The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment No. 4) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

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

2021 No. 219

Public Health

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment No. 4) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Made

at 2.30 p.m. on 27th July 2021

Laid before the Assembly

at 4.00 p.m. on 27th July 2021

Coming into operation in accordance with regulation 1(2) and (3)

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.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment No. 4) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021.

(2) These Regulations shall come into operation at 6pm on 27th July 2021.

Amendment of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

2.—(1) The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020(3) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 2 (interpretation), at the appropriate place insert—

““vehicle testing centre” and “vehicle examiner” have the meaning given by Articles 73 and 74 of The Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995;

“vehicle” has the meaning given by Article 3(1) of The Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995;”.

(3) In regulation 4A(2)—

(a) in sub-paragraph (g) for “by a person leading a service in a place of worship or a place where beliefs are practised” substitute “by a person in a place of worship or a place where beliefs are practised during an act of worship, except when entering or leaving the premises”;

(b) after sub-paragraph (i) insert—

“(j) by a vehicle examiner in a vehicle testing centre, unless present in a vehicle with a member of the public.”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health at 2.30 pm on 27th July 2021

(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, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 in order to remove the requirement to wear a face covering in a place of worship or a place where beliefs are practised, and enable vehicle examiners in a vehicle testing centre to remove their face coverings except when in a vehicle with a member of the public.

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. 151 as amended by S.R. 2020 Nos. 164, 220, 233 and 253 and S.R. 2021 Nos. 96, 131 and 216