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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. 352

Public Health

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (Amendment No. 23) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Made

at 2.00 p.m. on 23rd December 2020

Laid before the Assembly

at 3.00 p.m. on 23rd December 2020

Coming into operation in accordance with Regulation 1(2)

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, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (Amendment No. 23) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020.

(2) These Regulations come into operation at the time and on the date they are made.

Amendment of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

2.  The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020(3) are amended in accordance with these Regulations.

3.  In Regulation 5(9), after “shall not apply to a gathering” insert “on one day only”.

4.  In Regulation 6(3A), after “shall not apply to a gathering” insert “on one day only”.

5.  In paragraph 3 of Schedule 2, omit sub-paragraph (2A).

6.  In paragraph 4(4) of Schedule 2, after ““Christmas linked household”” insert “on one day only”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health at 2.00 pm on 23rd December 2020

(L.S.)

Dr Naresh Chada

A senior officer of the Department of Health

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 by limiting a Christmas “bubble” to one day and disallowing overnight stays connected to a Christmas “bubble”.

No regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations.

(1)

Formerly the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety; see 2016 c. 5 (N.I.), s. 1(5)

(2)

1967 c. 36 (N.I.). Part 1A was inserted by section 48 of, and Schedule 18 to, the Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7)

(3)

S.R. 2020 No.150 as amended by S.R. 2020 Nos. 170, 187, 195, 198, 202, 204, 210, 213, 224, 225, 232, 239, 250, 255, 256, 274, 287, 290, 323, 335, 343 and 346