Coronavirus: Parliament to return on 21 April
Parliament will still return after the Easter recess, the government has confirmed, following calls for a return of the House to debate key coronavirus measures.
A spokeswoman for leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg said parliament will resume on 21 April, with “technological solutions” being prepared for consideration next week.
“Parliament will return on 21 April to fulfil its essential constitutional functions of conducting scrutiny, authorising spending and making laws,” the spokeswoman said.
“It is important that we have a comprehensive solution that does not inadvertently exclude any members.”
MPs had previously agreed to return to the House on 21 April, but Labour yesterday demanded “urgent talks” with the government to recall parliament.
Newly-elected leader of the opposition Sir Keir Starmer has written to Rees-Mogg calling for parliament to resume in order to “subject government decisions and ministers to proper scrutiny”.
Starmer said Labour would support the government in the fight against coronavirus but would also ask “difficult and searching questions where that is necessary”.
The Labour leader said the government’s lockdown exit strategy, the availability of testing and personal protective equipment (PPE) and support for businesses and employees were among the issues that had to be debated.
Rees-Mogg’s spokeswoman said the leader of the House would respond to Starmer’s letter “in the usual way”.
It comes as the UK coronavirus death toll nears 10,000, with health experts warning of a significant rise in the coming week.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday said he “owed his life” to the NHS staff who treated him for coronavirus.
Johnson spent three nights in intensive care in St Thomas’ Hospital after his condition deteriorated.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has stood in as deputy during the Prime Minister’s absence.