Legislation – Coronavirus Act 2020

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Introduction

PART 1
Main provisions

1 Meaning of “coronavirus” and related terminology

2 Emergency registration of nurses and other health and care professionals

3 Emergency arrangements concerning medical practitioners: Wales

4 Emergency arrangements concerning medical practitioners: Scotland

5 Emergency registration of and extension of prescribing powers for pharmaceutical chemists: Northern Ireland

6 Emergency registration of social workers: England and Wales

7 Temporary registration of social workers: Scotland

8 Emergency volunteering leave

9 Compensation for emergency volunteers

10 Temporary modification of mental health and mental capacity legislation

11 Indemnity for health service activity: England and Wales

12 Indemnity for health service activity: Scotland

13 Indemnity for health and social care activity: Northern Ireland

14 NHS Continuing Healthcare assessments: England

15 Local authority care and support

16 Duty of local authority to assess needs: Scotland

17 Section 16: further provision

18 Registration of deaths and still-births etc

19 Confirmatory medical certificate not required for cremations: England and Wales

20 Review of cause of death certificates and cremations: Scotland

21 Modifications of requirements regarding medical certificates for cremations: Northern Ireland

22 Appointment of temporary Judicial Commissioners

23 Time limits in relation to urgent warrants etc under Investigatory Powers Act

24 Extension of time limits for retention of fingerprints and DNA profiles

25 Power to require information relating to food supply chains

26 Authorities which may require information

27 Restrictions on use and disclosure of information

28 Enforcement of requirement to provide information

29 Meaning of “food supply chain” and related expressions

30 Suspension of requirement to hold inquest with jury: England and Wales

31 Suspension of requirement to hold inquest with jury: Northern Ireland

32 Deaths in custody from natural illness: Northern Ireland

33 Disapplication etc by Welsh Ministers of DBS provisions

34 Temporary disapplication of disclosure offences: Scotland

35 Power to reclassify certain disclosure requests: Scotland

36 Vaccination and immunisation: Scotland

37 Temporary closure of educational institutions and childcare premises

38 Temporary continuity: education, training and childcare

39 Statutory sick pay: funding of employers’ liabilities

40 Statutory sick pay: power to disapply waiting period limitation

41 Statutory sick pay: modification of regulation making powers

42 Statutory sick pay: funding of employers’ liabilities: Northern Ireland

43 Statutory sick pay: power to disapply waiting period limitation: Northern Ireland

44 Statutory sick pay: modification of regulation making powers: Northern Ireland

45 NHS pension schemes: suspension of restrictions on return to work: England and Wales

46 NHS pension schemes: suspension of restrictions on return to work: Scotland

47 Health and social care pension schemes: suspension of restrictions on return to work: Northern Ireland

48 Powers to act for the protection of public health: Northern Ireland

49 Health protection regulations: Scotland

50 Power to suspend port operations

51 Powers relating to potentially infectious persons

52 Powers to issue directions relating to events, gatherings and premises

53 Expansion of availability of live links in criminal proceedings

54 Expansion of availability of live links in other criminal hearings

55 Public participation in proceedings conducted by video or audio

56 Live links in magistrates’ court appeals against requirements or restrictions imposed on a potentially infectious person

57 Use of live links in legal proceedings: Northern Ireland

58 Powers in relation to transportation, storage and disposal of dead bodies etc

59 Elections and referendums due to be held in England in period after 15 March 2020

60 Postponement of elections due to be held on 7 May 2020

61 Power to postpone certain other elections and referendums

62 Power to postpone a recall petition under the Recall of MPs Act 2015

63 Power to make supplementary etc provision

64 Northern Ireland: timing of canvass and Assembly by-elections

65 Elections due to be held in Wales in period after 15 March 2020

66 Postponement of National Assembly for Wales elections for constituency vacancies

67 Power to postpone local authority elections in Wales for casual vacancies

68 Power to make supplementary etc provision

69 Postponement of Scottish Parliament elections for constituency vacancies

70 Postponement of local authority elections in Scotland for casual vacancies

71 Signatures of Treasury Commissioners

72 Power under section 143 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992

73 Power under section 145 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992

74 Power under section 5 of the National Insurance Contributions Act 2014

75 Disapplication of limit under section 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982

76 HMRC functions

77 Up-rating of working tax credit etc

78 Local authority meetings

79 Extension of BID arrangements: England

80 Extension of BID arrangements: Northern Ireland

81 Residential tenancies in England and Wales: protection from eviction

82 Business tenancies in England and Wales: protection from forfeiture etc

83 Business tenancies in Northern Ireland: protection from forfeiture etc

84 Postponement of General Synod elections

PART 2
Final provisions

85 Interpretation

86 Financial provision

87 Commencement

88 Power to suspend and revive provisions of this Act

89 Expiry

90 Power to alter expiry date

91 Power to amend Act in consequence of amendments to subordinate legislation

92 Power to make consequential modifications

93 Procedure for certain regulations made by a Minister of the Crown

94 Procedure for certain regulations made by the Welsh Ministers

95 Procedure for certain regulations made by the Scottish Ministers

96 Procedure for certain orders made by a Northern Ireland department

97 Reports by Secretary of State on status of non-devolved provisions of this Act

98 Six-month parliamentary review

99 Parliamentary consideration of status of non-devolved provisions of this Act

100 Extent

101 Extension to the Isle of Man

102 Short title

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 Emergency registration of nurses and other health and care professionals

SCHEDULE 2 Emergency arrangements concerning medical practitioners: Wales

SCHEDULE 3 Emergency arrangements concerning medical practitioners: Scotland

SCHEDULE 4 Emergency registration of pharmaceutical chemists and extension of prescribing powers: Northern Ireland

SCHEDULE 5 Emergency registration of social workers: England and Wales

SCHEDULE 6 Temporary registration of social workers: Scotland

SCHEDULE 7 Emergency volunteering leave

SCHEDULE 8 Mental health: England and Wales

SCHEDULE 9 Mental health: Scotland

SCHEDULE 10 Mental health: Northern Ireland

SCHEDULE 11 Mental capacity: Northern Ireland

SCHEDULE 12 Local authority care and support

SCHEDULE 13 Registration of deaths and still-births

SCHEDULE 14 Review of medical certificates of cause of death and cremations: Scotland

SCHEDULE 15 Information relating to food supply chains: financial penalties

SCHEDULE 16 Temporary closure of educational institutions and childcare premises

SCHEDULE 17 Temporary continuity directions etc: education, training and childcare

SCHEDULE 18 Powers to act for the protection of public health: Northern Ireland

SCHEDULE 19 Health protection regulations: Scotland

SCHEDULE 20 Power to suspend port operations

SCHEDULE 21 Powers relating to potentially infectious persons

SCHEDULE 22 Powers to issue directions relating to events, gatherings and premises

SCHEDULE 23 Live links in criminal proceedings

SCHEDULE 24 Live links in other criminal hearings

SCHEDULE 25 Public participation in proceedings conducted by video or audio

SCHEDULE 26 Live links in certain magistrates’ court proceedings

SCHEDULE 27 Use of live links in legal proceedings: Northern Ireland

SCHEDULE 28 Transportation, storage and disposal of dead bodies etc

SCHEDULE 29 Residential tenancies in England and Wales: protection from eviction

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 4Emergency registration of pharmaceutical chemists and extension of prescribing powers: Northern Ireland

Section 5

Interpretation

1

(1)

In this Schedule “the 1976 Order” means the Pharmacy (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 (S.I. 1976/1213 (N.I. 22)).

(2)

In this Schedule references to Articles are to Articles of the 1976 Order.

(3)

Expressions used in this Schedule and in the 1976 Order have the meaning given in that Order.

Emergency registration of pharmaceutical chemists

2

The 1976 Order has effect as if it were subject to the following modifications.

3

After Article 8D insert—

“Temporary registration in the register of pharmaceutical chemists in certain emergencies8E

(1)

The registrar may register a person, or the persons comprising a specified group of persons, in the register of pharmaceutical chemists if the conditions set out in paragraph (2) are satisfied.

(2)

The conditions are that—

(a)

the Department has advised the registrar that an emergency has occurred, is occurring or is about to occur and that the registrar should consider acting under this Article; and

(b)

the registrar considers that the emergency registration requirement is met in relation to the person or group of persons.

(3)

The emergency registration requirement is met—

(a)

in relation to a person, if the person is a fit, proper and suitably experienced person to be registered as a pharmaceutical chemist with regard to the emergency;

(b)

in relation to a group of persons, if the group is comprised of persons who are of a type who may reasonably be considered fit, proper and suitably experienced persons to be registered as pharmaceutical chemists with regard to the emergency.

(4)

The registrar may register all of the persons comprising a specified group of persons without first identifying each person in the group.

(5)

A person’s registration under this Article has effect subject to any conditions imposed by the registrar; and the registrar may at any time vary or revoke such a condition or add new conditions.

(6)

Where a person is registered under this Article as a member of a specified group, the person’s registration may (but need not) be subject to the same conditions as the registration of other members of the group.

(7)

The registration of a person under this Article ceases to have effect if revoked by the registrar; and the registrar—

(a)

must revoke the registration if the Department advises the registrar that the circumstances that led the Department to give the advice referred to in paragraph (2)(a) no longer exist;

(b)

may at any time revoke the registration for any other reason, including where the registrar has grounds for suspecting that the person’s fitness to practise may be impaired.

(8)

A person’s registration as a member of a specified group may be revoked—

(a)

without revoking the registration of the other members of the group; or

(b)

as a result of a decision to revoke the registration of all the members of the group.

(9)

Regulations made under Article 5 with respect to the following matters do not apply to persons registered under this Article—

(a)

paragraph (1)(b) (examinations and qualifications for registration);

(b)

paragraph (1)(bb), in so far as it refers to the necessary knowledge of English;

(c)

paragraph (1)(e) (fees);

(d)

paragraph (1)(f), (ffg) and (g) (qualifications etc in relation to registration);

(e)

such other matters as the Council may by regulations provide;

but this is subject to paragraph (11).

(10)

The following provisions of this Order do not apply to persons registered under this Article—

(a)

Article 4A (continuing professional development);

(b)

Articles 7, 8 and 8AA (provisions relating to registration);

(c)

Article 11(1) (evidence of qualification required for registration);

(d)

Article 15 (retention fees);

(e)

Article 20 and Schedule 3 (fitness to practise) other than paragraphs 1 to 3; and

(f)

such other provisions as the Council may by regulations provide;

but this is subject to paragraph (11).

(11)

The Council may make regulations that provide that the following apply to persons registered under this Article—

(a)

regulations with respect to any of the matters referred to in paragraph (9)(a) to (e); and

(b)

any of the provisions of this Order referred to in paragraph (10)(a) to (f).

(12)

If a person breaches any condition to which the person’s registration under this Article is subject, anything done by that person in breach of the condition is to be treated as not being done by a registered pharmaceutical chemist.

(13)

The registrar may make available information to assist with the identification of persons registered under this Article in such manner as the registrar sees fit.

(14)

In this Article—

“emergency” means an emergency of the kind described in section 19(1)(a) of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (meaning of “emergency”), read with subsection (2)(a) and (b) of that section;

“specified” means specified in a direction given by the registrar or by a person authorised by the registrar.”

4

In Article 9(2) (maintenance of the register), at the end insert “or in the case of the register mentioned in Article 6(1)(a) registered by virtue of Article 8E”.

5

At the end of Article 9 (the registrar and registers) insert—

“(6)

The registrar may record an annotation against the name of a registered person denoting that the person is registered under Article 8E.”

Emergency extension of prescribing powers for pharmaceutical chemists

6

After Article 9 insert—

“Temporary extension of prescribing powers in certain emergencies9A

(1)

In the register mentioned in Article 6(1)(a), the registrar may record an annotation under paragraph (2) against—

(a)

the name of a registered person; or

(b)

the names of the persons comprising a specified group of registered persons,

if the conditions set out in paragraph (3) are satisfied.

(2)

An annotation under this paragraph indicates that the person is qualified to order drugs, medicines and appliances in a specified capacity, notwithstanding that the person would not (but for this Article) be so qualified.

(3)

The conditions are that—

(a)

the Department has advised the registrar that an emergency has occurred, is occurring or is about to occur and that the registrar should consider acting under this Article; and

(b)

the registrar considers that the emergency annotation requirement is met in relation to the person or group of persons.

(4)

The emergency annotation requirement is met—

(a)

in relation to a registered person, if the person is a fit, proper and suitably experienced person to order drugs, medicines and appliances in a specified capacity with regard to the emergency; and

(b)

in relation to a group of registered persons, if the group is comprised of persons who may reasonably be considered fit, proper and suitably experienced persons to order drugs, medicines and appliances in a specified capacity with regard to the emergency.

(5)

The registrar may record the annotation in such a way as to distinguish between annotations recorded by virtue of this Article and other annotations.

(6)

Annotations recorded by virtue of this Article—

(a)

must be removed by the registrar if the Department advises the registrar that the circumstances that led the Department to give the advice referred to in paragraph (3)(a) no longer exist;

(b)

may at any time be removed by the registrar for any other reason including where the registrar has grounds for suspecting that the person’s fitness to order drugs, medicines and appliances may be impaired.

(7)

An annotation recorded against the name of a person in the register as a member of a specified group may be removed—

(a)

without the removal by the registrar of the annotations recorded against the names in the register of the other members of the group; or

(b)

by virtue of a decision by the registrar to remove the annotations recorded against the names in the register of all the members of the group.

(8)

Regulations made under Article 5 with respect to the following matters do not apply to persons with an annotated entry—

(a)

paragraph (1)(e) (fees);

(b)

paragraph (1)(ff) (annotations of the register); and

(c)

such other matters as the Council may by regulations provide;

but this is subject to paragraph (10).

(9)

The following provisions of this Order do not apply to persons with an annotated entry—

(a)

Article 4A (continuing professional development);

(b)

Article 8 (qualifications for registration); and

(c)

such other provisions as the Council may by regulations provide;

but this is subject to paragraph (10).

(10)

The Council may make regulations that provide that the following apply to persons with an annotated entry—

(a)

regulations with respect to any of the matters referred to in paragraph (8)(a) to (c); and

(b)

any of the provisions of this Order referred to in paragraph (9)(a) to (c).

(11)

In this Article—

“emergency” means an emergency of the kind described in section 19(1)(a) of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (meaning of “emergency”), read with subsection (2)(a) and (b) of that section;

“person with an annotated entry” means a person who has an annotation under paragraph (2) against their name in the register; and

“specified” means specified in a direction given by the registrar or by a person authorised by the registrar.”

Appeals

7

In Article 11, after paragraph (2) insert—

“(3)

No appeal lies to the Council against a decision of the registrar—

(a)

to register or refuse to register a person under Article 8E;

(b)

to register or refuse to register under that Article the persons comprising a group of persons;

(c)

to impose, vary or revoke a condition as respects the registration of a person, or the persons comprising a group of persons, under Article 8E(5);

(d)

to revoke a person’s registration under that Article (and, in the case of a member of a group, it does not matter whether the registrar also decides to revoke the registration of any or all of the other members of the group);

(e)

to record or refuse to record an annotation under Article 9A(2) against the name of a registered person, or the names of the persons comprising a group of registered persons;

(f)

to remove an annotation under that Article (and, in the case of a member of a group, it does not matter whether the registrar also decides to remove the annotation of any or all of the other members of the group).”

Power to require disclosure of information

8

Paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 3 to the 1976 Order (power of the Council to require disclosure of information) has effect as if it enabled requirements to be imposed for the purpose of assisting the registrar in carrying out functions in respect of identifying any person registered by virtue of Article 8E(3)(b) (emergency registration of a group of persons).