Seventh Report - Coronavirus Act 2020 Two Years On

Select Committee
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee HC 978 18 March 2022
Report Status Government responded
Conclusions & Recommendations 13 items (5 recs)
Source View on Parliament website
Government Response (AI assessment · 13 of 13 classified)
Accepted 3
Acknowledged 8
Deferred 2
Clear

Recommendations

1 results
9 Accepted
Para 59
The Committee urges the Government to look again at the possibility of introducing a piece...
Recommendation
The Committee urges the Government to look again at the possibility of introducing a piece or range of draft legislation to allow for prior scrutiny of plans before an emergency occurs. Whilst the Committee appreciates the point made by the … Read more
Government Response Summary
The government notes the Act was built on a draft emergency bill and states that future emergency legislation would always need to be tailored to the specific threat posed at the time, while continuing to review the legal framework and lessons learned.
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2 Conclusion Accepted
Para 28
Any future use of sunset clauses in relation to emergency legislation should come with a clear explanation about why the Government believes that the length of the sunset being proposed is proportionate to the emergency being addressed.
Government Response Summary
The government states the sunset clause aimed to strike a balance and highlights the Act's flexibility to expire or suspend provisions before the sunset date, and the inclusion of six-monthly reviews and renewal votes in Parliament.
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8 Conclusion Accepted
Para 58
The Committee noted the existence of the draft Pandemic Flu Bill and believes that, although appreciating that the uncertainty around the future make it difficult, conducting pre-legislative scrutiny to provide an update and improved version of previous work would be of considerable benefit to the preparedness to respond to the …
Government Response Summary
The government notes the Act was built on a draft emergency bill and states that future emergency legislation would always need to be tailored to the specific threat posed at the time, while continuing to review the legal framework and lessons learned.
View Details