Coronavirus: Disease Control

(asked on 11th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on public compliance with the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic of the guidance issued by the National Police Chiefs’ Council relating to the enforcement of those restrictions.


Answered by
Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait
Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
This question was answered on 25th January 2021

Throughout the pandemic, the Home Office has worked closely with operational partners to ensure they have the powers, resources and guidance they need to enforce the law. The enforcement of the restrictions is an operational matter for police forces, and officers will continue to use their common sense, discretion and experience in enforcing the law.

The vast majority of the public have followed the guidelines throughout the pandemic, and that remains the case. However, the police can take steps to enforce the rules where a minority of the public do not comply. As they have done throughout the pandemic, the police apply a four-step escalation method - engaging, explaining and encouraging compliance before taking enforcement action.

Latest data published by the NPCC on 8 January shows that a total of 28,744 fixed penalty notices have been recorded as having been issued in England under Coronavirus Regulations between Friday 27 March and Monday 21 December.

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