Good afternoon and welcome again to Downing Street for the daily coronavirus briefing. Today I want to update you on social care, something I know is of huge importance to everybody watching. I’d also like to welcome David Pearson to the press conference in his new role as Chair of our National COVID-19 Social Care Support Taskforce.

Before turning to social care, I’d like to take you through latest coronavirus data.

Slide 1 – testing capacity and new cases

The first slide shows number of new cases confirmed in the UK and also the level of testing. There were 138,183 tests done yesterday, bringing the total to over 5.7 million. As you can see in this chart, the number of confirmed cases was 1,205. And that is the lowest since the end of March and you can clearly see the 7-day rolling average also continuing to fall.

Slide 2 – admissions and ventilators

The data from hospitals also shows a continued fall. The number of admissions with COVID-19 across England, Wales and Northern Ireland has fallen again to 519 – that’s down from 661 a week ago so we can see the continued downward trend in the number of new daily admissions. And the number of people on mechanical ventilators in UK as a whole is also falling and is now 516.

Slide 3 – overall number of people in hospital

Here we can see the number of people in hospital with COVID on a regional basis. I know there’s been a lot of interest in the regional R figure in recent days. The estimate of SAGE, taking into account all of the evidence is that R is below 1 in all regions.

In all areas the number of people in hospital with coronavirus is falling in all regions – faster in some areas than others. It is on that downward trajectory in each individual case and the total number of people in hospital is 6,403, which is down from over 7,500 this time last week.

Slide 4 – mortality

The number of deaths from coronavirus with a positive test yesterday was 55. That recorded figure is the lowest since 21 March. This data does tend to be lower at weekends so we do expect it to rise again in future, but you can see the 7-day rolling average continues to fall. That means the total number of deaths stands at 40,597.

As I’ve said in the House just now, though the number is much lower than it has been, each of these deaths still represents a tragedy for a family and a community so we will continue all of our work to drive that figure down.

I’m glad to report also that the number of deaths recorded in London hospitals yesterday was 0 and likewise in Scotland there were no recorded deaths – that is very good news for the capital and for Scotland.

All of this data is pointing in the right direction and it shows that we are winning the battle with this disease, but they also show there’s further to go.

Care homes

I will now turn to care homes.

The number of people dying in care homes is also falling.

Figures from the CQC show there’s a 79% fall from the peak of the crisis in care homes the week ending April 24 to weekend ending 29 May, the latest when the data is available. The latest ONS data shows there were 12,739 registered deaths in care homes in the year up to 22 May and this represents 29.1% of all registered COVID deaths.

From the earliest days of this crisis, we recognise that people in social care were uniquely vulnerable. Two-thirds of people in social care are over the age of 85 and the latest data from PHE show that the over 80s are 70 times more likely to die from coronavirus than the under 40s.

I know personally what an anxious time it is, and it has been for anyone with a loved one in social care. Right from the start we’ve given guidance and financial support for care homes, we’ve prioritised testing, we’ve strengthened the links between the NHS and social care with a named clinical lead for every care home in England and we’ve asked councils to conduct daily reviews of the situation on the ground.

And the social care COVID-19 support taskforce, which David will be chairing, will oversee delivery of the next phase of our plan for social care, ensuring care homes have the support, training, resources they need to control this virus. Crucially, this involves working with the care system to develop a plan for keeping staff and residents safe in the months after, as the lockdown measures are eased.

David Pearson brings a wealth of experience in public health and in social care, so I am very glad to have him onboard and he’s perfect for the role of driving this forward over the weeks and months ahead.

I also want to say a word about testing.

Last month I announced that all residents and staff of elderly care homes in England would receive a test by early June regardless of whether they had symptoms or not. And I want to thank my team and those colleagues in social care who delivered that target on time on Saturday. We’ve now sent over 1 million test kits to almost 9,000 elderly care homes and the care homes themselves asked they have the flexibility to do the test when it works for them.

And the good news is that the test results so far do not show a significant rise in positive cases, despite going through and testing all of the residents and staff. Throughout the crisis we’ve been rapidly testing any care home with an outbreak, or any resident or staff member with symptoms. And as we built up testing capacity, we prioritised testing of care homes for the elderly, making sure that every resident and staff member could be tested whether or not they had symptoms. And the reason we did this is because the evidence shows that age is by far the greatest risk factor.

We will now make sure we do all of this in working-age care homes as well.

So, I can announce that from today, all remaining adult care homes in England will be able to order the whole care homes testing service for residents and staff. This service will benefit residents and staff in over 6,000 more care homes.

It’ll mean that right across adult social care, everyone will have the certainty and confidence of a high-quality coronavirus test whether symptomatic or not, certainty about whether or not they’re carrying the virus, and confidence that they’re doing the right thing both to protect themselves and others.

Finally, this is carers week and I want to say a heartfelt thanks to each and every carer, whether paid or unpaid, for all the work they’re doing to support family and friends and loved ones, especially in this time of crisis. Your duty and your devotion to a job that you do with love in incredibly challenging circumstances – they’re a huge inspiration as we work through this crisis together.

I understand what a worrying time it is and it’s not just because of the risk of the virus but because you haven’t been able to physically be with your loved ones.

But that day when we can reunite is getting closer. The curve continues to come down, the NHS has been protected, our vaccine work is making progress, we are winning the battle against coronavirus so please stay alert, control the virus and save lives.

I’m now going to ask David to set out the next steps in the social care action plan and the work to control coronavirus within social care and protect residents and staff that he’ll be leading.

During May, there were zero new detentions of foreign flagged vessels in a UK port.

1. In response to one of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson’s inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping, and in compliance with the EU Directive on Port State Control (2009/16/EC as amended), the Maritime and Coastguard agency (MCA) publishes details of the foreign flagged vessels detained in UK ports each month.

2. The UK is part of a regional agreement on port state control known as the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MOU) and information on all ships that are inspected is held centrally in an electronic database known as THETIS. This allows the ships with a high risk rating and poor detention records to be targeted for future inspection.

3. Inspections of foreign flagged ships in UK ports are undertaken by surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. When a ship is found to be not in compliance with applicable convention requirements, a deficiency may be raised. If any of their deficiencies are so serious, they have to be rectified before departure, then the ship will be detained.

4. All deficiencies should be rectified before departure.

5. When applicable, the list includes those passenger craft prevented from operating under the provisions of the EU Directive on a system of inspections for the safe operation of Ro-Ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft in regular service and amending directive 2009/16/EC and repealing Council Directive 1999/35/EC (Directive EU 2017/2110).

Notes on the list of detentions:

• Full details of the ship: The accompanying detention list shows ship’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) number which is unchanging throughout the ship’s life and uniquely identifies it. It also shows the ship’s name and flag state at the time of its inspection.
• Company: The company shown in the vessel’s Safety Management Certificate (SMC) or if there is no SMC, then the party otherwise believed to be responsible for the safety of the ship at the time of inspection.
• Classification society: The list shows the classification society responsible for classing the ship only.
• Recognised organisation: Responsible for conducting the statutory surveys: and issuing statutory certificates on behalf of the flag state.
• White (WL), grey (GL) and black lists (BL) are issued by the Paris MoU on 01 July each year and shows the performance of flag state.
• Deficiencies: The deficiencies listed are the ones which were detainable. Further details of other deficiencies can be provided on request.

SHIPS DETAINED IN MAY 2020

DETENTIONS CARRIED OVER FROM PREVIOUS MONTHS

Vessel Name: LIVA GRETA

GT: 851

IMO: 8801072

Flag: Lativa (white list)

Company: Liepajas Trading & Shipping Agency Ltd

Classification society: RINA

Recognised organisation: RINA

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and place of detention: 11th January 2020 at Birkenhead

Summary: Nine deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
11113 – Launching arrangements for rescue boats	Inoperative	Yes
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st May 2020

Vessel Name: KUZMA MININ

GT: 16257

IMO: 7721263

Flag: Russian Federation (Grey list)

Company: Murmansk Shipping Co

Classification society: RMRS

Recognised organisation: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and place of detention: 18th December 2018 at Falmouth

Summary: Thirteen deficiencies with six grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA)	Expired	Yes
18314 – Provisions quantity	Insufficient	Yes
01139 – Maritime Labour Certificate	Expired	Yes
01101 – Cargo Ship Safety Equipment (including exemption)	Survey out of window	Yes
10104 – Gyro compass	Inoperative	Yes
01104 – Cargo Ship Safety Radio 9 (including exemption)	Survey out of window	Yes

This vessel was released on 5th May 2020

Vessel Name: POSEIDON

GT: 1412

IMO: 7363217

Flag: Iceland (White list)

Company: Neptune EHF

Classification society: NA

Recognised organisation: NA

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: DNV-GL

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: DNV-GL

Date and place of detention: 19th July 2018 at Hull

Summary: Ten deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
02106 – Hull damage impairing seaworthiness	Holed	Yes
07113 – Fire Pumps	Insufficient Pressure	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st May 2020

Vessel Name: TECOIL POLARIS

GT: 1814

IMO No: 8883290

Flag: Russian Federation (Grey list)

Company: Tecoil Shipping Ltd

Classification society: RMRS

Recognised organisation: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM DOC: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and place of detention: 6th June 2018 at Immingham

Summary: Twenty-seven deficiencies with eight grounds for detentions

Defective item	Nature of defect	Ground for Detention
10105 – Magnetic compass	Inoperative	Yes
10104 – Gyro compass	Inoperative	Yes
11129 – Operational readiness of lifesaving appliances	Not as required	Yes
10127 – Voyage or passage plan	Not as required	Yes
15150 – ISM	Not as required	Yes
11104 – Rescue boats	Not properly maintained	Yes
11101 – Lifeboats	Not ready for use	Yes
01117 – International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP)	Invalid	Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st May 2020

Vessel Name: CIEN PORCIENTO (General Cargo)

GT: 106.

IMO No: 8944446.

Flag: Unregistered.

Company: Open Window Inc.

Classification society: Unclassed.

Recognised organisation: Not applicable.

Recognised organisation for ISM DOC: Not applicable.

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: Not applicable

Date and place of detention: 4 March 2010, Lowestoft

Summary: Thirty deficiencies including seven grounds for detention

This vessel was still detained on 31st May 2020

Notes to Editors • The MCA is a partner in the Sea Vision UK campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the sea and maritime activities. Sea Vision promotes the importance and economic value of the sector and works to highlight the exciting range of activities and career opportunities available to young people within the UK growing maritime sector.

• Follow us on Twitter: @MCA_media

For further information please contact Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office, on: +44 (0) 2380 329 401 Press releases and further information about the agency is available here.

• Teachers and pupils to be voluntarily swab tested as part of new COVID-19 surveillance study
• Up to 100 schools tested across England by end of summer term
• Data used to better understand the rates of transmission within schools

A new voluntary COVID-19 study to assess and monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 among pre-school, primary and secondary school pupils and teachers has been launched by the government.

Public Health England’s (PHE) study will add to data on antibody and virus prevalence already being collected through national surveillance programmes and other nationwide studies, which report weekly.

The initial phase will collect data from up to 100 schools from across England, including 15 schools in London, with results available over the summer.  We are targeting around 200 staff and children at each school.

Data will be fed back to inform a potential second phase study in September.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said:

A critical pillar of our COVID-19 testing strategy is surveillance – testing samples of the population to gain a deeper understanding of the spread of COVID-19, especially in those who may not have symptoms.

This study will help us better understand how common asymptomatic and mild cases of COVID-19 are so that we can support parents, pupils and teachers and support staff, and inform our ongoing response to this new virus.

Generally, children have been shown to be asymptomatic. This surveillance study will seek to better understand rates of transmission in children and adults within schools over the coming months by swab testing to see if they have the virus.

A small proportion of schools will also be offered antibody tests by phlebotomists, medical professionals who are fully trained to collect blood samples from patients. Roughly 40% of schools selected for the study will receive antibody and swab tests before the summer holidays.

Participation from schools is on a voluntary basis, and all parents and guardians will be asked to provide informed consent for their children or dependents prior to testing.

We are working closely with the Department for Education to identify suitable schools who may wish to be part of the initial phase of the study.

Dr Shamez Ladhani, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Consultant, Public Health England, said:

We are delighted this study is up and running in schools across England. By working with students and staff we’ll be able to better understand infection and transmission of asymptomatic and mild infections of COVID-19 that may have otherwise remained undetected.

The results of this study will play an important role in informing wider surveillance planned for educational settings in the autumn term. 

Through active surveillance, contact tracing and the close monitoring of any clusters of cases, we are committed to ensuring the safety of students and staff returning to school in the coming weeks and months.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

We know that being in school is vital for children’s education and their wellbeing.

Last week, primary schools began to welcome back some pupils and secondary schools will begin to do the same from 15 June, as part of our phased and cautious approach to getting children and young people back into the classroom.

Studies like this will be invaluable as we continue moving forward with those plans, and help us assess the next steps for getting all children back into schools, nurseries and colleges with their friends and teachers.

The participating schools will issue invitations to take part in the study and parents or carers will have an opportunity to ask questions and will be encouraged to involve their children and explain how they can help by taking part.

Children will receive age-appropriate information sheets and will be encouraged to co-sign the consent form with their parents or carers.

We want to ensure that pupils and staff receive the best possible care and treatment from clinical staff collecting swab and blood tests. We are seeking Headteacher and parent permissions prior to any data collection

The testing procedures are completely safe. The test to determine whether someone currently has the virus involves swab of the inside of their nose and the back of their throat, using a long cotton bud. Trained paediatric staff will take all blood samples from children. Trained medical professionals will visit schools to carry out the testing.

The antibody test to determine whether someone has had the virus and developed antibodies requires a blood sample.

Surveillance studies form part of pillar 4 of the government’s COVID-19 testing strategy, under which several national level studies have already launched. The studies aim to conduct UK-wide surveillance testing to learn more about the spread of the disease and help inform the development of new tests and treatments.

This new sector-specific study builds on the data being gathered at a national level through swab and antibody tests conducted as part of an Office for National Statistics (ONS) COVID-19 Infection Survey which has tested over 35,000 households to date, and an Ipsos MORI study of 100,000 people looking at rates of antibodies across England. To date these studies have administered over 200,000 tests since the end of April.

• Children who are currently attending primary and secondary school during the lockdown and staff will be invited to participate
• Invitation will be made via schools (through email and/or letters) to staff and parents/guardians
• In all instances, informed consent will be obtained from staff and parents/carers prior to involving the children in the study
• Staff and parents/carers will be provided an information sheet and consent form
• Staff and parents/carers will have an opportunity to ask any questions by telephone, email or in person (on the day of testing)
• PHE will ask parents/carers to involve their children by explaining why this surveillance is being undertaken and how the children can help by taking part. Children will receive age-appropriate information sheets and will be encouraged to co-sign the consent form with their parents/guardians
• Completed consent forms will be stored securely at participating NHS sites
• We will also ask staff and parents/carers for consent to contact them in the future if additional information or sample(s) is required
• Schools are being approached to participate in the study through the Department for Education

It gives me great pleasure today, to open formal trade talks between two of the world’s largest economies; the United Kingdom and Japan, and to do this in partnership with my esteemed colleague His Excellency Toshimitsu Motegi.

Japan is already Britain’s close partner in every respect other than geography. We have a deep respect and mutual appreciation for each other’s culture and traditions.

Our shared history stretches back for hundreds of years. On 16 May this year, we commemorated the 400th anniversary of the death of William Adams, the Miura Anjin, the first Englishman in Japan. He was instrumental in the negotiation of the first UK-Japan Trade Agreement between Tokugawa Ieyasu and King James I, in 1613. He would have recognised a world threatened by plagues and buffeted by economic storms, albeit not one brought together through video conferencing.

I think he would be impressed to see how countries like Japan and the UK are coming together now, cooperating to keep markets flowing and trade open, and shaping the basis of the global economic recovery.

Japan is also the largest economy of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and a natural leader of that organisation.  CPTPP currently represents 13% of global GDP and would increase to more than 16% if the UK were to join. Our Free Trade Agreement with Japan will act as an important milestone towards the UK’s accession to CPTPP, a goal which Japan fully supports.

We embark on these trade talks today because both of our countries believe that the right response to the unprecedented economic challenge posed by coronavirus is to make international trade easier and fairer, not to retreat into protectionism and state domination of the economy.

It was the same unshakeable support for free trade which led Margaret Thatcher to take the UK-Japan relationship to a new level in the 1980s when she encouraged Japanese companies to invest here.

By the end of Mrs Thatcher’s time as Prime Minister, more than 150 Japanese companies had set up manufacturing operations here. They created employment opportunities in areas where traditional coal, steel and shipbuilding industries were in decline. From Sony in South Wales, to Nissan in the North East of England, to Mitsubishi Electric in Scotland, Japanese investments flourished, and helped the UK to do so too. 

The agreement we will negotiate will build on the agreement and achievements of those times.  It will see UK-Japan trade, already £30 billion annually, rise substantially in the years to come.  It will benefit every region and nation of the UK.  It is fitting to launch these talks in the same week that we announce our Future Tech Trade Strategy, since the UK, as a technology superpower, intends this agreement to set a new standard in the enabling of digital technologies and electronic commerce. 

 Of course, we must, as we have agreed, build on the existing EU-Japan agreement. But we are now free to so do more – for example for our world-leading services industries; for our highly innovative SMEs and for British consumers. 

We both share a desire to have this agreement in force by the end of the Transition Period, if at all possible. So after commencing today our teams will move quickly to complete negotiations. Our common goal is for this agreement to serve as the cornerstone of an even stronger relationship between our two great island nations for many years to come.

Thank you