Hancock announces new tier three measures for England

Matt Hancock addressed Parliament today following yesterday’s Covid tier review, as he revealed the areas which would move to new levels. The ebb and flow of cases means several areas can move out of their restrictions, while others go deeper into the system. The health secretary’s decisions have caused outrage in some cases, however.

When is the next tier review?

England exited national lockdown on December 2, after which most of the country’s regions entered Tier 3.

The Government promised a review within two weeks and got together for an evaluation on December 16.

Ministers have confirmed this is how legally how they have to continue going forwards, with fortnightly reviews.

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Making his announcement in Parliament today, Mr Hancock told MPs he has to review the restrictions by law every two weeks.

But, in reality, officials conduct weekly situational reviews of regions across England.

He added if he has a chance to move somewhere out of Tier 3, he will take it.

So, while the next legal review date is December 30, officials will evaluate the situation by December 23.

The latest raft of restrictions moved regions up and down the tier system, with some remaining where they are.

Ministers applied the following changes from 12.01 am on December 19:

• Moving up into Tier 3: Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Peterborough, Hertfordshire, Surrey (except Waverley), Hastings and Rother, Portsmouth, Gosport and Havant
• Moving down to Tier 2: Bristol and North Somerset
• Moving to Tier 1: Herefordshire

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Manchester, which notably resisted the shift into Tier 3 before the national lockdown, has remained where it is.

But the city’s leadership has railed against the plans, stating infection rates have dropped below nearby Liverpool.

Sir Richard Leese, longtime leader of Manchester City Council, said the decision to keep his city in the highest level of restrictions was “unbelievable”.

He wrote on Twitter: “Even though our numbers are better than either London or Liverpool’s were three weeks ago, still in Tier 3. Unbelievable!”

In a statement, he added: “I cannot say that this announcement is not bitterly disappointing so close to Christmas.

“For many of our businesses the possibility of trading, even in a limited way, would have been a brief respite in what has been a devastating year.

“So many sectors of our economy have faced disappointment after disappointment this year, made worse by a government unresponsive to the dire situation they were in.

“As a council we will continue to fight for them and to ensure a fair deal for the people who make our city the vibrant and thriving place it is.”

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