Social Distancing: Enforcement

(asked on 3rd September 2020) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the success of tactics used to police large gatherings of people who are not adhering to COVID-19 preventative measures.


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 14th September 2020

The deployment of tactics is an operational matter for the police. The police response follows the four-step escalation principles – engaging, explaining, encouraging, and then enforcing. In general the public have followed the rules without any need for enforcement action. We have empowered the police to disperse gatherings and issue Fixed Penalty Notices for those who break the rules. This includes £10,000 fines to those who hold, or are involved in the holding of, illegal gatherings as well as fines for those who participate.

The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) regularly publish data on fixed penalty notices issued under COVID-19 emergency health regulations by police forces and are in the process of collating data relating to the number of £10,000 fines issued.

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