I won't go on about the gatherings rules as they basically the same as before and I have summarised them elsewhere - on to businesses. These are to close in Tier 2
Note the option to open with no dancing
Curfew at 10pm-5am subject to exceptions
This is your Tier 2 areas
Existing local regulations revoked
OK, lets get onto the regulations for areas designated "Very High"
2 or more indoors banned if not from same household/linked household
Rule of 6 outside
There are 14 exceptions. Not sure what is different but there are 3 less than in the others. You tell me!
The structure of the gatherings exceptions looks different, have to look in detail as to what exactly is different.
OK, here's the bit on on closure of businesses
This is about food and drink service.
Basically a 'restricted business' can still serve food if it has table service and takes all reasonable steps to ensure the customer remains seated whilst consuming the food or drink
Pubs, bars etc serving alcohol being able to stay open if...
alcohol is only served for consumption on the premises as part of a table meal, and the meal is such as might be expected to be served as the main midday or main
evening meal, or as a main course at either such meal.
What food
"might be expected to be served as the main midday or main evening meal, or as a main course at either such meal"
Lawyers... start your engines!
But seriously, this is unclear and must vary widely depending on your cultural background amongst other things
Ok, had closer look at Tier 3 gatherings. It’s this:
- no more than 6 in
—public outdoor place where no payment required to access or
—outdoor sports grounds, sports facilities, botanical gardens, gardens of castle, stately home, historical house...
- otherwise no more than 2
So no gatherings of 2 or more from different households in homes and gardens, other places... it’s complicated. Kind of reduced version of rule of 6.
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Does the Welsh Assembly have the power to do this? Does it fit within its devolved health powers to ban people from parts of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland? Genuinely unsure how bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-…
I doubt the Welsh coronavirus regulations could bind people not in Wales, so it would be something like "anyone from a Tier 3 are in England may not be in Wales". I can see how a person from England could be bound by restrictions in Wales, but to be prevented from entering?
Potential discrimination (on basis of nationality) argument, but also it sounds a lot like border powers rather than health. Does Wales control its borders (sorry, I don't know this)
Agreed - the new rules are not simpler (each tier is about 12,000 words and 30 pages) though in the medium term they may be simpler, geographically, for people to understand. Easier to know you are "Tier 1" than in some random collection of laws somewhere nobody can find...
But key point is that even the "very high" tier is hardly different to the current harshest regulations. Pubs and restaurants are hardly closing, the gatherings rules are almost exactly the same - so plainly there will need to be harsher rules soon if the govt wants them to be
One positive development is that there now seems to be a willingness by government, finally, to put these rules - and hopefully any future changes to them - to parliament for a vote. Won't be a chance to amend, and reality is they will be passed by large majority, but it's better
My overall thoughts on these: better to have three sets of regulations and then apply them to areas, rather than making new ones every time you bring in new areas. But, the idea that public and police will digest and understand these hugely complex rules is I think farcical...
And these regulations read as if, and I’m pretty sure this is what has happened, they have been drafted by an increasingly large but slightly random committee. There are so many exceptions, they become almost impossible to know or enforce...
Parliament should be given a *prior vote on the three tier system and where it is initially to apply. The government said that significant measures would from now on be debated and voted in parliament
This is why - laws which bypass parliament are open to abuse and illiberal outcomes. Parliamentarians should be screaming about this otherwise what is the point of them?
The Prime Minister has confirmed that the new three-tier regulations will be laid before Parliament today and debated and voted on tomorrow - before coming into force on Wednesday. This is progress, but won't give opportunity to amend, only to vote 'yes' or 'no'
Not commenting on whether the restrictions are fair or not, but some positives here:
- 3 tiered system likely better and simpler than hodgepodge of local/national rules. Easier to understand, explain, advertise
- consultation with local mayors better than secret decisions...
- Sounds like the 3 tiers will be subject to a parliamentary vote, hopefully before coming into force.
Cautiously, this does sound like a better approach than the fairly random, secretive and largely unscrutinised (by Parliament) one we have had for the past 6 months
Also, if there are 3 tiers which are relatively well-known, it will be harder to change them iteratively and regularly without parliamentary/public buy-in. Entirely possible that govt will carry on using executive decree but the signal is positive in my view