Devon MPs have their say on the Prime Minister's roadmap out of lockdown
Most have welcomed it, but some say the unlocking 'should be faster than it is'
MPs across Devon have welcomed the Prime Minister’s roadmap out of lockdown – but some have said the unlocking should be faster than it is.
Boris Johnson on Monday afternoon announced a series of steps in which he sets out the principles of transition out of lockdown and hopefully back to normality by June 21 at the earliest.
From March 8, pupils and students in all schools and further education settings will return to face-to-face teaching, supported by twice-weekly testing of secondary school and college pupils, and people will also be able to meet one person from outside their household for outdoor recreation, such as a coffee on a park bench, in addition to exercise.
Every care home resident will be able to nominate a named visitor, able to see them regularly provided they are tested and wear Personal Protective Equipment.
From March 29, the Rule of Six will return outdoors including in private gardens. Outdoor meetings of two households will also be permitted. And outdoor sports facilities, such as tennis and basketball courts will be able to reopen, and people will no longer be legally required to stay at home, but people should continue to work from home where they can and minimise all travel wherever possible.
Non-essential retail, hairdressers, indoor leisure facilities such as gyms, as well as holiday-lets for use by individuals or household groups, will reopen no earlier than April 12, and pubs and restaurants will be able to re-open from that date too for outdoor service.
Restrictions on meetings outdoors will be lifted, no earlier than May 17, subject to a limit of thirty people, and groups of no more than six people or two households will be able to meet indoors, and from that date, pubs and restaurants will open indoors, as will hotels, hostels and B&Bs.
And from no earlier than June 21, all remaining restrictions could be lifted, including the reopening of nightclubs, full stadiums for sporting events, and the end to the requirement to work from home if you can.
Devon’s MPs have welcomed the roadmap out of lockdown, but have called for the relaxing of measures to be brought forward if the data allows.
Torridge, West Devon, South Hams and North Devon have the four lowest infection rates in England, and at upper tier level, Cornwall and Devon are the two lowest.
Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter, said:
"The Government has rightly said we should be driven by the data and not dates and says these dates are subject to review. Given the stunning evidence on the impact of the vaccines in preventing serious illness & deaths the Government should be prepared to bring those dates forward, as well as back, if the data justifies it.
"It is particularly hard on local businesses, especially our vital hospitality sector, to have to remain closed for Easter, given Exeter & Devon have one of the lowest Covid rates in the country.”
Anne Marie Morris, MP for Newton Abbot, who voted against the third lockdown, said that while she welcomed the announcement, the road map to recovery was far too slow:
"Suddenly the goal posts have moved. The vaccination was hailed as the game changer, and it is, but our huge success in vaccinating the vulnerable and many more isn’t being recognised. Full opening up must wait until everyone has had the chance of a first vaccine dose, expected now in June given the incredible rollout rate.
"Instead of adjusting opening up dependent on hospital admissions and deaths, we are now looking at infection rates. In Devon infection rates, never mind hospital admissions and deaths have fallen like a stone. We still have no impact statement on the adverse effects of lockdown itself. We know the impact on mental health is growing exponentially, and we know many businesses without an Easter season will close – forever. Is this delay proportionate to the Covid risk?
"These proposals leave no room for decisions to be bought forward, even if data is better than expected. They do not recognise that here in Devon the cost to health and livelihoods from lockdown may well outweigh the risks from Covid. Next week’s budget must provide some relief."
Kevin Foster, MP for Torbay, said:
"I welcome the Prime Minister’s statement and it is absolutely right the first priority is getting all of Torbay’s children back to school and restarting many activities for them, even though this inevitably means some activities for adults will have to wait until the start of the Easter Holidays. I also welcome us having a clear route map towards the re-opening of our bay as a resort, including those businesses which have been required to close since March 2020, with no repeat of the substantial meal rule or evening curfews.
"There is still a great challenge ahead of us, we cannot think the fight is over and let the virus come back again with the inevitable impact this would have in our bay. We will need to follow the data and science at each stage, guided by clinical advice rather than political points. Yet as the Bay’s Jabs Army has advanced over recent weeks we can now look forward to a more normal summer where we can welcome back to our bay not only previous visitors, but many who will see a staycation as the right choice for Summer 2021."
Asking questions in the House of Commons, Anthony Mangnall, Totnes MP, said:
"Millions of young people have had their lives put on hold for the last thirteen months."
"They’ve been the least likely to suffer from this virus so I was wondering if the Prime Minister could look ahead and inform me and the house as to what we can do to help those university students who are going to enter the job market for the first time, such as those leaving school, because right now they look ahead and post lockdown into a world that is very uncertain and their future must be safeguarded so what can we do?"
Leader of Devon County Council, Cllr John Hart, said that he is urging every resident in Devon to continue to abide by the rules and keep the county’s infection rates as low as they have been so far before the rules are relaxed:
"I know that many parents will be delighted that schools are to open up and we are working with heads and their staffs to ensure that is done as safely as possible across Devon.
"For people who have endured this worst of lockdowns, the Prime Minister’s road map will provide some real hope along with the hugely successful vaccination programme. Families who haven’t seen each other for months will be able to get together, friends will be able to meet for a coffee or go for a walk.
"I’m afraid that it looks as though our tourism and hospitality operators will miss Easter – the traditional start of the season – but at least they now have something to aim for and I know many have said when they open this time, they don’t want to have to close again. But hospitality and our other businesses, such as retail, which have been so hard hit by the pandemic will still need support and I look to the Budget next week to address this, including an extension of the furlough scheme."