Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to increase support available to the police for tackling non-covid-secure protests, illegal gatherings, and other similar breaches of social distancing rules.

The Government has been clear that it will provide police forces with the support they need to continue protecting the public and keeping communities safe through the coronavirus pandemic.

The government continues to work closely with policing partners on the approach to managing the pandemic and on 8 October the Government announced an additional £30m for police forces in England and Wales to step up their enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions through the autumn and winter months. This includes enforcing against unlicensed music events, unlawful gatherings and protests that do not comply with Covid regulations.