• In Focus

    Covid-19 and dental services

    Following the announcement of a national lockdown to combat the spread of Covid-19 in March 2020, the Government restricted the availability of routine dental treatment. Although dental services have since resumed, it has been reported that treatment levels have not returned to pre-pandemic norms. Following the announcement that such services will not have to close during the second lockdown in England, this article explores what barriers there are to providing dental care because of Covid-19.

  • In Focus

    Coronavirus: November lockdown for England

    On 4 November 2020, the House of Lords is due to debate regulations introducing a second ‘lockdown’ in England. The Prime Minister announced the measures in a televised address on 31 October 2020 and made a further statement in the House of Commons on 2 November 2020.

  • In Focus

    Covid-19 and the US election: Campaigning

    The 2020 US election has been conducted during the coronavirus pandemic. At the start of the year, the candidates’ presidential campaigns had to be halted as many US states issued lockdown orders. Since June, the candidates have taken different approaches to appealing to voters. Donald Trump has tried to emulate his successful 2016 campaign while Joe Biden has been more cautious in his campaigning.

  • In Focus

    Domestic abuse in the UK: Government support

    During the Covid-19 pandemic, domestic abuse charities have reported a sharp increase in demand for their services. In response, the Government has provided additional funding to local authorities and domestic violence groups, and is seeking to enact further measures through the Domestic Abuse Bill shortly to come before the House of Lords.

  • In Focus

    Coronavirus: Restrictions on businesses and social gatherings

    In September 2020, the Government placed new restrictions on businesses selling food and drink, requiring many to close between 10pm and 5am. It also introduced further limits on the exemptions to its “rule of six” for social gatherings. This article looks at the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) (Amendment) (No. 5) Regulations 2020, which implemented these new measures.

  • In Focus

    Prosecution of Offences (Custody Time Limits) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

    These regulations temporarily increase the amount of time that a defendant can be held in custody whilst awaiting a crown court trial. The Government said that the purpose of the regulations is to provide reassurance to victims and the public following the recent delays in trial listings caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The regulations came into force on 28 September 2020 and will expire on 28 June 2021.

  • In Focus

    Covid-19 local alert levels: Three-tier system for England

    On 12 October 2020, the Government announced a new system of local Covid-19 alert levels in England. Areas would be categorised as either ‘medium’, ‘high’ or ‘very high’. Different restrictions intended to combat the spread of Covid-19 would be in place based on the alert level in a local area. This article summarises the regulations establishing this new system and the reaction from the local areas affected.

  • In Focus

    Negative interest rates: The policy debate

    Since 2009 the UK bank base rate has been below 1%, and it was cut to 0.1% in March 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. With the economy remaining weak, commentators have debated whether there should be further cuts, taking the interest rate negative for the first time. This article summarises the policy debate.

  • In Focus

    Coronavirus regulations: Apprenticeships

    In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Department for Education has said it expects to see an increase in the number of apprentices being made redundant. The Government has laid regulations which would allow apprentices who are made redundant to continue to receive funding to complete their apprenticeship through an alternative provider.

  • In Focus

    Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-isolation) (England) Regulations 2020

    These regulations make it an offence not to self-isolate if instructed to by certain local authority and health officials. This would apply to those who have tested positive for coronavirus or who have been in close contact with someone else who has tested positive. The regulations came into force on 28 September 2020 and the House of Lords is due to consider them on 14 October 2020.

  • In Focus

    Covid-19 Vaccine: Access for low and middle income countries

    Almost 200 Covid-19 vaccine candidates are currently being developed. However, only a tiny percentage of these will ever be mass-produced and distributed. Concerns around ‘vaccine nationalism’ have grown, as high-income countries pre-order hundreds of millions of vaccine doses. This article looks at this problem and examines what solutions are being put in place to ensure low and middle income countries receive adequate supplies of any successful Covid-19 vaccine.

  • In Focus

    Covid-19 regulations: Face coverings—updates

    During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government has introduced requirements to wear face coverings in specified locations. These have been updated several times, to broaden the scope of the rules and to increase the financial penalties for non-compliance. This article looks at the requirements imposed by three instruments that came into force on 23 and 24 September 2020 and are being debated in the House of Lords on 12 October 2020.

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