Jobs
Mid-May saw the return of some workers to newly reopened sectors of our economy, as we begin the next phase of our response. Maintaining links between employers and employees makes that return to work possible. The challenge for people not working right now is staying connected to the jobs market. Once engagement slips, people often find themselves drifting away from the world of work, making it harder to get back into the job club. They can suffer a loss of confidence, feel out of touch and their professional network can go quiet. That’s why, as part of the unprecedented action we’re taking to support families, workers and businesses, a key focus is on keeping people involved in the jobs market. The furlough scheme does that by keeping people on payroll, meaning businesses have workforces ready and available as lockdown eases. And through our targeted employment campaign and Skills Toolkit, we’re supporting people to keep learning and improving their employability for the future. On top of that, the National Careers Service has never been more important—offering advice on next steps, from training opportunities to pivoting into a different sector. If people can stay meaningfully connected to the jobs market, it will help us in the long term as we prepare to restart the economy and get the country back up and running at full speed. Mims Davies, Minister for Employment The coronavirus crisis is leaving thousands of families facing financial hardship. We must ensure no one is left behind. Taxi drivers, hairdressers, cleaners, childcare providers and millions more self-employed people have seen their incomes evaporate as people rightly stay at home to save lives. They desperately need the government to support them. That’s why the Liberal Democrats campaigned for a package for the self-employed that is as generous as that for employees, and our pressure paid off. The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme is a lifeline for over two million people. However, it only covers three months’ worth of lost earnings and excludes far too many people, including those who recently became self-employed. Just as for employees, the government must extend this scheme until October, and expand it to cover the many self-employed people who are currently excluded. The self-employed have waited far too long for this support. They must not see it snatched away too early. Ed Davey, Acting leader of the Liberal Democrats_____________________________________
Social care
We are doing everything we can to ensure that the social care sector, its incredible workforce and all those who receive care have the support they need during this unprecedented global outbreak. My thoughts are with all those who have lost a loved one to coronavirus. Every death from this virus is a tragedy. I’d also like to thank all care workers for their compassion, expertise and commitment. We have a comprehensive action plan for social care, ensuring workers on the frontline get the protective equipment they need, with millions of items delivered since the outbreak began. We are providing £3.2bn to local authorities to help them deal with the impacts of the pandemic on public services, including adult social care, and a further £600m Infection Control Fund to reduce transmission of coronavirus in care homes. In addition, the NHS will ensure each care home has a named clinical contact, providing better access to clinical advice through weekly check-ins to review patients, as well as offering fast-track support for staff and supporting them with equipment and medication. Helen Whately, Minister for Care Ten years of austerity have taken their toll and neither the health nor social care systems were in a fit state to face the onslaught of the coronavirus crisis. The sight of Italy’s health system being overwhelmed led to an initial focus on hospital and critical care capacity but, as the lockdown reduces the number of new cases, the real frontline is now in the community, among frail elderly people relying on home care or living in care homes. Scotland has provided free personal care for many years, and integration of health and social care is Scottish government policy, but this crisis has shown just how far we still have to go. It was shocking to realise that some care homes had struggled with Covid-19 outbreaks for weeks without seeking help, even from their GPs. But the epidemic is now breaking down barriers that would normally take years to climb over. Project teams are working with energy and creativity to understand the challenges and establish support networks involving hospital, community and social care staff. Maybe, by the end of this crisis, we can finally achieve real integration of health and social care. Philippa Whitford, SNP Health Spokesperson_____________________________________
Cities
The West Midlands was very quick through the curve and felt the tragic impact of coronavirus early on. The fact that we are a dense urban area with strong transport links and many multi-generational households contributed significantly to this. However, since the lockdown was imposed, the people of the region have shown remarkable responsibility and determination, and our rate of infection and deaths has fallen substantially. A huge thank you must go to hospital trusts, which have done a remarkable job managing demand—so much so that our 4,000-bed temporary Nightingale Hospital has not had to admit one patient. Now the big challenge is how we begin to reboot our previously well-performing economy without risking a second wave and undoing all the hard work. An Economic Contingency Group containing business leaders, trade unions, central government representatives and bankers has been established, which I chair on a weekly basis, and this group will work with the West Midlands Combined Authority and local councils to draw up a recovery plan tailored specifically to the region. We will of course need central government support to aid our economic bounce-back, but regions know their economies better than anyone, and we should be allowed to plot and lead our own recoveries. Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands Covid-19 has tested us unlike anything for over 70 years. It has exposed the inequality in our society and deep flaws in our economy, with those from deprived communities being hit hardest by this terrible virus. We’re going to have to re-imagine how we operate as a city in order to get through this pandemic and build a better future afterwards. Continued social distancing requires a fundamental change in how we get around our city. Our new Streetspace plan aims to transform London, enabling walking and cycling in a way never seen before in our history and ensuring our recovery is clean, green and sustainable. From City Hall, we’ve ensured over 1,000 rough sleepers have been able to safely self-isolate, and launched a crowdfunding initiative to help Londoners support struggling local businesses. But this crisis will require long-term intervention from the government to protect people’s livelihoods. Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London_____________________________________
Domestic violence
Everyone has been affected by the outbreak of Covid-19 and the measures taken to control it, including lockdown. These measures have been absolutely essential. I know, however, that victims of domestic abuse will have had frightening experiences while trapped in their homes with the perpetrators. We have been determined to provide as much support as we can to those who need it. From the #YouAreNotAlone campaign guiding victims to the support available, to boosting funding for helplines, chat rooms and frontline charities, while continuing to drive the Domestic Abuse Bill through parliament, we have prioritised helping people who are living in fear in their homes. There is no excuse for abuse. To any victim of domestic abuse I want you to know that we are here to help and you are not alone. Victoria Atkins, Minister for Safeguarding and Vulnerability Staying home and staying safe is not an option for many people. During this crisis, calls to Refuge’s national domestic abuse helpline have increased almost 50 per cent and the service’s website traffic has shot up 150 per cent. In the first three weeks of lockdown, 16 people lost their lives to domestic violence. The need to act could not be more pressing. I led a cross-party group of MPs who pressed the home secretary on the need for the government to pay for empty hotels for those at risk, for local authorities to have ring-fenced funding for refuges and support services and to lift the “stay at home” rule for those at risk. Some progress has been made but support remains piecemeal. The same applies to the Domestic Abuse Bill. The UK must enshrine in law the Istanbul Convention, a human rights treaty on preventing and combatting domestic abuse, and guarantee support for all survivors—particularly children and young people for whom witnessing domestic abuse can be a lifelong trauma, and for migrant women, who should feel secure that reporting violence will not risk their immigration status. Christine Jardine, Liberal Democrat Equalities Spokesperson_____________________________________
Universities
There has been a sharp focus on the impact of Covid-19 on our schools, but we must not forget the consequences for our higher education students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. A-Level cancellations, disruption to outreach programmes, a lack of access to online learning and finance problems all add to the risk of disadvantaged people not being able to climb the education ladder of opportunity. There is now a chance to rethink the model and design of degrees offered by our universities. Funding should be conditional on meeting skills needs. Degrees need a sharper focus on work experience and skills, and institutions should link up with further education and university technical colleges. Degree apprenticeships, where students earn while they learn, should be the jewel in the crown of a revamped offering and should make up half of all degrees. Students embarking on higher education must be sure that they are getting value for money and will have a good chance of quality, skilled graduate employment, with higher education meeting our country’s skills needs. Robert Halfon, Chair, Education Committee The immediate threat is the widely predicted, but as yet unquantified, drop in international student numbers. This will hit universities’ finances, but no one knows exactly how hard. Instead of underwriting the finances for the year, the government chose instead to bring forward the payment of student tuition fees. This does nothing to address the underlying loss of income in the long term and universities are being forced to set budgets in the dark. This promises only job losses, downsizing and even the potential loss of institutions that are anchors in their communities and will be vital in their training and reskilling. Cuts may be deeper than necessary in some cases, as those institutions without deep pockets err on the side of caution. The government should ensure this national resource is financially secure and work with those in the sector to prepare a road map out of the current crisis. Emma Hardy, Shadow Education Minister_____________________________________
Courts
The biggest challenge coronavirus presents for the courts is the backlog of jury trials in the Crown Courts. The very limited resumption announced will only scratch the surface of this. Lengthy delays mean extra strain for victims, defendants and witnesses, and a greater risk of miscarriages of justice as memories may fade or evidence deteriorates. The government must make an emergency injection of money into the court system, bringing in many more part-time judges (recorders), who have been underused recently, and paying for adaptations to court buildings to ensure social distancing while it is still needed. The courts will need to sit flat out for months to catch up, and that also means more support to keep barristers’ chambers and solicitors’ firms afloat who do criminal legal aid at a time when their cashflows have been decimated. Bob Neill, Chair, Justice Committee There were more than one million outstanding cases in criminal courts, family courts, magistrates’ courts and tribunals before the Covid-19 crisis struck. That number will have soared throughout the last four months. There are many more in the civil court system. These extraordinary figures are the legacy of the courts closure programme, reduced sitting hours, and a shortage of magistrates and translators. Add to that the suspension of many courts as a result of Covid-19 and it is clear the system is in crisis. The use of virtual courts is part of the answer—but these must guarantee full and proper access to justice for everyone, and not exclude those who do not have the required technology. The government must halt the closure programme, maximise court sittings in safe environments, urgently recruit more magistrates and guarantee open justice. Alex Cunningham, Shadow Justice Minister_____________________________________
