectiveness of this new technology, these new tests are being piloted across England. This includes a 2-week whole-city pilot in Liverpool, which was launched last week.

Prior to commencing these pilots, DHSC commissioned independent research to gain further information on the specificity and sensitivity of the tests in different settings including hospitals, schools, and universities

The swabbing and processing of these tests must currently be conducted at a dedicated testing site by a trained personnel.

The devices are designed to be intuitive and require minimal training to operate, and PHE and the University of Oxford are now looking at how this test could be self-administered.

PHE’s world-leading Porton Down lab and University of Oxford undertook this work and have since been putting a number of tests through a 4-phase assessment process. This includes the test being used in Liverpool, and those that are being sent to directors of public health across the country to use for their local communities, and are also being used in schools, universities and workplace settings.

40 different lateral flow devices were put forward, of which 9 met the criteria to continue to full evaluation. Six made it to the third phase, and the Innova SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Qualitative Test, the test being used in the Liverpool pilot, is nearing completion of the 4-stage process.

PHE Porton Down’s labs have shown 4 lateral flow tests to have a sensitivity of more than 70% of all PCR-positive cases but importantly catch all those with high viral loads, meaning they are effective in identifying the cases who are infectious and are most likely to transmit the disease. The fast turnaround also allows positive people to isolate quickly also reducing spread.

Health Minister Lord Bethell said:

We are absolutely committed to using the latest testing technology to make asymptomatic testing available in more areas.

It is right we’ve taken a dual-track approach to evaluating this technology – by piloting them in the field so we can understand how to best to make these tests available, and by getting our world-leading academics and clinicians to undertake rigorous evaluation of their ability to detect the virus.

I’m delighted that both are already demonstrating that lateral flow tests can be the reliable, highly sensitive technology we need to help get this virus under control, and return to as close to normality as possible.

The evaluation published today concludes that the Innova, and other tests which meet PHE and Oxford’s standards, should be used in asymptomatic, as they offer the advantage of reducing risk and increasing capacity in addition to Lighthouse and NHS labs.

Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Adviser, NHS Test and Trace, said:

These tests are proving to be accurate and reliable. And, importantly they’re able to detect COVID-19 in people without symptoms who could unknowingly be passing the virus onto others.

Our evaluation work and the ongoing pilots are helping us to understand how lateral flow tests work in the field and how we may use them to help stop the spread of the virus.

We are confident that these new tests, which have been rigorously evaluated, will make a real difference in how we protect people from this disease and help break chains of transmission.

The results of the Innova evaluation published today show:

• the specificity of the test was recorded as 99.68% – the overall false positive rate was 0.32%, although this was lowered to 0.06% in a lab setting
• it has an overall sensitivity of 76.8% for all PCR-positive individuals but detects over 95% of individuals with high viral loads, and minimal difference between the ability of the test to pick up viral antigens in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals

Sensitivity means the proportion of people with a disease that have a positive test, whereas specificity means the proportion of people without the disease that have a negative test.

Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at the University of Oxford, said:

The data in this validation report demonstrates that these inexpensive, easy-to-use tests can play a major role in our fight against COVID-19.

They identify those who are likely to spread the disease and when used systematically in mass testing could reduce transmissions by 90%.

They will be detecting disease in large numbers of people who have never previously even received a test.

Using lateral flow technology to test asymptomatic individuals will help identify those who unknowingly have the virus and enable those who test positive and their contacts to self-isolate, which can help drive down the R rate locally and save lives.

This is crucial to break the chains of transmission of the virus and to support critical industries, key workers and institutions. With lower rates of transmission, those at highest risk from the virus will be more protected and residents will feel more confident in getting back to their day-to-day lives.

Asymptomatic testing is offered in addition to the wider government testing programme offering swab tests for those with symptoms.

The government has also committed to providing the devolved authorities with access to new testing technologies as they are made available, as part of UK-wide collaboration to stop the spread of the virus. Eligibility and deployment of testing in devolved administrations will be determined by the respective administrations.

See the full evaluation.

The 4-stage process is:

• phase 1 – desktop review to identify tests with potentially high specificity and sufficient sensitivity
• phase 2 – pre-clinical evaluation in lab
• phase 3a – secondary healthcare evaluation
• phase 3b – community research evaluation using volunteer patients and staff
• phase 4 – community pilot field service evaluation in a variety of settings

This means free movement will end around seven weeks from now, at 11pm on 31 December 2020.

It delivers on the government’s manifesto commitment to restore faith in the immigration system.

For the first time in a generation, the UK will be able to decide who comes into the country, based on the skills they have to offer – not where they are from.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

Today marks the delivery of our promise to the British people to regain control of our borders and consider new arrivals on the basis of the skills they have to offer and the contribution they can make, not where they come from.

The passing of this landmark Bill means that for the first time in decades we will have a firm and fair immigration system that will support our economy and see us build back better.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

This time last year the government promised to end free movement, take back control of our borders and introduce a new points-based immigration system.

Today we have officially delivered on that promise.

The Act of Parliament which ends free movement has completed its journey through Parliament and today achieved Royal Assent.

This is an historic day in our new direction outside of the EU – controlling our own borders and delivering on the people’s priorities.

The points-based immigration system will encourage employers to focus on training and investing in the UK work force, driving productivity and improving opportunities for individuals, especially those impacted by coronavirus.

Those wanting to come into the UK to work will need to apply for permission in advance. They will be awarded points for a job offer at the appropriate skill level, if they speak English, and for meeting the appropriate salary threshold. Visas will be awarded to those who gain enough points.

A marketing campaign is underway to make sure businesses are ready for the changes.

The government is also introducing special schemes to enable more scientists, academics, investors, entrepreneurs, and health and care workers to come to the UK easily.

Irish citizens will continue to be able to enter and live in the UK as they do now.

If you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen living in the UK before 31 December 2020, you and your family can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021.

Read further details on the points-based immigration system

The Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020 started its passage through the Houses of Parliament on 5 March 2020

Justice Minister, Alex Chalk MP visited Shelter Cymru (22 October 2020) and the South Wales Law Centre (21 October 20202) to see how £5.4 million of grant funding is being used in the non-for-profit providers of specialist legal advice to support the legal advice sector.

This £5.4 million emergency grant is in addition to a 2-year £3.1 million Legal Support for Litigants in Person grant which the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) announced earlier this year, and which is now underway. This is in addition to the more than £9 million invested in support for litigants in person in the civil and family courts.

MOJ provided £5.4 million funding to the not-for-profit providers of specialist legal advice to help them continue supporting vulnerable groups during Covid-19 pandemic, in part drawn from the £750 million package of emergency Covid-19 support for the third sector that the government announced in April.

In a joint initiative with the Access to Justice Foundation and Law Centres Networks, MOJ has allocated £3 million funding to the Law Centres Network who have distributed grants to 28 individual Law Centres across England and Wales. The remaining £2.4 million has been allocated to the Access to Justice Foundation who have distributed it through their Community Justice Fund to 36 organisations that provide specialist advice services.

It has allowed these organisations to procure equipment and training to enable remote delivery of specialist legal advice. This has led to an increase in their capacity to meet the significant rising demand for advice services in housing, employment and benefits brought on and exacerbated by Covid-19.

Clare Carter, Deputy Chief Executive of the Access to Justice Foundation said:

The Community Justice Fund has awarded 148 grants totalling £11.6 million to specialist advice agencies across the UK helping them to continue to provide crucial support around housing, employment, income and access to services they need. This scale of support would not have been possible without the much needed £5.4 million contribution from the Ministry of Justice. The pandemic has had a huge impact on the justice system – not least the advice sector. Cases going through courts dropped and services shifted online to reduce the spread of the virus and keep people safe. This grant has helped the sector adapt to this, and is also helping agencies scale up their services as demand for advice increases as the economic impact of the pandemic starts to be felt. Grantees tell us this funding has been a lifeline for the vulnerable people they support.

Julie Bishop, director of the Law Centres Network, said:

The government funding has been vital to Law Centres. It has enabled us to continue to provide legal assistance to the increasing numbers of local people suddenly finding themselves in situations they would never have imagined last year, as the minister has seen for himself. The country faces challenging times ahead, and we hope to continue this partnership with government, fighting the combined effects of Coronavirus and inequality, so people and communities are supported on their path to recovery.

Case study

Shelter Cymru reports that monies received from MOJ’s fund is helping them mitigate loss of income since 1st April 2020 and keep their services at full capacity. This is enabling people in Wales to access specialist housing advice and legal representation during the pandemic, especially in areas where they are the only provider.

South Wales Law Centre reports that monies received from MOJ’s fund, is helping staff to work effectively, securely and comfortably from home following investment in IT infrastructure, including laptops and smart phones. It is increasing accessibility through extending opening hours for phone enquiries and advice via email and webchat. Administration tools to support advice services has been developed and additional training is being provided to upskill staff in response to shifting demand.

In addition, South Wales Law Centre is able to prepare their premises for re-opening to the public, investing in the equipment and supplies necessary to ensure COVID security for staff, volunteers and clients.

The Covid-19 Specialist Advice Service Support grant has helped the non-for-profit advice sector organisations in local communities across the country to continue to provide crucial support in helping people resolve their legal problems by enabling them to address immediate cashflow issues and to adapt their services to social distancing restriction.