News

Northern Ireland looks to relax rules on 5 July

Restrictions are currently in place across Northern Ireland. The Executive has agreed several relaxations to restrictions, including:

5 July (tbc):

  • Reopening of seated theatres, concert halls and other venues.
  • Return…


Chancellor of the Exchequer announces opening of UK Infrastructure Bank

Recently launched at its headquarters in Leeds, the UK Infrastructure Bank will be tasked with accelerating investment into “ambitious infrastructure projects, cutting emissions and levelling up every part of the…


Planning Inspectorate guidance updated

The Planning Inspectorate has updated its guidance on planning applications in response to the Government announcement regarding the delay to Step 4. The effect of the update is to say…


Tourism tax on the First Minister’s menu for Wales

The First Minister has confirmed the Welsh Government will explore the introduction of a tourism tax in Wales.

The Welsh Government has published its programme for government which includes plans…


Step 4 postponed

The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson was joined by Chief Medical Officer for England, Chris Whitty, and Chief Scientific Adviser, Patrick Vallance, at a press briefing last night (14 June). 

As…


Tourism Recovery Plan published

The twin targets of the Government’s Tourism Recovery Plan which has just been published are to rebuild domestic back to 2019 levels by 2022 and to rebuild inbound tourism back…


£166 million cash injection for green technology

The green technology required to help the UK meet its world-leading climate targets has been given a £166.5 million cash injection, six months on from the publication of the Prime…


Scotland’s journey out of lockdown

In Scotland, the journey out of lockdown will take a step forward on Saturday 5 June when large swathes of the country move into level one, allowing more people to…


R Number and growth rate may put Step 4 date back

The latest R Number and growth rate figures as the Late Spring Bank Holiday approached were, respectively, 1.0 to 1.1 and 0% to +3%. This is the first time since…


Travel guidance amended for areas with high incidence of Indian variant

The Government has changed the travel guidance that applies to areas with the new variant (often referred to as the variant first identified in India). It is spreading fastest in: