Coronavirus Act vote: What is it and why it is taking place

While the Act would mean Covid rules would be enforced for another six months, it does not mean lockdown restrictions will be extended until October.

It is largely expected to be passed by MPs, but there is some confusion over why it’s taking place.

This is what you need to know.

What is the Coronavirus Act?

Created in response to the pandemic in March 2020, the Act is a piece of legislation that allows the Government to introduce restrictions such as lockdowns, regional tier system, as well as supportive measures such as furlough scheme, grants and income support.

When is the Coronavirus Act vote?

The vote is set to take place on Thursday afternoon at approximately between 3pm and 4pm.

Live coverage of the vote can be seen on BBC News and Sky News.

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Why is it taking place and why is it important?

The temporary measures within the legislation are required to be reviewed and renewed by a vote by MPs every six months.

MPs will be asked to approve the regulations for the route out of lockdown and keep some of the emergency powers in the Coronavirus Act in place until September.

The best-case scenario would see all restrictions on social contact lifted on Monday, June 21.

The Government has previously said that keeping the Coronavirus Act in force means that Covid-related schemed, such as furlough, can legally continue.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Monday: “We are today setting out the legal foundations which, if agreed by Parliament, will deliver the roadmap out of lockdown.

“We are rightly ending as many national measures as safely as possible, while maintaining those which remain necessary and proportionate to help reduce and control infections further as we cautiously but irreversibly ease restrictions and our historic vaccination programme continues apace.”

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Why is the vote controversial?

Matt Hancock will appear in Parliament today

The vote on Thursday is likely to comfortably pass, with Labour not expected to oppose the measures.

But Mark Harper, leader of the Covid Recovery Group of lockdown-sceptic Tory MPs, said he has not “heard a single good answer about why” the Government wants to extend “very significant draconian powers” for a further six months.

The former chief whip, who said he thinks plans to ease the lockdown “could safely go more quickly”, told Sky News: “The biggest problem today is the extension of some very significant draconian powers in the Coronavirus Act which the Government doesn’t want to extend until June – it actually wants to extend all the way into October.

“And these are quite significant powers; they are powers, for example, for the police to detain people indefinitely and to continue having powers to shut down events and so forth all the way through to October.

“And I haven’t heard a single good answer about why the Government wishes to do that, given that the Prime Minister has said he wants to be out of all of our legal restrictions by June.”