It's Life, But Not As We Know It..

Our team reveals how emergency powers will affect the nation

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CLOSURES

SHOPS and restaurants can be forced to shut, and events can be cancelled.

In reality, much of this has already happened, with eateries closed, concerts postponed and sports leagues suspended.

But the power will be formalised in the legislation so that ministers can axe the gatherings they believe will fuel the spread of coronavirus, or those that will be an unacceptable drain on emergency services whose time could be better spent elsewhere.

It means Whitehall can order authorities to stop people entering premises, or force people who own or are organising an event to cancel it. The legislation also gives ministers the power to close “events or gatherings of a specified description”, meaning they could close bars, restaurants or any other type of specified venue.

However, many hospitality venues have already closeed voluntarily, with no idea of when they will reopen.

MORTUARIES

COUNCILS are to be given powers to step up planning to create temporary mortuaries.

National authorities – once sanctioned by a minister – could force individuals or companies to provide their facilities if they could help in the storage, disposal or transportation of dead bodies. Examples include sites at private funeral homes or crematoria.

If a local authority is failing to perform these duties effectively, the government has the power to step in and take over the handling of the deceased.

In some cases, it also gives local authorities the power to direct whether a body is buried or cremated.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that inquests into coronavirus-related deaths will not have juries.

Current law says Covid-19 is a “notifiable disease”, which means every related death needs an inquest.