Asked by: Lord Robathan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many successful prosecutions have taken place under the Coronavirus Act 2020 as a result of court proceedings.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The main criminal offence under the Coronavirus Act relates to potentially infectious persons who refuse to co-operate with the police or public health officers, when they are required to be screened for COVID-19.
There have been no successful prosecutions of any offence created by the Coronavirus Act 2020. A review of completed prosecutions to the end of August 2020 show that 141 cases were incorrectly charged under the Act; because there was no evidence they applied to potentially infectious people, which is what this law covers.
However, data on prosecutions under the Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 shows that under the Regulations there have been 227 prosecutions resulting in guilty pleas, and 6 prosecutions found guilty after trial to the end of August. Data released by the National Police Chiefs Council also shows that 18,912 Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued under the Regulations between 27 March and 21 September by police forces across England and Wales.