Yasmin Qureshi on Coronavirus Bill in the House of Commons

Yasmin Qureshi on Coronavirus Bill

in the House of Commons on 17 March 2020

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Coronavirus started in China in December 2019 and the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Wuhan the epicentre of coronovirus. Then in February 2020 it spreads to Europe, particularly in Italy in mid-February 2020 and WHO declared Italy the epicentre of Europe. The British Parliament started a debate and discussion on coronavirus in the House of Commons on 17 March 2020. Along with others, Shadow Justice Minister Yasmin Qureshi , MP for Bolton South East joined in the debate and raised some very important issues and concerns such as closure of schools, frontline staff testing, need of ventilators, needs of vulnerable groups, protection and support of insecure workers and those on low pay etc.

Shadow Justice Minister Yasmin Qureshi, 
MP for Bolton South East

Shadow Justice Minister Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East said, “While the Government’s delayed decision finally to ramp up some measures yesterday, I am not alone feeling that far too many major questions have been left unanswered and that not enough is being done. Today’s Financial Times reported that our mortality rate tracker shows that we have more deaths at this stage of the break-out than anywhere except Spain.”

Closing schools

While asking for consideration of closing schools, Labour MP Qureshi said, “A number of questions need to be addressed. Parents with serious health conditions have not been told whether they should send their children to school or keep them at home. What plans the Government have in place to deal with those families and what is the timeline? If they are supposed to self-isolate with their children, what steps should schools take to ensure that those children are not held back at school? What about cases where a school closes and parents cannot work? How will they get paid?”

She maintained, “I want to ask the Government to consider seriously the question of closing schools. I have just received an email from a constituent who says that her son, who is at Salford University, has been sent home for five weeks, but her other son, who is disabled, is still having to attend his primary school. Such inconsistencies need to be addressed.”

Nationalising private hospitals

Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi put forward for consideration of nationalising private hospitals. She said, “We are told that frontline staff are not being tested for coronavirus. Can the Minister confirm whether that is true? If so, what is the Government’s reasoning behind it? We need to know more about NHS capacity. What steps are being taken to move beds from the private sector, and what is the timeline? Will the Government consider following Spain’s example by nationalising all private hospitals?”

Ventilators

Speaking about ventilators, Shadow Justice Minister Qureshi enquired: “What about ventilators? To date, 69 people have died, and everyone knows that those who fall seriously ill as a result of coronavirus will need ventilators – they will be our saving grace, and the one thing that will help prevent deaths. However it seems that we might not have enough ventilators. Germany and Italy are ramping up production of medical ventilators, which cost about $17,000 each. In Italy the army is now involved in the production lines. Can the Minister confirm whether the reports are true that the UK has one small manufacturer of ventilators that has a 40%market share? Will the Government consider giving Ministers specific responsibility for ensuring that UK production is increased urgently by following what Italy has done?”

Vulnerable groups

Talking about the needs of the vulnerable groups, Labour MP Qureshi said, “We also have to deal with older people who are vulnerable in our communities. Many of my constituents are coming together to help out, and it is great to see that community spirit, but there are people who are homeless and food banks are reporting shortages. What provision is being given to help local authorities and voluntary bodies meet the needs of vulnerable groups? Again, we need to know what will be given and what the timeline is?”

Insecure workers and those on low pay

Arguing for the protection and support of the insecure workers and those on low pay, Labour MP Qureshi said, “Insecure workers and those on low pay must be protected and supported through .this crisis. Many people in Bolton are self-employed or on zero-hour contracts. Now that whole households are being advised to quarantine together, many families will lose all their income unless Government step in. We will all be in danger if those with symptoms feel unable to stay at home. If they are not going to have any money, they might take the risk of going to work even though they should be self-isolating. That is why full sick pay is needed to cover the entire period for which someone is in self-isolation, and of course if they are then diagnosed with the virus. That has been done successfully elsewhere in Europe. It is a responsibility that we cannot avoid.”

Deferment of Rent and Mortgage payment

Speaking about the deferment of rent and mortgage payment, Shadow Justice Minister Qureshi argued, “Some people will be unable to pay their bills, so what is the Government’s plan in relation to mortgage payments, rent, council tax, utility bills, VAT and business rates? Are they thinking of cancelling the debt, or saying that people can defer payments? Rent and mortgage payment deferment options should be made available so that landlords cannot evict tenants and mortgage companies cannot take action against people in these circumstances. The Government need to work with the banks and mortgage lenders to offer mortgage payments.”

She maintained, “The same questions about paying staff and bills will apply to businesses that have seen demand plummet, and some are facing bankruptcy. How do the Government propose to help them? How will their policies help those who run out of cash, which is a particular problem for small companies? Of course, other businesses will also be affected.

“At the moment, I am not entirely confident that the Government will move quickly to give workers the support that they will need in the coming months. So far, many of their announcements have not been full enough and have not dealt with all those different issues,” MP Qureshi said.

Hospitality industry

Speaking about the hospitality industry, Labour MP Qureshi mentioned, “Another industry that will be hit is, of course the hospitality industry. A banqueting suite in my constituency is already preparing for cancellations. It will probably go out of business. Pubs, cafes and other such places will be closing down. They may well go out of business, and all their staff will be laid off. Because the Government have not introduced a compulsory lockdown, those businesses cannot even claim insurance. I know this question has already been asked, but I do want to know what the answer is. If it is to stop insurance companies having to make a big payment, then the Government can reach an agreement with them. They can subrogate their losses for what they pay out, which is a traditional way of dealing with some of these matters.”

Universal credit

Speaking on the universal credit, Yasmin Qureshi, MP, argued, “Full sick pay and lost earning protection are needed from day one for all our workers, including insecure workers, low-paid workers, and the self-employed who are self-isolating. The Government must give quick consideration to the issue of compensation, and to how much it should be. There will be a great many job losses. That is why there should be urgent action and a rethink on universal credit, which started some time ago. The five-week waiting time should be cut immediately, and the process of making a claim should be simplified. Will Ministers reconsider the requirement to be present for universal credit interviews, immediately suspend sanctions and claimant agreement, and reduce the waiting time for the first payment?”

“What about all the people who have to go to jobcentres to sign on regularly? Have the jobcentres been told to say that those people do not have to go out for the next few months? That would obviously reduce the number of contacts, said Qureshi and added, “I understand that the Government say that their strategy is being led by scientific advisers when it comes to closures of schools or other places, but over the weekend 200 scientists wrote that that was not a good enough policy, and that the Government should be considering closures to ensure that these were the fewest possible contacts in the UK.

Question of airports and bringing

back British citizens

Shadow Justice Minister Qureshi mentioned about the question of airports and bringing back British citizens. She said, “What are we doing about them? It has already been said that some airlines will be cancelling flights. Of course there are British citizens who are abroad, and who need to come back. What will be done about them? I know that this was raised during Foreign Office questions earlier today, but I think that the Government need to come up with a proper plan for all those people, and some of whom live here and work here, and some of whom are not British nationals but work here.”

Bail-out package to save the economy

Talking about the responsibility of the state and the protection of its citizens, Yasmin Qureshi, MP.,  said, “As a famous political scientist once said, the first responsibility of the state is the protection of its citizens, and at this time the citizens of the United Kingdom need their health, and their economic health, to be looked after. In 2008, the Labour Government invested a substantial amount to bail us out of the economic disasters. I know that people have made this a party political issue, but virtually all economists all world banks and central banks agreed that Labour’s 2008 bail-out package saved our economy. We need that level of intervention now to save our economy. We need to ensure that our people who might be losing their jobs do not lose them, and that companies will be kept afloat. We require the Government to intervene – not in a few weeks’ time, but today.”