The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Amendment No. 23) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Amendments to Schedule 2

3.  In Schedule 2 (Persons not required to comply with regulation 3 or 4)—

(a) for paragraphs 13 and 13A substitute—

“13.— (1) Any person who the relevant Department has certified as meeting the description in sub-paragraph (a), (b) or (c)—

(a) a Crown servant or government contractor who is required to undertake essential policing or essential government work in the United Kingdom within the period during which they would, but for this paragraph, have had to self-isolate in accordance with regulation 4,

(b) a person returning from conducting essential state business outside of the United Kingdom,

(c) a person returning to the United Kingdom where this is necessary to facilitate the functioning of a diplomatic mission or consular post of Her Majesty or of a military or other official posting on behalf of Her Majesty.

(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)—

(a) “consular post” means any consulate-general, consulate, vice-consulate or consular agency,

(b) “Crown servant” has the meaning given in section 12(1)(a) to (e) of the Official Secrets Act 1989,

(c) “essential government work” means work which has been designated as such by the relevant Department, and includes, in particular, work related to national security, the work of the National Crime Agency in pursuance of its statutory functions, and work related to immigration, the coronavirus disease or any other crisis response, but does not include work of the description in paragraph 2 of Part 1 of this Schedule,

(d) “essential policing” means policing which has been designated as such on behalf of the relevant chief officer or chief constable,

(e) “essential state business” means activity which has been designated as essential to the United Kingdom or Her Majesty’s Government by the relevant Department, and includes, in particular, bilateral or multilateral discussions with another state or international organisation and visits to another state on behalf of the United Kingdom or Her Majesty’s Government,

(f) “government contractor” has the meaning given in section 12(2) of the Official Secrets Act 1989.

13A.— (1) A person returning from undertaking essential or emergency work outside of the United Kingdom, which has been certified by the relevant Department as necessary to facilitate essential government work or essential state business.

(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) “essential government work” and “essential state business” have the same meaning as in paragraph 13.”.

(b) in paragraph 36(a)(i) of Part 2 of Schedule 2 omit “(including such work relating to maintenance and repair of submarine cables connecting the United Kingdom with other countries)”.

(c) after paragraph 36, insert—

“36A.   A person—

(a) who is engaged in the installation, maintenance or repair of subsea fibre optic telecommunications infrastructure,

(b) whose role directly supports the installation, maintenance or repair of subsea fibre optic telecommunications infrastructure,

where they have travelled to the United Kingdom in the course of their work.”.