Don't leave Sheffield to cope with a local lockdown on its own, says peer

Lord Paul Scriven has criticised the government after ministers admitted the policy of local lockdowns was ‘still in development’ and could not confirm who would have legal responsibility for managing them.

Lord James Bethell, parliamentary under-secretary for innovation, confirmed ‘“arrangements for local lockdowns aren’t fully in place’.

Lord Scriven said the chief medical officer has warned there are likely to be local flare-ups and accused ministers of taking risks with the public's health.

He said: “The government cannot seriously expect local areas to take action to keep local people safe and to dampen the virus in their area if it hasn't got policies, systems and legal arrangements in place to ensure local bodies can take swift and decisive action to deal with a spike of coronavirus.

“It is utterly incomprehensible that the government has decided to start lifting the lockdown - recognising the risks this poses - without legal clarity on the issue of who is responsible for managing local infection surges and implementing lockdowns.

“If we are to have any hope of containing Covid-19 and preventing a second wave of infections, these systems are absolutely pivotal.

"We must see clarity on these powers as a matter of urgency.

“Without this, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that ministers are again playing catch up with what the scientists are telling them, taking serious risks with public health.”