This is when schools will reopen to all students in Leeds as dates for outdoor sports announced

Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi, appearing on Good Morning Britain, said all school children will return to the classroom on March 8.

The minister also announced four criteria for relaxing the lockdown to be met.

> Here are the Leeds areas which are almost free of Covid as Boris Johnson set to announce end of lockdown road mapMr Zahawi said: "March the 8th is when we want to see all schoolchildren back to school.

"There are four tests that we will continue to monitor.

"One is that the vaccine rollout continues.

"We have got more ambitious and brought the date forward.

"Last time I was on your program we were talking about May for all over 50s to be vaccinated that is now mid April and all adults by the end of July.

"The second test is that the vaccine efficacy is clear and that it is reducing [serious illness, hospitalisation and death].

"Three is then making sure that infection rates continue to be under control.

"So as we open up more of the economy we don't see infection rates rising to a level unsustainable for the NHS .

"Fourth is any variants we then rapidly keep under control.

> LiveLeeds news LIVE: Latest updates as Boris Johnson set to announce end of lockdown strategy todayThe minister also told LBC radio that outdoor sports are due to return on March 29, including organised team sports, but declined to say when gyms could reopen.

He said: “The simple way to look at this is that outdoor is safer and therefore we prioritise versus indoor."

“Outdoor sports – tennis, golf, outdoor organised team sports, grassroots football – will go back on March 29.”

Pushed on when gyms and fitness centres could reopen, he added: “At the moment, it’s outdoors versus indoors.

"Outdoors is the priority because it’s where the transmission rates are much, much, much lower.”

What will happen in future steps in the road map?

The longer-term picture of the Government’s plans is as yet unclear.

Previous speculation placed non-essential shops alongside outdoor recreation and socialising as the next areas targeted for easing after schools.

Various reports also suggested hospitality could return at some point between the Easter weekend and May, with an initial focus on outdoor provision.

Elsewhere, it was claimed ministers were looking at plans for people who live in the same household to be allowed to go on holiday breaks together from April.

More details may yet be revealed by the Prime Minister on Monday, while much will depend on the success of the vaccine rollout and the Government’s ongoing assessment of Covid-related data.

– How is the Government reaching its decisions over easing restrictions?

The Prime Minister said his road map will contain four tests for easing restrictions.

The Government will take into account the success of the vaccines rollout, whether there is evidence they are reducing hospital admissions and deaths, the level of infection rates and the presence of any new Covid variants.

Such data will be examined ahead of each step along the road map before measures are unlocked any further.