Agenda item

Bills

Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Act 2021

The Act makes provision for the authorisation of criminal conduct by a covert human intelligence source (CHIS). It inserts new provisions into the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 which enable officers of certain public authorities, including designated officers of the City of London Police, to grant a criminal conduct authorisation to a CHIS. The Act’s substantive provisions will be brought into effect by regulations which have yet to be made.

Date in force

1st March 2021

Statutory Instruments

The Restriction of Public Sector Exit Payments (Revocation) Regulations 2021 No. 197

These Regulations revoke the Restriction of Public Sector Exit Payments Regulations 2020, which imposed a cap of £95,000.00 on relevant exit payments by local authorities. Under these Regulations, where a local authority reduced the amount of an exit payment as a result of the operation of the cap, whether this was paid to a person or a relevant public sector scheme, it must pay an amount (including interest) such that the recipient of the capped payment is treated as if the cap had never applied. These Regulations apply to the City of London Police and the Common Council in its capacity as a local authority, police authority or port health authority.

19th March 2021

The Business Tenancies (Protection from Forfeiture: Relevant Period) (Coronavirus) (England) Regulations 2021 No. 283

The Coronavirus Act provides that a right of re-entry or forfeiture under a relevant business tenancy for non-payment of rent, may not be enforced for a specified period. This period has been extended from its original end date of 30 June 2020 by a series of Regulations. These Regulations now extend the end of the period from 31 March 2021 to 30 June 2021.

31st March 2021

The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Residential Tenancies: Protection from Eviction) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2021 No. 284

The Coronavirus Act 2020 provided that, during a specified period, landlords are required to provide at least three months’ notice of intention to seek possession of housing let under a Rent Act 1977 protected or statutory tenancy, a secure tenancy, a flexible tenancy, an assured tenancy, an assured shorthold tenancy, an introductory tenancy or a demoted tenancy let by a local authority or housing action trust. Previous Regulations extended the end of the specified period from 30 September 2020 to 31 March 2021 and suspended the three months’ notice requirement where the landlord is seeking possession on grounds related to anti-social behaviour. These Regulations extend the end of the specified period from 31 March to 31 May 2021.

31st March 2021

The Public Health (Coronavirus) (Protection from Eviction) (England) (No. 2) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 No. 362

These Regulations extend provisions in previous Coronavirus Regulations and prevent, except in specified circumstances, attendance at a dwelling-house for the purpose of executing a writ or warrant of possession or delivering a notice of eviction. The specified circumstances are where the court is satisfied that the claim is against trespassers who are persons unknown or where it was made wholly or partly on the grounds of anti-social behaviour, nuisance, domestic abuse in social tenancies, false statements, substantial rent arrears exceeding 6 months’ rent or, in cases where the person attending is satisfied that the dwelling-house is unoccupied at the time of attendance, the death of the occupant. The amended Regulations will expire at the end of 31st May 2021.

30th March 2021

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps) (England) Regulations 2021 No. 364

These Regulations impose restrictions on gatherings and businesses in England, according to a system of three “Steps”, in order to implement the Government’s “roadmap out of lockdown” into law. The restrictions are at their most severe in Step 1 which, under the Regulations, currently applies to every area of England. The restrictions on businesses include the closure of certain businesses, and restrictions on the service of food and drink for consumption on the premises of a business. The Regulations also impose restrictions on leaving the United Kingdom without a reasonable excuse. The need for the restrictions in these Regulations must be reviewed by the Secretary of State every 35 days.

29th March 2021

(The text of the measures and the explanatory notes may be obtained from the Remembrancer’s Office.)