Government publishes list of "key workers" whose children will continue to be cared for at school as Covid-19 spreads

The Government published a list of "key workers" in the early hours of Friday whose children will continue to be cared for at school amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The "key workers" list was expected to be published on Thursday, with those included anticipated to be NHS staff, police and supermarket delivery drivers.

Marks & Spencer has put all pay rises on hold and cancelled all discretionary spending as it warned that its clothing and home businesses will take a severe hit from the coronavirus pandemic.

The retailer, which said that it was still on track to reach its full-year forecasts until this week, warned that profit before tax is likely to be at the lower end of its predicted £440 million to £460 million due to the "probable very depressed trading in clothing and home".

The business said that its food arm had performed better as customers stock up, however its focus on fresh and chilled food means customers are turning elsewhere for some of their key, long-lasting, products.

The board also said it does not expect to pay a dividend this year. It will cut planned capital spending to £80 million from a budget of £400 million and will work to grow online.

M&S said in a statement: "Whilst we remain confident that the post-crisis future of the business and our transformation programme remains as strong as ever, trading over the next nine to 12 months in our clothing and home and international businesses is likely to be severely impacted.

"As a result, it is not possible to provide meaningful guidance on future earnings, although we are taking every step to secure future value for shareholders, colleagues and suppliers."

The chairman of Wetherspoons has said that a decline in sales was accelerated when Prime Minister Boris Johnson told people to stay away from pubs.

After rising in previous weeks, sales fell by 4.5% in the week to March 15 and the slowdown has picked up further since the Prime Minister's statement, Tim Martin said.

It came as the business reported profit before tax rose 15% to £57.9 million in the half-year to January 26 on revenue of £933m.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that coronavirus will keep spreading as long as people continue to socialise.

Speaking on talkRadio, Mr Hancock said: "If you stay at home you are saving lives.

"I know, of course, this is a more dangerous disease for older people but not exclusively, some young people get it too.

"But, more importantly, the more that people continue to go out and continue to socialise, the more it will spread and the longer we're going to have to keep these measures in place.

"So, we're urging people to follow the public health advice. In the emergency Bill that's in front of Parliament right now, we are taking the powers to be able to enforce these measures, so we can make it happen by law if we need to.

"I'd rather not do that and the evidence so far is that the vast majority of people are following the advice, are doing what is sensible and right."

The company said it was cancelling its interim dividend, which had been 4p a year earlier.

Mr Martin said: "It is obviously very difficult to predict, in these circumstances, how events will unfold in future weeks and months, but we now anticipate profits being below market expectations, so long as the current health scare continues.

"As a result of this uncertainty, it is impossible to provide realistic guidance on our performance in the remainder of the financial year.

"The company has decided to delay most capital projects and to reduce expenditure, where possible, including the cancellation of the interim dividend.

"As a result of these actions, combined with the Government's proposals on business rates relief and credit guarantee facilities, the company believes it has sufficient liquidity to maintain operations at a substantially lower level of sales."

Mr Hancock said some retired medics who return to work in the NHS to fight the coronavirus will be able to come "straight back in".

Asked on the BBC's Breakfast programme when workers could return to the NHS, he said: "Well, over the next couple of weeks because for some they'll have very recently left and they can come straight back in, their annual training's been up-to-date and they can just restart.

"Imagine if you've left at Christmas, for instance, you can restart straight away. For others who have been out for a little bit longer, they may need more of a refresher because, of course, it's vital that we keep people safe, that's the whole point of the NHS.

"So the letter will go out today, we'll then be engaging individually with all those who respond and I very much hope that many, many thousands will respond.

"From those I've talked to, I think people can see just how important this is. The training will happen for those who need it over the next couple of weeks, at the same time we'll allocate people to a hospital near them because there's a logistical exercise here as well."

Mr Hancock suggested that tougher measures could have to be brought in if people do not follow the Government's advice.

He told the BBC's Breakfast programme: "What I can say is that if people follow the advice, stay home which saves lives and if they keep apart from others, more than two metres, more than six foot, then we can tackle this and we can turn the tide.

"The scientists advise that we can turn the tide in 12 weeks if people follow the advice. If people don't follow the advice, then it'll be longer and we might have to bring more and tougher measures."

He added: "We have brought these measures in earlier than Italy did in terms of where they're up to with the number of cases.

"But we're absolutely clear that if we need to, we have the powers, in fact we've got a Bill in front of Parliament now to strengthen those powers further.

"But I think it's far better if people follow the advice."

The first case of coronavirus on the Isle of Man has been confirmed.

In a statement, the Isle of Man Government said: "A patient on the island has tested positive for coronavirus.

"The patient had recently returned to the Isle of Man from a trip to Spain.

"The public health team has been in touch with the patient to provide advice and support, and will start contact tracing."

Maria Caulfield, the Conservative MP for Lewes and a former nurse, tweeted: "I will be returning to the front line in the NHS to support the fight against the coronavirus, important we all help where we can."

Mr Hancock said the Government is looking "very, very closely" at why there is a coronavirus hotspot in the Midlands.

Asked on Sky News about 28 deaths recorded in the West Midlands, Mr Hancock said: "There is a hotspot, not as big as in London, but there is a hotspot in the Midlands.

"It's something that we're looking at very, very closely to find out why, frankly.

"I mean, the spread of a disease like this does tend to be in areas of hotspot and then broadening out from them.

"What we've got to do ... is to respond as well as possible."

The list has eight categories:

Health and social care

Includes frontline health and social care staff - such as doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, as well as support and specialist staff in the health and social care sector. In addition, those working in supply chains, including producers and distributors of medicines and personal protective equipment, are included.

Education and childcare

Includes nursery, teaching staff and social workers, as the department said these workers are required to deliver their plans.

Key public services

Those required to run the justice system, religious staff, as well as those responsible for managing the deceased and journalists providing public service broadcasting are on the list.

Local and national government

The list "only includes administrative occupations essential to the effective delivery of the COVID-19 response or delivering essential public services", including payment of benefits.

Food and other necessary goods

Includes those involved in the production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery of food.

Public safety and national security

Police, support staff, Ministry of Defence civilian staff and armed forces personnel are on the list, along with fire and rescue staff, as well as those responsible for border security, prison and probation staff.

Transport

Includes those who will keep "air, water, road and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating during the COVID-19 response".

Utilities, communication and financial services

Staff required to keep oil, gas, electricity, water and sewerage operations running are on the list, along with those in the civil nuclear, chemical and telecommunications sectors. Those in postal services and working to provide essential financial services provision are also included.

The parents of vulnerable children are the other group of people allowed to continue sending their children to school.