This is a weekly update on the legislation and guidance on coronavirus COVID-19 up to 26 September; it is intended as a quick reference to the latest developments. New items will be added throughout each week as they become available, and at the same time as they are included in COVID-19 Coronavirus: legislation and guidance, which is now the main source of information§. The updates for the earlier weeks are here.

Sunday 20 September to Saturday 26 September

Law and Religion UK

• Law and religion round-up – 20 September. “Rule of Six”; COVID-19 in Ireland
• QR codes for “Test and Trace” in churches, summary of legislation and revised Church of England advice.§

Church of England

Update, Tuesday September 22 at 14.25

•  Following the announcement by the Prime Minister, the Church of England is continuing to engage with Government departments to review advice to churches. We anticipate further updates in the next few days with further additions to the FAQs and we also continue to review the downloadable guidance papers which will be updated accordingly.

Update, Wednesday 23 September at 13:30

Updated FAQs:

• Can baptisms still go ahead? in the Life Events section
• Can ordinations still go ahead? in the Life Events section
• Advice on NHS Test & Trace in the General section (previously Is there advice on how to collect NHS Test and Trace data?)

• COVID-19 NHS Test & Trace Data4 v. Updates from version 2: The text has been updated to reflect the change in legal status which makes collecting data mandatory in some circumstances, and to give information on the Test & Trace app.§

Update, Thursday 24 September at 13:10§

New FAQs:

• What guidance is there for Fresh Expressions? under Prayer and worship section
• How can parishes plan ahead? under General section

Updated FAQs:

• Can ordinations still go ahead? under Life events section

New Documents:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice on Fresh Expressions of Church
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice on Parish Continuity Plans

Last updated Friday 25 September at 16:00§

New FAQs:

• Can we still hold a Remembrance Sunday service?in the Prayer and worship section
• Can confirmations still go ahead?in the Life events section

Updated FAQs:

• Can funerals still go ahead? in the Life events section
• Can weddings still go ahead?in the Life events section
• Can baptisms still go ahead? in the Life events section
• Can ordinations still go ahead?in the Life events section

Updated Documents:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice on Ordinations and Consecrations
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice on the Conduct of Public Worship
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice on Conducting Funerals
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice for the conduct of a Confirmation service
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Opening cathedral and church buildings to the public advice
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice on Conducting Weddings
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice on Conducting Baptisms

Legislation

• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Protected Areas and Linked Childcare Households) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1019. Amend the “protected areas” legislation in SI 2020/824, SI 2020/828, 2020/988, and SI 2020/1010; In these instruments and in SI 2020/974 also enable households to be “linked childcare households” for the purpose of providing informal childcare.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place and on Public Transport) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/2021. Amend SI 2020/592 so that taxis and private hire vehicles are included in the modes of public transport to which the requirement to wear a face covering applies.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2020, SI 1020/1029. impose restricted opening hours and other restrictions on certain businesses in England (apart from Bolton) selling goods or providing services. They also make changes to the different restrictions which apply in the area of Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, set out in the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Bolton) Regulations 2020. These Regulations also make changes to the restrictions on gatherings in England, in relation to gatherings for support groups, weddings and other significant events, and sports gatherings.
  These Regulations make changes to the amounts of fines which can be imposed by fixed penalty notices for breach of restrictions in certain regulations made under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2020, SI2020/1029 These Regulations impose restricted opening hours and other restrictions on certain businesses in England (apart from Bolton) selling goods or providing services.
• The Fatal Accidents Act 1976 (Remedial) Order 2020, SI 2020/1023 Section 1A of the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 (c.30) (the “Act”) provides for a fixed sum of bereavement damages to be awarded to a limited category of persons in the event of a fatal accident caused by …
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 12) Regulations 2020, WSI 1035 (W. 229), Impose restrictions on sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises, but remove the exemption from the requirement to wear a face covering applicable in premises where food or drink is sold, replacing it with a reasonable excuse for customers not to wear a face covering while seated.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 13) (Llanelli etc.) Regulations 2020, WSI 1040 (W.230) designate 13 electoral wards (referred to in legislation as electoral “divisions”) in the Llanelli area as a local health protection area that is subject to specific restrictions and requirements on sale of alcohol.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2020, SSI 2020/300. These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 (“the principal regulations”).
• The Coronavirus (Scotland) Acts (Amendment of Expiry Dates) Regulations 2020, SSI 2020/229 These Regulations amend the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 (the “first Act”) and the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Act 2020 (the “second Act”).
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2020, SI 2020/300 These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 (“the principal regulations”).
• The Coronavirus (Scotland) Acts (Amendment of Expiry Dates) Regulations 2020, SSI 2020/299 These Regulations amend the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 (the “first Act”) and the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Act 2020 (the “second Act”).
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Protected Areas and Restriction on Businesses) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1041. Amend the meaning of “the protected area”  in SI 2020/828 (North of England); SI 2020/974 (North East and North West of England) and SI 2020/974 (Bolton).
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 14) (Cardiff and Swansea) Regulations 2020, WSI 1043 (W.232). Inclusion of the City and County of Cardiff; and the City and County of Swansea in the Principal Regulations.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (Amendment No. 6) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020, SR 204. Make changes to the places where restrictions will apply. Outdoor venues where intoxicating liquor may be consumed are now subject to regulations 4A, 4B, and 4C, and places of worship are excluded.

Guidance and Statements

• Coronavirus Guidance for Property, Methodist Church, 17 September. On the ‘Rule of Six’, “it is our understanding that the number relates to the maximum group size before they come into church and therefore can sit together in church.  It is not a directive to sit people together in groups of 6 as part of worship.  You can continue to space chairs and people as before with 2m distancing between household groups, which could be individuals, couples, larger families, etc.”
• PM Commons statement on coronavirus: 22 September 2020
• Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do, Cabinet Office, 22 September 2020.
• Face coverings: when to wear one, exemptions, and how to make your own, Cabinet Office, DHSC, 23 September
• Maintaining records of staff, customers and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace, DHSC, 18 September
• COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship during the pandemic, MHCLG, Updated 24 September 2020.
• COVID-19: Guidance for small marriages and civil partnerships, MHCLG, Updated 24 September 2020.
• COVID-19: Guidance for the safe use of multi-purpose community facilities. MHCLG, Updated 24 September 2020.

Church of England

• Last updated Wednesday 23 September at 13:30Updated FAQs:
  • Can baptisms still go ahead? in the Life Events section
  • Can ordinations still go ahead? in the Life Events section
  • Advice on NHS Test & Trace in the General section (previously Is there advice on how to collect NHS Test and Trace data?)

• COVID-19 NHS Test & Trace Data, v4, 23 September.

Other

• Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19), “the performing arts guidance”, BEIS, updated 18 September but including Find out what is changing – 22 September.
• Adam Wagner: Table of COVID-19 lockdown regulations. 22 September.

§ – item yet to be added to COVID-19 Coronavirus: legislation and guidance. 

Post last updated, 2 October 2020 at 13:53.