Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will amend the Health protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) Regulations (England) 2020 to clarify that peaceful demonstrations constitute a reasonable excuse for a gathering; and if he will make a statement.

The Government strongly supports the right to peaceful protest; however, this pandemic has led to many of our individual freedoms temporarily being curtailed in order to protect and save lives. Peaceful demonstrations are a vital part of democratic society and we understand the strength of feeling around the death of George Floyd. However, COVID-19 remains a real and present threat to all of us. As the Prime Minister announced in his oral statement to the House on 23 June, Official Report, columns 1167-1170, the social distancing Regulation are being amended from 4 July to allow for increased social contact, however gatherings of 30 or more people will remain illegal.

The management of protests and the use of powers are an operational matter for the police.