COVID passes and the ongoing abuse of ‘urgent’ law-making

This is cross-posted from the UK Constitutional Law Association Blog where it was originally published. Later today  the House of Commons will consider the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Entry to Venues and events) (England) Regulations 2021, which introduce a system mandating the use of COVID passes (or, in formal parlance, ‘COVID status certifications’). These Regulations are being made using the … Continue reading “COVID passes and the ongoing abuse of ‘urgent’ law-making”

NEW PUBLICATION: On Parliament’s Marginalisation and the Six-Monthly Reviews of the Coronavirus Act 2020

In advance of the next six-month review of the Coronavirus Act 2020 (due at the end of September), we have just published “Parliament’s One-Year Review of the Coronavirus Act 2020: Another Example of Parliament’s Marginalisation in the Covid-19 Pandemic” in The Political Quarterly. In this paper we consider the last such six-monthly review (i.e. the one-year review) and argue … Continue reading “NEW PUBLICATION: On Parliament’s Marginalisation and the Six-Monthly Reviews of the Coronavirus Act 2020”

Six-Monthly Votes on the Coronavirus Act 2020: A Meaningful Mode of Review?

This post was originally published on the blog of the UK Constitutional Law Association. A year since the Coronavirus Act 2020 received Royal Assent, Parliament will today (25 March 2021) once more debate the Coronavirus Act 2020 and its effects, effectiveness, and continuation. The Coronavirus Act 2020 is a touchpoint in the legal and regulatory response … Continue reading “Six-Monthly Votes on the Coronavirus Act 2020: A Meaningful Mode of Review?”

A New Coronavirus Committee for Westminster?

Today the NGO Liberty has published its proposal for a new legislative framework to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic: their Coronavirus (Rights and Support) Bill.  They propose that such a Bill would replace the Coronavirus Act 2020, which comes up for renewal at the end of March. While the proposed new Bill is expansive in … Continue reading “A New Coronavirus Committee for Westminster?”

Rights and the PAC Report on the Free School Meals Voucher Scheme

Today the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) released its report on “COVID 19: the free school meals voucher scheme” pursuant to an inquiry undertaken at the end of 2020. Our evidence to the inquiry is available here. While recognising the difficult circumstances in which the free school meals voucher scheme was launched, the PAC … Continue reading “Rights and the PAC Report on the Free School Meals Voucher Scheme”