Recommendation 1

In considering the Government’s approach to its use of the criminal law during the covid-19 pandemic we recognise that the Government was required to act in exceptional circumstances and to respond to a public health emergency of a scale not seen in recent times. We therefore give credit to the Government and all those involved in developing and enforcing covid-19 offences in such difficult and unpredictable circumstances. The creation and enforcement of these offences played an important part in protecting the public.