Parliament could shut its doors for months under emergency government plans to tackle the spread of the coronavirus.
It follows the UK’s biggest day-on-day increase in cases, with 87 people now confirmed to have the disease.
MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee committee are due to question England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty on Thursday as to how well prepared the UK is to deal with the impact of a possible global pandemic.
Downing Street has confirmed that Boris Johnson is in talks with the parliamentary authorities about a possible shutdown if the outbreak continues to get worse.
One option is for parliament’s Easter recess, due to start on March 31, to be brought forward. Another is for MPs and peers not to return after Easter, with the Commons and Lords suspended until September.
news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-could-shut-down-parliament-for-months-11949892