Everything Matt Hancock said on Greater Manchester's latest restrictions

Police and firefighters are to be used as contact tracers in bid to dodge Greater Manchester lockdown.The proposals are contained in a letter sent to Matt Hancock by the mayor today Greater Manchester plans to use the police and fire service to track down thousands of people being missed by the national test and trace service as it seeks to stave off any kind of ‘blanket lockdown’. It also wants to provide its own temporary ‘self isolation’ fund for people who cannot afford to stay at home due

here"Of course, as I have said repeatedly, there are operational challenges but thousands of people every day are being tested in Manchester in order to get a grip of the outbreak there."Debbie Abrahams, Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, raised issues around local contact tracing in Greater Manchester and accused the government of 'still not getting the basics right'."I don't underestimate the challenges that the health secretary has faced over the last few months," she told MPs."But

coronavirus infection rates soar in the last few weeks. Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust both recorded one more death.The total number of coronavirus deaths at hospital trusts in Greater Manchester, as of Friday, September 11, currently stands at: Meanwhile in Greater Manchester, the latest figures show there are sharp increases in coronavirus infection rates in every single borough.

Andy Burnham has slammed health secretary Matt Hancock for the way the government has announced a string of new coronavirus restrictions affecting Greater Manchester.The region’s mayor says the approach has kept local leaders in the dark and led to ‘anxiety and confusion’ among residents.He said he fears ministers are in danger of ‘losing the public’ and is calling for a return to daily briefings led by expert scientists and medics.Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Mr

Have your say on the local lockdown measures in our survey:"Of course the national measures which were announced yesterday will come into force in Greater Manchester, it's very important that people follow them."We took further action in Bolton.

One Manchester student said he cycled 13 miles and visited three different testing centres before eventually managing to get a coronavirus test.Many trying to access a test online have been met with the error message: “This service is currently very busy. More tests should be available later.

but was told the closest facility open to him was Llandudno in Wales - 80 miles away.

coronavirus cases.The latest data on coronavirus infection rates shows an increase in every Greater Manchester borough except Trafford.Bolton's rate continues to soar and has now reached 121.7 cases per 100,000 people.On Friday (September 4) health secretary Matt Hancock said that the easing has been made possible due to the hard work of 'residents, communities and local authorities', to bring infection rates down.He announced that casinos, bowling alleys and other leisure facilities can re-open

hereThey include Neil Traynor, 37, of Mosspark Road, Stretford; Frances Henderson, 21, of Alan Road, Withington; Meredith Dickenson, 22, of Liverpool Road, Manchester; and Hamish Haynes, 46, of Quarry Clough, Stalybridge.All have been bailed with conditions to appear at Liverpool Knowsley and St Helens Magistrates' Court on January 8 and 13.Their bail conditions include not to enter Merseyside and not to contact any witness or News International employees by self, servant or agent.Get breaking

hereHealth Secretary Matt Hancock has said that the easing has been made possible due to the hard work of 'residents, communities and local authorities', to bring infection rates down.He added that 'further work' is now underway with local leaders in Bolton, which for now remains subject to more stringent measures, after infection rates soared in the borough.Mr Hancock said: “I’m very glad we’ve been able to make this change, working with local councils, because local lockdowns are working to

explained why Trafford and Bolton will now stay under existing Greater Manchester coronavirus restrictions.The government U-turn comes 'following a significant change in the level of infection rates over the last few days', says Health and Care Secretary Matt Hancock.The boroughs were due to be released from additional Greater Manchester measures, along with Stockport, today.In a statement, Mr Hancock said the decision was based on figures which showed that infection rates had doubled in

'sudden, concerning and unpredicted', has prompted council and health leaders to call an emergency meeting on Tuesday morning. Separate government figures show there were 40 new cases recorded on Thursday in Bolton.

will continue to be advised to avoid mixing with anyone from anther household anywhere.

Trafford has gone back up sharply in the last couple of days. The weekly case total is now over 25 per 100,000 people, which takes the borough above the threshold to be placed on amber alert on the government watchlist for local intervention.The data published this afternoon gives infection rates up to Tuesday August 25 as there is a 3-4 day delay for cases to be fully reported.

The government has announced that more boroughs of Greater Manchester are following Wigan out of local lockdown after the latest review.Today, health secretary Matt Hancock announced that Trafford, Stockport and Bolton would be released from the additional measures covering the majority of Greater Manchester, and other areas of the north.It comes after restrictions were lifted in Wigan bringing the borough in line with the rest of England from Wednesday (August 26) after last week's

hereIt is understood restrictions will be lifted next week.

reviewed the blanket restrictions across the whole of the region and decided to make two key changes.

hereThe infection rate across nine out of the ten boroughs is continuing to fall."I think we are beginning to see the numbers move in the right direction and that includes Oldham, which saw a noticeable fall in the number of cases this week, and we have begun to see falls in other Greater Manchester boroughs as well," Mr Burnham told the BBC."We had the restrictions introduced about three weeks ago and I would say we have begun to see these restrictions are now working, so fingers crossed we can