This is the latest rolling weekly update covering the legislation and guidance on coronavirus COVID-19 during the week commencing 28 February 2021*.
Sunday 28 February to Saturday 6 March
Law and Religion UK
- Law and religion round-up – 28 February. COVID-19: easing the lockdown in England & Scotland Reopening churches in Scotland; Review of coronavirus legislation; The EU Council, COVID-19 and human rights; An illegal religious gathering in Nottingham?
Church of England‡
Update: Thursday 04 March, 12.15
New FAQ:
- What are the stages of the Government Roadmap? This refers to the document below and states: “We will provide more advice about how this will affect worship and other church activities as we receive information from government. These pages will be reviewed and updated as the changes come into effect.”
New Document:
- Four step government roadmap. Based upon the Government’s Reopening Roadmap, published on 22 February 2021 [incorrect date on graphics].
Updated: Monday 22 February, 17.35
Following the Prime Minister’s statement to the Commons outlining the Government’s spring response, The Bishop of London has responded. The advice on this page will be reviewed and updated as changes come into effect.
Legislation
England
- The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place and Restrictions: All Tiers) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021, SI 2021/247 and Explanatory Memorandum. These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place) (England) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/791) to make provision in relation to the wearing of face coverings in polling stations. These Regulations also amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1374) to permit outdoor recreation, gatherings related to electoral activities, to introduce a requirement to declare the reason for leaving or being outside the place where a person is living, when that person is travelling outside the United Kingdom, and to make other minor amendments.
Northern Ireland
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The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (Amendment No.5) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021, SR 2021/46. These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 by permitting click and collect to operate for non-essential retail businesses if payments are completed at time of order, either online, phone, text or post. Also enable Government Departments to use Nightingale Courts, increases number of persons limit on outdoor gatherings from 6 to 10, from no more than 2 households, for the purpose of socialising which is not otherwise a sporting event and permits a customer’s carer to accompany them to pick up a Motability vehicle.
Isle of Man
The following four Government Circulars give legal effect to the lockdown provisions.
- Direction by Council of Ministers under Part 7A of the Public Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 relating to the circumstances in which persons may gather together outside of their household
- Prohibition Notice by the Council of Ministers under regulation 26C of the Public Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 (exceptions from regulation 26B: general) relating to the circumstances in which a person may not leave his or her home
- Direction by the Council of Ministers under Regulation 30 of the Public Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 relating to closure of premises
- Direction by Council of Ministers under Regulation 30 of the Public Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 relating to Educational Institutions
Acknowledgements to Peter Edge for bringing these to our attention.
House of Lords, 4 March 2021
- Question: The Lord Bishop of Leeds, “…Can the Minister offer a roadmap for when singing by choirs and congregations will once again be allowed, with sufficient time to prepare?”
- Response: Lord Bethel, “…we will be led by public health advice in this matter. I do not have a date for his roadmap, I fear, but his considerations are very much understood in the department.”
- Draft Roadmap for the Resumption of Singing, 5 March 2021.
Central Council of Church Bell Ringers
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Roadmap to Ringing Resumption, 26 February 2021. The government’s four stages out of lockdown to 21 June, at the earliest, and the potential impacts for bell ringers.
Adam Wagner’s summary of COVID-19 legislation
- TABLE OF COVID-19 LOCKDOWN REGULATIONS updated 5 March 2021.
* Information on COVID-19 on L&RUK
These updates are published at the start of each week; they are not reissued, but new items are added throughout the week as they become available, providing a “rolling update” of the latest developments during the current week. They are also added to COVID-19 Coronavirus: legislation and guidance which is the main source of information; those items in the weekly updates yet to be added are marked “§“. The updates for the earlier weeks are here.
For Church of England documents, the information on the document itself – date and version number – provides the best indication of the date on which it was issued