Parliament to close on Wednesday after passing coronavirus laws

Published by Scott Challinor on March 25th 2020, 10:10am

Passing the emergency legislation to help curb the spread of coronavirus will be one of Parliament's last acts before a temporary shutdown begins on Wednesday evening.

The legislation will empower the government to use new measures to help halt the spread of coronavirus, and it is expected to clear Parliament before Wednesday's shutdown after receiving approval from the House of Lords.

Leader of the Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, praised MPs, peers and House staff who had worked on getting the emergency legislation completed before the shutdown.

Rees-Mogg said: "Further discussions will continue within government, with the parliamentary authorities and members to ensure Parliament operates safely for all those who work there.

"The legislature must be able to continue its vital democratic functions of conducting scrutiny, authorising spending and making laws."

The Easter break for the House of Commons was set to begin on March 31, but the recess has now been brought forward to avoid the virus being spread in Parliament.

Health minister Nadine Dorries was the first MP to be diagnosed with coronavirus.

Speaker of the Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle had been advising MPs in the chamber to sit further apart and re-jigged the voting system to avoid them from gathering in close quarters in the lobbies.

MPs will vote on Wednesday to plan for a managed return to the Commons on April 21, where Budget legislation will be on the agenda.

Boris Johnson and his cabinet will continue to convene through video conference calls, while MPs will still be responding to constituents.



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Scott Challinor
Business Editor
March 25th 2020, 10:10am

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