Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of police enforcement of covid-19 restrictions on the (a) nature of policing and (b) relationship between the police and the public; and if she will make a statement.

The police have played a vital role in the response to this pandemic, helping to keep the public safe, and ensuring that public order is maintained in these unprecedented circumstances.

Policing continues to be by consent. Throughout the pandemic the police approach to enforcing restrictions has followed the four-step escalation principles – engaging, explaining, encouraging, and then enforcing where necessary. In addition, the police have maintained community relations as local measures have come into effect.

The latest published ONS figures show that confidence in the police remains at high levels with 85% being very or fairly satisfied with the way the police in the local area is responding to the virus outbreak.