Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the legal basis is for implementing a local covid-19 lockdown; and what the consequences are for businesses if they do not comply with those lockdown restrictions.

Part 2A the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 provides a legal basis to protect the public from threats arising from infectious disease and includes powers to impose restrictions or requirements on people and in relation to things and premises.

The provisions in the relevant regulations may be enforced by way of prohibition notices to be served on businesses or by creating criminal offences enforceable by issuing fixed penalty notices or imposing fines upon conviction.