The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020

UK Statutory Instrument 2020 No. 350 — creates 3 criminal offences.

3offences created

0recorded in force

3revoked

Made: 26 March 2020
In force from: 26 March 2020
Extent: Not stated
Subject: COVID-19 emergency legislation (2020-2022)
Made under: 1984 (c. 22), Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations) — published with the instrument by the department that made it. © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

These Regulations require the closure of businesses selling food or drink for consumption on the premises, and businesses listed in Part 2 of Schedule 2, to protect against the risks to public health arising from coronavirus, except for limited permitted uses. Restrictions are imposed on businesses listed in Part 3 of Schedule 2, which are permitted to remain open. The Regulations also prohibit anyone leaving the place where they live without reasonable excuse, and ban public gatherings of more than two people. The closures and restrictions last until they are terminated by a direction given by the Secretary of State. The need for these restrictions must be reviewed by the Secretary of State every 21 days, with the first review taking place by 15th April 2020. No impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations.

Offences created by this instrument

A person who— a without reasonable excuse contravenes a requirement in regulation 4, 5, 7 or 8, or b contravenes a… regulation 9(1) · Revoked, but still prosecutable · Strict liability
A person who obstructs, without reasonable excuse, any person carrying out a function under these Regulations commits… regulation 9(2) · Revoked, but still prosecutable · Strict liability
A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes a direction given under regulation 8, or fails to comply with a… regulation 9(3) · Revoked, but still prosecutable · Strict liability

What Parliament said about it

Contributions, debates and written statements mentioning this instrument by name. Parliamentary material is reused under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 Lords · Lords Chamber · 12 May 2020
Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 Lords · Lords Chamber · 14 May 2020
Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 Commons · General Committees · 10 June 2020 · The Minister for Care (Helen Whately)
I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020, No. 500). It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. These amending regulations were made by the Secretary of State on 13 May and are rightly being brought before the Committee today for the scrutiny and debate that they require. The regulations made amendments to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, which, as amended, remain exceptional measures, brought forward to reflect…
Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 Lords · Lords Chamber · 15 June 2020 · The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Lord Bethell) (Con) [V]
My Lords, the amending regulations we are discussing were made by the Secretary of State on 13 May. These remain an exceptional and necessary package of measures brought forward to protect public health. As noble Lords will be aware, we have been moving—in the phrase of the moment—at pace. The regulations we are debating have been amended two further times since, on 31 May and 12 June. This is an unusual situation, so I will address this early in my speech because I know that it is a cause of concern. This sequencing has been a necessary consequence of the speed at which the Government have…
Coronavirus: Easing of Restrictions Commons · Written Statements · 16 June 2020 · The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock)
On 26 March 2020, the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 came into force, imposing restrictions on people’s movements and gatherings, and requiring the closure of certain retail and public premises, in the interest of public health in light of the coronavirus pandemic. On 13 May and 1 June, we introduced some cautious easements of some of the measures in the regulations, in order to begin reopening the economy and returning to normal life, while continuing to protect the NHS and save lives. Taking into account scientific advice and the Government’s…
Coronavirus Update Commons · Written Statements · 7 July 2020 · The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock)
On 26 March 2020, the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 came into force, imposing restrictions on people’s movements and gatherings, and requiring the closure of certain retail and public premises, to protect public health in light of the coronavirus pandemic. We have kept these regulations under continual review and have amended these regulations four times. On 23 June 2020, the Prime Minister announced in Parliament the changes being made following the fourth review of the coronavirus regulations. Due to the substantial changes being made at this…
Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2020 Lords · Lords Chamber · 24 July 2020 · The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Lord Bethell) (Con)
My Lords, I beg to move that these regulations on the Order Paper, in the name of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, be approved. I will start with a short summary of the social distance regulations, because there are numerous regulations, some amendments and some overlapping timelines, which it is helpful to clarify. The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020—the major lockdown regulations—were introduced, as noble Lords will remember, on 26 March. These regulations outlined restrictions on gatherings and required…
Covid-19 Update Commons · Written Statements · 8 September 2020 · The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Matt Hancock)
On 26 March 2020, the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 came into force, imposing restrictions on people’s movements and gatherings, and requiring the closure of certain retail and public premises, in the interest of public health in light of the coronavirus pandemic. These regulations were revoked and replaced by the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2020 on 4 July. Further regulations were introduced in localised areas to tackle the spread of coronavirus in hot spots. The Health Protection (Coronavirus,…
Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (Obligations of Undertakings) (Amendment) (England) Reg Commons · Written Statements · 30 September 2020 · The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Nadhim Zahawi)
On 26 March 2020, the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 came into force, imposing restrictions on people’s movements and gatherings, and requiring the closure of certain retail and public premises, in the interest of public health in light of the coronavirus pandemic. A review of these regulations must take place at least every 28 days to ensure the restrictions remain necessary. Those regulations are now referred to as the No.2 regulations, given amendments made. They were last amended on Thursday 24 September 2020. Separately, BEIS’ regulations: the…
Public Health Commons · Commons Chamber · 6 October 2020 · The Minister for Care (Helen Whately)
I beg to move, That the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2020 (S.I., 2020, No. 986), dated 13 September 2020, a copy of which was laid before this House on 14 September, be approved. I will start with a short summary of the social distancing regulations, as context for this debate. The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020—the major lockdown regulations—were introduced on March 26. Those regulations outlined restrictions on gathering and required a number of businesses to close. The regulations…

How Parliament handled it

Both Houses had to approve this instrument before it could take effect, and did so.

Procedure: Made affirmative — both Houses had to approve it
Could either House amend it?: No. A statutory instrument is put to each House as a whole thing, to be approved or not. Neither House can change a word of it.

Procedural history

Instrument created 26 March 2020
Instrument made (signed into law) 26 March 2020
Instrument comes into force as law 26 March 2020
Laid before the House of Commons 26 March 2020 · Commons
Laid before the House of Lords 26 March 2020 · Lords
Communication declaring the instrument had come into operation before being laid before Parliament 21 April 2020 · Lords
Considered by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (SLSC) 21 April 2020 · Lords
Information paragraph provided by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (SLSC) 21 April 2020 · Lords
Considered for English votes for English laws (EVEL) certification 21 April 2020 · Commons
Certified as England only under the English votes for English laws (EVEL) process 21 April 2020 · Commons
Communication declaring the instrument had come into operation before being laid before Parliament 22 April 2020 · Commons
Motion to approve the instrument tabled by the Government 24 April 2020 · Commons
Considered by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JCSI) 29 April 2020 · Commons, Lords
Not drawn to the special attention of the Houses by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JCSI) 29 April 2020 · Commons, Lords
Motion to approve the instrument tabled by the Government 29 April 2020 · Lords
Chamber debate 4 May 2020 · Commons
Question on motion to approve the instrument put 4 May 2020 · Commons
Instrument approved 4 May 2020 · Commons
Further information published by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee (SLSC) 5 May 2020 · Lords
Chamber debate 12 May 2020 · Lords
Question on motion to approve the instrument put 14 May 2020 · Lords
Instrument approved 14 May 2020 · Lords
Instrument remains law 14 May 2020
Procedure concluded in the House of Commons and the House of Lords 14 May 2020 · Commons, Lords
Approval period ends 18 May 2020

From Parliament's Statutory Instruments service. Parliamentary material is reused under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

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