Regulations made by the Department of Health and laid before the Assembly under section 25Q (Emergency procedure) of the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967, for approval of the Assembly before the expiration of 28 days beginning with the day on which they are made.
Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland
2020 No. 109
Public Health
The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment No. 7) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020
Made
at 5.30 p.m. on 22nd June 2020
Laid before the Assembly
at 9.00 a.m. on 23rd June 2020
Coming into operation
at 11.00 p.m. on 22nd June 2020
The Department of Health(1), makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 25C(1), (3)(c), (4)(d) and 25F(2) of the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967(2).
These Regulations are made in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health which is posed by the incidence and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Northern Ireland.
The Department of Health considers that the restrictions and requirements imposed by these Regulations are proportionate to what they seek to achieve, which is a public health response to that threat.
In accordance with section 25Q of that Act the Department of Health is of the opinion that, by reason of urgency, it is necessary to make these Regulations without a draft having been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly.
Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment No. 7) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 and shall come into operation at 11.00 p.m. on 22nd June 2020.
Amendment of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020
2.—(1) The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020(3) are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 5 (restrictions on movement), in paragraph (2) after sub-paragraph (u), insert—
“(v)to visit another person’s private dwelling, either alone or accompanied by others, provided the maximum number of persons in the dwelling does not exceed 6”.
Savings
3. Regulations 8 and 9 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 continue to have effect in relation to any offence committed, or reasonably believed to have been committed, before these Regulations came into operation as if the amendments set out in regulation 2 had not been made.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health at 5.30 p.m. on 22nd June 2020
(L.S.)
Robin Swann
Minister of Health
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations further amend regulation 5 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 to provide that the list of reasonable excuses for leaving the place where a person is living includes the need to visit another person’s private dwelling. The gathering in the dwelling, as a result of the visit, must not exceed 6.
No impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations.
Formerly the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety; see 2016 c. 5 (N.I.), s. 1(5)
1967 c. 36 (N.I.). Part 1A was inserted by section 48 of, and Schedule 18 to, the Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7)