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New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 9:52 pm
by gman
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2020/344/schedule/4/2021-04-26

Looks like all of Scotland moves to Level 3 from tomorrow. The same restrictions on movement will continue with the reasonable excuse of leaving your area for exercise/recreation provided you do not have an overnight stay.

IMPORTANT MODERATOR LEGAL NOTE: The above is false information. The law allows you to move around the whole of Scotland - as well as between Scotland and the other UK nations - for any purpose, including with overnight stays. See this post.

Interestingly, people from other parts of the UK are permitted to travel to and remain in Level 3 areas. So people from England & Wales can holiday anywhere in Scotland, but people from Scotland are restricted to their own local areas.

14.—(1) A person who does not live in a Level 3 area must not enter or remain in that area.

(2) But a person who does not live in a Level 3 area may—

(a)travel through it in order to reach a place outwith the area,
(b)enter or remain in a Level 3 area, if entry to the Level 3 area is from—
(i)England,
(ii)Wales,
(iii)Northern Ireland,
(iv)the Bailiwick of Guernsey,
(v)the Bailiwick of Jersey,
(vi)the Isle of Man.

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 10:00 pm
by denfinella
Interesting. However, I'm sure this will be a typo, or not fully updated yet. I've heard plenty from the government about accommodation opening up, but nothing about not being able to stay in accommodation outwith your council area.

I can't imagine there would be much demand for staying at accommodation within your own council area. (Also, the discrepancy between whether you live in Scotland or you're coming from the rest of the UK would clearly be ridiculous.)

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 10:08 pm
by gman
It's not a typo, this is the new amendment effective from tomorrow:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2021/193/contents/made

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 10:43 pm
by Sgurr
We have been invited to a wedding (just us and the bride and groom) in Gretna. Does this mean we can't stay overnight? Or do we have to stay in a tent just over the border in England? or can't we do that either? Can they come from England? (Looks as if they can). It is May 19th.

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2021 10:55 pm
by gman
The plan is to move to Level 2 on 17 May so you should be OK for the wedding, start practising your English/Welsh accent just in case we're still level 3 :D

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-protection-levels/pages/timetable/

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 1:12 am
by nigheandonn
It seems to depend on whether you read 'a level 3 area' as 'that area which is at level 3' (i.e. all of Scotland?), or 'a local authority area at level 3'. Presumably that's defined somewhere...

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 8:19 am
by Paul Webster
The information given above is false.

As we've previously said, you can move around the whole of Scotland for any purpose, and from today this includes overnight stays, as well as between Scotland and England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Jersey / Guernsey.


The important amendment is this one which makes all of Scotland the same area.

If travelling to island communities, you are advised to take two lateral flow tests, one on the day of travel and one three days before. This is not, however, set in law.

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 8:40 am
by gman
Actually, it's not false - the same movement restrictions on level 3 areas still apply. You can confirm that here:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2020/344/schedule/4/2021-04-26

What's changed is that Scotland is now treated as one single Level 3 area so the movement restrictions don't really make sense, they've probably been retained in case we return to separate local areas.

The bottom line is Scottish residents are currently allowed to travel outwith their local areas - I confirmed this in an earlier reply which you appear to have deleted.

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 8:41 am
by Paul Webster
To be clear - we have not deleted any replies or any text from this thread, by you or anyone else, so please do not make false claims otherwise.

And saying the movement restrictions have not changed, and that people in Scotland have to remain in their local areas, is clearly false. As is telling Sgurr they cannot attend the wedding with an overnight stay until June.

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 9:16 am
by gman
Paul Webster wrote:To be clear - we have not deleted any replies or any text from this thread, by you or anyone else, so please do not make false claims otherwise.

And saying the movement restrictions have not changed, and that people in Scotland have to remain in their local areas, is clearly false. As is telling Sgurr they cannot attend the wedding with an overnight stay until June.


I didn't say that they hadn't changed, I said they still apply and they're still law but since Scotland is now treated as one Level 3 area they don't make sense. I also didn't tell anyone they couldn't attend a wedding till June. I'm happy to state that you can leave your local area as of today, this wasn't clear yesterday as the guidance hadn't been updated.

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:10 am
by nigheandonn
The legislation (as presented in single pages) could certainly be clearer - we've all got used to thinking of 'an area' as our local area. It does make a bit more sense once you realise that there are rules for every level, even where those levels don't currently exist.

(What does seem to be missing is a preemptive ban on movement from English lockdown/level-4-equivalent areas, but I suppose it's all going to change again in a few weeks' time.)

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 10:50 am
by JohnZD
We’re still in make it up as we go along mode.
They changed the bands for the previous levels, so if I understand correctly, based on the latest data, only 2 local authorities should be Level 3, about a quarter in Level 2 and more than half in Level 1.

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:23 am
by LobeyD
"I'm only happy when it rains
I'm only happy when it's complicated
And though I know you can't appreciate it
I'm only happy when it rains
You know I love it when the news is bad
Why it feels so good to feel so sad?
I'm only happy when it rains
Pour your misery down
Pour your misery down on me
Pour your misery down
Pour your misery down on me"

Some folk need to cheer up and go climb a hill..... :roll:

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:36 am
by al78
LobeyD wrote:"I'm only happy when it rains


You must have been really miserable last April and this one. :lol:

Re: New Covid law 26/4/2021

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 11:41 am
by JohnZD
LobeyD wrote:"
Some folk need to cheer up and go climb a hill..... :roll:

We did .. An Socach at Glen Shee