Thank you for getting in touch with me about the renewal of the Coronavirus Act, outlined below are the reasons I backed the extension.
The coronavirus Act is a vital piece of legislation in our national response to the Coronavirus pandemic and one which I fully support. The purpose of the legislation is to protect us all and ensure that, throughout the pandemic, sufficient staff are available, and deployed where they are most needed, as well as supporting members of the public, containing and slowing the virus, and managing the deceased with respect and dignity. The Act would have expired at the end of March and so needed to be renewed to ensure that Local Authorities, the Police and the NHS continue to have the powers needed to respond to the pandemic and to implement restrictions if needed. The powers are also necessary as we move forward with the cautious easing of restrictions set out in the Prime Minister's Roadmap.
I would like to reassure you that all the measures in the Coronavirus Act are temporary, and proportionate to the threat we face. It is important that they will only be used when strictly necessary, and will only be in place for as long as deemed necessary to respond to the pandemic effectively. I welcome therefore that the Government has carried out an extensive review of the provisions within the Act and, because of the excellent progress in our fight against this virus, the Government is now able to expire and suspend a raft of measures within the Act.
The measures outlined in the Government's Roadmap provide a path out of this pandemic, offering us a route to normal life. I am encouraged that we are currently meeting each of the Government's four tests for easing restrictions and remain on track to deliver on vaccine commitments meaning we have been able to move forward to the next stage of the Roadmap. The Government has also committed the remaining stages of Roadmap into law, which is welcome.
As we move through the remaining steps of the Roadmap, it is vital that the tools needed to continue to fight this virus and support families, our public services, and the economy through it, as provided in the Coronavirus Act, are maintained. These reasons to me override issues that a number of Constituents have contacted me about, particularly their perceived issues on personal liberty, on balance I believe for the greater good these temporary measures are necessary. That is why I fully support the continuation of the Act and voted in favour of its renewal.
Thank you for taking the time to visit my website and read my position, I regularly post my views on here, so please do check regularly to stay updated.
