Good afternoon.

Thank you for joining us for today’s daily briefing on coronavirus.

I would like to update you all on the government’s plan to defeat the virus and on the latest developments.

I am joined once again by our Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, and the Chief Scientific Advisor, Sir Patrick Vallance.

From the very beginning of this crisis I have followed the advice of our world-leading scientists.

To defeat coronavirus by taking the right measures at the right time.

What everyone needs to recognise is that our NHS – like any world-class health service – has only limited numbers of doctors, nurses and specialist equipment.

So, the more people who become sick at any one time, the harder it is for the NHS to cope.

And so it is vital to delay the spread of the disease and reduce the number of people needing hospital treatment at any one time.

That is why we have given the clear instruction that people must stay at home – unless they have one of the reasons we have set out.

And, with your help we will slow the spread of the disease.

I want to thank everyone who has been following the clear rules that we set out on Monday.

And I want to thank everyone in the NHS, the front line of the fight against coronavirus.

And of course all our public services.

Our teachers and our school staff, the transport workers, police officers,

And everyone who is keeping this country going.

But I also want to offer a special thank you to everyone who has now volunteered to help the NHS.

When we launched the appeal last night we hoped to get 250,000 over a few days.

But I can tell you that in just 24 hours 405,000 people have responded to the call.

They will be driving medicines from pharmacies to patients.

They will be bringing patients home from hospital.

Very importantly they’ll be making regular phone calls to check on and support people who are staying on their own at home.

And they will be absolutely crucial in the fight against this virus.

That is already – in one day – as many volunteers as the population of Coventry.

And so, to all of you, and to all the former NHS staff who are coming back now into the service.

I say thank you on behalf of the entire country.

Now I want to take some questions but finally I want to remind everyone of our core policy:

Stay at home

Protect the NHS

And save lives.

Letter from the Minister for Local Government and Homelessness, Luke Hall, to hotel chief executives regarding the exemption for hotels, hostels and B&Bs to open so as to offer accommodation to support key workers and vulnerable people.

As part of the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, certain businesses, including retail selling non-essential goods, and other venues must close. Hotels, hostels and B&Bs going about normal business are included.

However there are exceptions, such as providing accommodation to key workers and vulnerable people. Where hotels, hostels, and B&Bs are providing rooms to support homeless people, through arrangements with local authorities and other public bodies, they should remain open. Rooms may also be provided to frontline homelessness workers who are included in the key worker category.

The guidance, has been updated to make these exceptions clear.

Plans are in place so ship owners can continue to use UK Ship Register registration services throughout the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

A Marine Information Notice (MIN 614) has been issued, offering guidance to Ship Owners on how to continue with their applications for registering, renewing registration or de-registering a vessel, as well as for those applying for Civil Liabilities Certificates and Continuous Synopsis Records.

Full information can be found at MIN 614 (M+F) Coronavirus (COVID-19) – UK Ship Register approach to registration services for UK Vessels

One of the directors of a recycling firm in Slack Lane, Derby that persistently breached its waste permit and triggered the widespread suffering of its neighbours by causing their homes and businesses to become filled with flies has been sentenced following a prosecution by the Environment Agency.

Warren Steele, 41 of Burnham Road, Doncaster, a director of Shows Waste Management Ltd, was given a Community Order with a requirement to carry out 80 hours unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £10,000 towards the prosecution costs in a case heard at Derby Crown Court on Tuesday 17 March 2020.

Between the summer of 2015 and the summer of 2016, the company operated in breach of its permit by storing excessive amounts of inappropriate waste, which caused an adverse effect on the quality of life of people living nearby and on local businesses in the form of black flies and bad odour.

Large amounts of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) waste was brought onto the site, shredded and stored in ways not permitted by their permit.

A request for a variation to the company’s permit to add RDF waste was turned down by the Environment Agency in October 2015. However, when officers visited the site they found the processing and storage of RDF had already begun. Other waste not permitted under the permit, including 200 tonnes of ground refrigerator foam in plastic bales, was also stored on site.

From November 2015 until April 2016, the Environment Agency received numerous reports of an increase in black flies in the area and complaints about odour.

On visiting the site, officers found that a number of permit restrictions had been breached: large numbers of baled RDF waste had been stored on site and were present for a number of weeks due to transport issues; there was shredding and trommelling of waste on site; and a large pile of waste steaming within the main building had been present for longer than the 48 hours allowed.

Officers worked with the operator of the site to ensure the bales of waste were removed and an insecticide would be used to combat the fly issue. A final visit by officers in August 2016 found all necessary waste had been removed and the site had been cleared.

Pete Haslock, Enforcement Team Leader at the Environment Agency, said:

We hope that this result will send a clear message to waste recycling operators that we will always take action to protect the environment and ensure that waste recycling companies are operating within their permit.

Numerous breaches of the permit held by Shows Waste Management were carried out between 2015 and 2016, which resulted in significant fly infestations and had a considerable impact on the local community. We received a significant number of complaints regarding large numbers of flies entering residents’ houses and businesses as well as odours emanating from the site.

We are actively targeting illegal waste activities across the country and urge all those seeking to become involved in the waste industry to ensure they have the appropriate permits and authorisations in place before commencing their operations.

Businesses and householders should carry out checks to ensure that they are using legitimate companies to deal with their waste. To check if a waste carrier is genuine visit: gov.uk

Anyone who suspects a company is operating illegally can call the Environment Agency 24/7 on 0800 80 70 60 or report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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