THE Health Secretary will today set out which tier each local authority in England falls under after the end of the second national lockdown.
Matt Hancock will make his announcement in Parliament after the Government set out its Covid-19 “winter plan” earlier this week.
What time is Matt Hancock’s speech today?
Matt Hancock is expected to announce England’s tier locations in a Commons statement today, November 26, at 11.30am, according to the Press Association.
His statement will come after the ONS releases its weekly UK Covid-19 infection survey, and the weekly Test and Trace figures are released by the Department of Health.
Mr Hancock’s statement comes before Nicola Sturgeon gives an update on Christmas guidance in Scotland at the First Minister’s Questions, at 12.20pm.
What is he expected to say?
Each area in England will be placed into one of three tiers when lockdown ends on December 2.
But the system has been toughened from the previous regime, meaning more authorities will move into the higher tiers.
On Wednesday night reports suggested there would be few areas in England placed in Tier 1.
The Times reported that parts of eastern England and remote areas in Cornwall and Cumbria are expected to be allocated the lightest measures.
Meanwhile London was expected to go in Tier 2 along with the majority of the country.
Areas placed in Tier 3 will be offered support from NHS Test and Trace and the Armed Forces to deliver a six-week rapid community testing programme, making use of rapid lateral flow tests which give results within an hour.
Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram said he hoped the area – which was the first to enter the highest tier last time – would not return to Tier 3 restrictions.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said it was “more likely than not” his area would be made subject to Tier 3 restrictions.
Meanwhile, Lancashire’s council leaders have submitted a proposal to the Government to divide the county into two different tiers when the lockdown ends next week.
A request has been made for Hyndburn, Rossendale, Burnley, Pendle and Preston to go into Tier 3 restrictions while Fylde, Wyre, Lancaster, Chorley, South Ribble, Ribble Valley and West Lancashire would go into Tier 2.
And London mayor Sadiq Khan said it would be the “right and sensible decision” for the capital to be placed in Tier 2, as he warned that Tier 3 would be a “hammer blow” to businesses.
Areas which make progress in slowing the spread of the virus could still be moved down a tier before Christmas, however, with the first review of the allocations due to take place by December 16.
The Department of Health said decisions on tier levels would be based on a number of factors, including case detection rates in all age groups and, in particular, amongst the over 60s.
How quickly case rates are rising or falling will also be taken into account, as will local pressure on the NHS, including current and projected capacity.
The final decisions will be made by Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the Covid Operations Committee, the Government said.
How can I watch it live?
Mr Hancock’s announcement can be seen on Sky News, and BBC News.
It’s also available via Trending In The News’s Youtube, the Trending In The News’s Live Blog on coronavirus.
