ritons could face a £ 5,000 fine if they leave the UK without a reasonable excuse under the new coronavirus rules that take effect next week.
The new laws will go into effect on March 29.
International travel is already banned in most circumstances in the current lockdown, but under the new laws, non-essential foreign travel will be banned until June 30.
The law says that no one can “leave England to travel to a destination outside the UK, or travel or be present at a boarding point for the purpose of traveling from there to a destination outside the UK” without an excuse.
It suggests that anyone who breaks those rules could face a £ 5,000 fine.
According to the legal document: “The Regulation also imposes restrictions on leaving the UK without a reasonable excuse (Regulation 8)”.
There is also a fixed £ 200 penalty notice for not completing a travel declaration form, giving details of the person and the reason for the trip, for those planning to leave the UK.
The travel ban does not apply to those heading to the common travel area of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland, unless that is not the final destination.
Anyone who breaks the travel rule could face a fine of £ 5,000
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Exemptions also apply, even for those who need to travel for work, studies, legal obligations or to vote, if they move, sell or rent a property, for any reason to care for children or to be present at a birth, to visiting a dying relative or close friend, to attend a funeral, for those who are getting married or to attend the wedding of a close relative, for medical appointments or to escape a risk of harm.
Human rights lawyer Adam Wagner, who cracks the blocking rules on Twitter for the public, said: “Previously, the ‘vacation ban’ that the government had announced was supposed to be more than explicit, because going on vacation was not an excuse. reasonable, it was assumed that he could not be away from home to do so. But now it is explicit. “
Again, protests will be a permitted exception to the rules prohibiting group gatherings under the law if they are organized by a company, public or political body or other group and provided that the organizers take the “required precautions”, which are likely to include measures such as ensuring that people wear face masks and are socially distanced.
It comes after activists, parliamentarians and colleagues called on ministers to make clear that protests were allowed amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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Sam Grant, head of policy and campaigns for the human rights group Liberty, said: “It is welcome that the next stage of the lockdown contains the explicit exemption that we have been asking for – this should have remained in place throughout the current lockdown, and it is unacceptable that he waits until next week. “
The rules also allow students to go home during the Easter break.
The regulation, which will be voted on by Parliament on Thursday, essentially replaces the previous tiered system with a series of “steps”, following the proposed dates of the government’s roadmap out of the lockdown for England.
The usual exemptions to the rules apply, such as having a reasonable excuse for work, volunteering, babysitting, and other caregiving responsibilities.
Step 1, starting March 29, allows up to six people to meet outdoors, but restricts indoor gatherings of two or more people. Some outdoor sports are allowed.
Step 2, which could go into effect on April 12, is when non-essential stores could reopen, as well as businesses like hair salons and hospitality venues that serve customers abroad. Weddings and wakes could have up to 15 people.
Step 3, which according to the government could take effect as of May 17, allows groups of six people to meet inside and up to 30 people outside.
The necessity of the restrictions must be reviewed by April 12 and thereafter at least once every 35 days, legal documents say.
The laws expire June 30, unless they are removed or amended in the meantime.
