Overview

This bill amends the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 to increase parliamentary scrutiny of health protection regulations made by the government. It aims to ensure that regulations are proportionate and subject to greater parliamentary oversight before they are implemented.

Description

The bill makes two key changes:

Increased Scrutiny of Regulations: The bill mandates that for English regulations (those made by the Secretary of State), a statement demonstrating the proportionality of any restrictions or requirements must be presented to Parliament. This proportionality must be supported by a regulatory impact assessment, also laid before Parliament.

Enhanced Parliamentary Approval Process: The bill alters the process for making health protection regulations. Before regulations can be enacted, a draft must be laid before both Houses of Parliament for at least 20 sitting days. Either House can reject the draft entirely, or propose modifications. The regulations will only come into effect if both Houses approve them, either in their original or modified form.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to have a significant direct impact on government spending. The primary cost would be associated with preparing the required regulatory impact assessments and parliamentary processes. Exact figures are unavailable from the provided text.

Groups Affected

The bill affects several groups:

• Parliament: Grants Parliament greater power to review and amend health protection regulations.
• Government Departments (especially the Department of Health and Social Care): Requires more rigorous justification and assessment of regulations before implementation.
• The Public: Could lead to more transparent and accountable decision-making on public health measures.

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