The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 15) 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 expiration of 28 days beginning with the day on which they are made.

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2021 No. 251

Public Health

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 15) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Made

at 2.30 p.m. on 10th September 2021

Laid before the Assembly

at 3.30 p.m. on 10th September 2021

Coming into operation

at 5.00 p.m. on 10th September 2021

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(SARA-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, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 15) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021.

(2) These Regulations come into operation at 5 p.m. on 10th September 2021.

2.  The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No.7) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 are revoked.

Amendment of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

3.  The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021(3) are amended in accordance with the following Regulations.

4.  In regulation 1(2), in the definition of “table” after “as a bar for the service of food or drink” insert “but does not include a pool table, snooker table or other games table”.

5.  Omit regulation 4(2)(a).

6.  In regulation 4(2)(b) omit “allocated” at both places where it appears.

7.  In regulation 4(2)(c) after “make a payment,” insert “place or collect an order for food or drink (including intoxicating liquor), access a buffet or carvery, play a gaming machine, play a game such as pool, snooker or darts or dance at an event to celebrate a wedding or civil ceremony,”.

8.  In regulation 4(2)(d) after “visitors to the venue” insert “except at an event to celebrate a marriage or civil partnership”.

9.  Omit regulations 4(2)(k) and 4(2)(1)

10.  Omit regulation 4(3)(b) and the word “and” which follows it.

11.  In regulation 4(3)(c) after “food or drink (including intoxicating liquor)” insert “indoors”.

12.  In regulation 4(4) omit “(3)(b) or”.

13.  Omit regulation 4(6).

14.  In regulation 5(1)(f)(i) after “dancing” insert “except at an event to celebrate a wedding or civil partnership”.

15.  In regulation 5(1)(f)(ii) after “for dancing” insert “except at an event to celebrate a wedding or civil partnership”.

16.  Omit regulation 5(1)(fa).

17.  In regulations 5(1)(h)(i) after “who may be seated” insert “indoors”.

18.  Omit regulation 5(1)(h)(ii) and the word “and” which precedes it.

19.  In regulation 5(1)(k) after “who may be seated” insert “indoors”.

20.  Omit regulation 5(1)(l).

21.  In regulation 5(1)(m) after “food or drink (including intoxicating liquor)” insert “indoors”.

22.  In regulation 5(l)(n), after “must not permit a customer to move within the” insert “indoors part of”.

23.  For regulation 5(l)(n)(i) substitute—

“(i) enter or exit the premises, access a table, make a payment, place an order for food or drink (including intoxicating liquor), access a buffet or carvery, access and use toilet, baby changing or breast feeding facilities or a smoking area, play a gaming machine, play a game such as pool, snooker or darts, dance at an event to celebrate a wedding or civil partnership; or”

24.  Omit regulation 5(2).

25.  For regulation 9(6) substitute—

“(6) A person who is required to comply with the conditions in paragraph (5) must, if requested to do so by a relevant officer, give that relevant officer a copy of the appropriate risk assessment referred to in paragraph (5)(a) and an account of the measures referred to in paragraph (5)(b) as soon as reasonably practicable and, in any event, within twenty-four hours of the request.”.

26.  After regulation 12(1)(a)(i) insert “or”.

27.  In regulation 12(1)(a)(ii), for “ten” substitute “fifteen”, for “three” substitute “four” and omit the word “or” which follows it.

28.  Omit regulation 12(1)(a)(iii).

29.  In regulation 17(3)(b) after “persons referred to in paragraph (a)” insert “(but not including persons dancing at an event to celebrate a wedding or a civil partnership)”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health at 2.30 pm on 10th September 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, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 by—

(a) removing the requirement to obtain a ticket in advance of an indoor theatre or concert event and to have allocated seating;

(b) permitting dancing at a wedding reception or civil partnership reception;

(c) removing the requirement to be seated at a table to order or collect food and drink;

(d) removing the requirement for music at an ambient level;

(e) removing the requirement for persons at outdoors part of premises to be seated to consume food or drink; and

(f) permitting persons to play a gaming machine or play a game such as pool, snooker or darts.

They also increase the number permitted to gather indoors, at a private dwelling, from ten to fifteen persons (not including children aged 12 or under) from four households

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 2021 No. 93 as amended by S.R. 2021 Nos. 97, 109, 117, 130, 141, 151, 172, 197, 199, 201, 217,220, 224 and 233