Yorkshire MP calls for children's time away from school not be 'drawn out for any longer than is absolutely necessary'

Boris Johnson previously said that if the vaccination programme went well, it may be possible to open schools from early March.

And at Prime Minister’s Questions today (Wednesday), York Outer Conservative MP Julian Sturdy said: “Can the Prime Minister confirm today that all students will be back in school no later than March 8 and commit to starting any phased return straight after half term so that the really damaging effects of being away from school are not drawn out for any longer than is absolutely necessary?”

Mr Johnson replied: “I can certainly confirm that we’re going to do everything we can – I know that that is the settled will of most people in this House – to get our kids… schoolchildren back on March 8 if we possibly can.

He added that “in the week of the 22nd we’ll be setting out a road map and setting out the way forward for schools”.

But he also said the country will have to “get used” to the idea of re-vaccinating in the autumn as the UK faces new Covid-19 variants, in answer to another Yorkshire parliamentarian.

Conservative former minister and Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith asked in the Commons: “Can (Mr Johnson) update the House on where the UK stands on ensuring that the UK supply chain is in place and that we don’t get behind as the virus mutates?”

Mr Johnson responded: “We recently announced an agreement for 50 million doses with the manufacturer CureVac because we believe that may help us to develop vaccines that can respond at scale to new variants of the virus.

“And as the House will have heard from the chief medical officer and the deputy chief medical officer and others, I think we’re going to have to get used to the idea of vaccinating and then re-vaccinating in the autumn as we come to face these new variants.”

The Prime Minister also urged Labour to get behind measures announced yesterday on border security during the pandemic, which come into effect from Monday and include up to 10 years in prison for people who try to evade the rules in England.

Travellers also face charges of £1,750 to quarantine for 10 days in Government-designated hotels if they return to England from 33 “red list” destinations.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer pressed Mr Johnson to go further on borders and to extend the furlough scheme, business rates relief and VAT cuts for the hospitality sector.

The Prime Minister did not answer when asked about furlough running beyond April, and advised Sir Keir to wait for the Budget on March 3 to learn about business rates.

Sir Keir also accused Mr Johnson of appearing to “change policy pretty well every day” on decisions over securing the UK border against Covid-19 variants, adding that Oxford University research suggests the country lags behind others when it comes to such restrictions.

He asked: “50 days after we first discovered the South African variant, how does the Prime Minister explain that?”

Mr Johnson replied: “There are some countries in Europe which don’t even have a hotel quarantine scheme such as the one we’re putting in on Monday.

“We have amongst the toughest border regimes anywhere in the world.

“People should understand that on a normal day at this time of year you could expect about 250,000 to be arriving in this country. We’ve got it down to about 20,000 – 5,000 of them who are involved in bringing in vital things into this country, such as medicines and food.

“Unless he actually wants to cut this country off from the rest of the world – which I think last week he said he didn’t want to do, unless of course he’s changed his mind again – I think this policy is measured, proportionate, it’s getting tougher from Monday and I hope he supports it.”

Sir Keir countered: “The Prime Minister is failing to give security to British businesses and he’s failing to secure our borders.”

The Labour leader outlined his proposals to help businesses alongside a “comprehensive” hotel quarantine scheme for arrivals.

He asked: “No more delays, would he do it?”

Mr Johnson said the Government had announced a hotel quarantine policy, adding: “I’m delighted he’s supporting business in his latest stunt of bandwagoneering, not a policy for which he was famous before.”

The PM also confirmed the Government plans to develop the eastern leg of HS2, which would stretch up to Leeds.

Labour MP Ian Mearns (Gateshead) said during PMQs it is “crucial” that the eastern leg of the high speed rail project goes ahead “not just for Yorkshire and the East Midlands, but also for the North East”.

He added: “The Prime Minister has made repeated promises to the people of the North East of his intention to level up and to connect and create opportunities for people here in places like Gateshead.

“So as we strive to recover from the damage done to so many families and businesses by the pandemic, will the Prime Minister commit to beginning the work on the eastern leg of HS2, starting in the North East, to run simultaneously with the construction in the South, so that our region is not forced to wait another couple of decades for 21st century rail connectivity?”

Mr Johnson replied: “I can certainly confirm that we are going to develop the eastern leg as well as the whole of HS2 and (Mr Mearns) will be hearing a lot more about what we’re going to do with our national infrastructure revolution, about what we’re going to do to improve not just rail transport, but road transport as well in the North East.”