The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

12. Returning essential state worker

24.—(1) Any person who a government department has certified as meeting the description in sub-paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d)—

(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 isolate in accordance with these Regulations,

(b) a person returning from conducting essential policing or essential government work outside the United Kingdom,

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

(d) 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 a government 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 the entry relating to Crown servants (border work) in this Schedule,

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

(e) “essential state business” means activity which has been designated as essential to the United Kingdom or Her Majesty’s Government by a government 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.

Condition for exemption from requirement to possess notification of negative test result

25.  Where P is a person described in paragraph 24(1)(a), (b) or (c), P is not required to comply with regulation 6 where a government department has certified, prior to P’s departure to the United Kingdom, that P meets this description and is not required to comply.

Condition for exemption from requirement to book and undertake test

26.  Where P is a person described in paragraph 24(1)(a) or (c), P is not required to comply with regulation 8 where a government department has certified that P meets this description and that P is not required to comply.

Condition for exemption from requirement to self-isolate

27.  Where P is a person described in paragraph 24(1)(a), (c) or (d), P is not required to comply with regulation 10 where a government department has certified, prior to P’s departure to the United Kingdom that P meets this description and is not required to comply.

Condition for exemption from requirement to comply with managed isolation

28.  Where P is a person described in paragraph 24(1)(a), (b), (c) or (d), P is not required to comply with regulation 14 and Schedule 7 while undertaking that work or activity where a government department has certified that P meets this description and that P is not required to comply while undertaking that work or activity.