An end to the ordeal is in sight

by
John Baron MP
Conservative Member of Parliament for Basildon & Billericay

This evening there will be a vote in the House of Commons on the new Tier System, which is set to replace the national restrictions when they expire tomorrow.

The impact of the new system will be reviewed at the end of January, and tier allocations will have their first review point on 16th December. The system will have a sunset of 3rd February 2021, with a further vote in Parliament required to extend them. I will be voting with the Government.

The last month has been tough for everyone, but the good news is that overall infection rates are falling. However, they are still at a high level and many of our hospitals remain under considerable pressure.

"Times will continue to be tough for a while yet, but with the real prospect of vaccines on the horizon an end to the Coronavirus ordeal is in sight."

The Government did the right thing in resisting the calls for national restrictions in September in favour of a regional approach via a tier system, rightly seeking a balance between controlling the virus and keeping our economy open. However, the previous tier system proved insufficient to keep the virus down on its own, and a further round of national restrictions was necessary. It is therefore right that as we exit the current restrictions we look to a tougher system of tiers.

I welcome the time-limited nature of the regulations, the regular reviews into the tier allocations and the greater openness in the data being used to reach these conclusions.

Times will continue to be tough for a while yet, but with the real prospect of vaccines on the horizon an end to the Coronavirus ordeal is in sight.