Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Fourth Report - Parliamentary Scrutiny of the Government’s handling of Covid-19
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
HC 377
Published 10 September 2020
Government response
Fifth Special Report - Parliamentary Scrutiny of the Government’s handling of Covid-19: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report of Session 2019–21 · published 9 Dec 2020
Recommendations & Conclusions
9
Recommendation
Accepted in Part
Para 50
Parliamentary processes and debates help to confer legitimacy upon policy changes made through emergency legislation,...
Recommendation
Parliamentary processes and debates help to confer legitimacy upon policy changes made through emergency legislation, particularly when the legislation is so striking in its curtailment of liberties that would normally be taken for granted. Such debates also provide opportunities for …
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Government Response Summary
The government notes concerns and states it will continue to provide opportunities for parliamentary scrutiny. It reaffirms the Secretary of State's commitment to facilitate debates on significant national regulations before they come into force, whenever circumstances permit, citing specific recent examples of this practice.
16
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Para 77
The Government did not immediately set out the exceptions to the ban on gatherings in...
Conclusion
The Government did not immediately set out the exceptions to the ban on gatherings in private dwellings in parts of the North of England but instead waited until it introduced the legislation. This is particularly strange when the exceptions relating …
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Government Response Summary
The government acknowledged the occasional delay between announcements and regulations, committing to continually strive for timely future announcements and clearer wording to avoid confusion, recognizing the challenge of balancing swift action with clear communication.