Coronavirus Act 2020

98 Six-month parliamentary review U.K.

(1) If the House of Commons rejects a motion in the form set out in subsection (2), moved in accordance with subsection (3) by a Minister of the Crown, a Minister of the Crown must exercise the power conferred by section 90(1) so as to ensure that the relevant temporary provisions expire not later than the end of the period of 21 days beginning with the day on which the rejection takes place.

(2) The form of the motion is—

“That the temporary provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020 should not yet expire.”

(3) So far as practicable, a Minister of the Crown must make arrangements for the motion mentioned in subsection (1) to be debated and voted on by the House of Commons within a period of 7 sitting days beginning immediately after each 6 month review period.

(4) In this section—

• “6 month review period” means—

  (a)

  the period of 6 months beginning with the day on which this Act is passed, and

  (b)

  each subsequent period of 6 months,

  but only (in each case) if at least one relevant temporary provision still exists at the end of the period (whether or not that provision has ever been brought into force or is at that time suspended);

• “relevant temporary provision” means any provision of this Act—

  (a)

  which is not listed in section 89(2) (provisions not subject to expiry), and

  (b)

  in respect of which a Minister of the Crown could make provision under section 90(1) (early expiry regulations) without the consent of the Welsh Ministers, the Scottish Ministers or a Northern Ireland department;

• “sitting day” means a day on which the House of Commons is sitting (and a day is only a day on which the House of Commons is sitting if the House begins to sit on that day).