Coronavirus UK live: key workers and their families can get tests from Friday, Hancock says

UK death toll rises by 616; Scotland reveals lockdown exit plan; UK ministers under pressure to offer 'hope' about return to normality

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6.04pm BST

The increase in confirmed cases of Covid-19 within prisons continues to slow, according to daily figures released by the Ministry of Justice.

As of 5pm on Wednesday, 300 prisoners had tested positive for the coronavirus across 69 jails, a 2% rise in 24 hours. Fifteen prisoners are known to have contracted the virus and died. There are around 81,500 prisoners in England and Wales across 117 prisons.

6.00pm BST

Jeremy Hunt, the Conservative former health secretary, who has been leading calls for the implementation of a mass contract tracing programme, has welcomed what Matt Hancock has announced today.

I have been pressing for concrete action on contact tracing but today @MattHancock has delivered. With 18,000 people being recruited - alongside widespread testing - we have a clear exit route from the current lockdown & our approach comes much closer to global best practice