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MPs approved the renewal of the government’s coronavirus emergency powers after ministers escalated to give the House of Commons a greater voice on the new restrictions nationwide.
Powers under the Coronavirus Law, which was approved at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, they must be renewed by parliament every six months.
MPs passed the motion 330 to 24, a majority of 306, after Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Commons that the measures “were still necessary to keep people safe.”
But the government had previously been forced to offer the granting of greater consultation to parliamentarians – and a vote of the Commons “whenever possible” – on new coronavirus lockdown restrictions before they take effect.
Following talks between the government and a group of Conservative MPs who wanted to have more voice in parliament on the COVID-19 measures, Hancock announced the terms of a peace agreement to the Commons.
“I can confirm to the House that for meaningful national measures with effect throughout England, or the whole of the UK, we will consult parliament; where possible we will vote before such regulations come into force,” he said.
However, Hancock cautioned that “responding to the virus means that the government must act quickly when necessary and we cannot delay the urgent regulations that are needed to control the virus and save lives.”
The health secretary also announced that amendments to mental health legislation, which means that a person can be detained under the opinion of a single doctor, will be removed from the Coronavirus Law.
“These were always powers of last resort and they did not convince me, even at the top, that they were necessary because our mental health services have shown incredible resilience and resourcefulness,” he said.
Sir Graham Brady, one of the leaders of the group of Conservative MPs who wants a greater role for parliament, thanked Hancock for “being prepared to listen” and for the “constructive talks” in recent days.
“We are grateful that he and other members of the government have understood the importance of proper scrutiny in this place and the benefits that it can also bring to better government,” he said.
Labor’s shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said his party would not block the renewal of powers.
But he criticized the ministers for appearing in the national media with “absolutely no idea what the rules are.”
“The public is being defrauded on a grand scale,” he said.
“The government has had virtually all the resources and brilliance of our extraordinary country on demand for more than six months.
“They have been able to call in the UK’s remarkable front-line workers, who have shown incredible skill and courage through this crisis.
“And yet we have ended up with one of the highest death rates in the world and on the threshold of one of the deepest recessions.”
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Earlier Wednesday, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, had admonished the government for the use of emergency powers from the coronavirus.
He told ministers that the way they had exercised their powers to introduce anti-coronavirus measures was “totally unsatisfactory” as he criticized them for publishing the laws only “hours before they go into effect.”
“Some explanations of why important measures have gone into effect before they can come before this House have not been convincing and show complete disregard for the House,” said Sir Lindsay.
“The government must do more to prepare measures more quickly so that this House can debate and decide on the most significant measures as soon as possible.”
The president urged the government to “remedy a situation that I consider completely unsatisfactory,” adding: “I now hope that the government rebuilds confidence in this House and does not treat it with the contempt it has shown.”
Sir Lindsay had also ruled that he would not allow Sir Graham’s proposed amendment to Wednesday’s motion to renew coronavirus powers, as the president expressed fear that it risks “uncertainty about the decision the House has made.” .
Sir Graham had wanted to alter the motion as part of his attempt to allow MPs to have more voice on the new coronavirus restrictions, and 80 Conservative MPs, as well as MPs from other parties, were said to have been ready to have supported him.
However, fruitful talks with the government appeared to have satisfied the rebel group’s demands without the need to press for a legislative solution.
