Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2020 Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department of Health and Social Care
Baroness Randerson
Main Page: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Randerson's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2020
Baroness Randerson Excerpts(4 years, 3 months ago)
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Baroness Randerson (LD) [V]
My Lords, others have talked about the chaotic decision-making by government that has made delays inevitable in bringing this legislation to the House—or maybe the Government think they are being clever in trying to marginalise Parliament. Whatever the cause, it has led to contradictory government messaging, confused the public and made the police’s job very difficult. I raise a specific point that flows from this. Some 35% of fixed penalty notices issued as a result of these regulations have apparently been served on the black community, who form only 3.5% of the population. Can the Minister explain this?
Buried in here are powers to ban public gatherings of over 30 on health grounds. Can the Minister explain why gatherings of, say, 35 people indoors for elite sports coaching carry less risk than 35 people gathering outdoors in, say, Parliament Square?