These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place) (England) Regulations 2020 so that persons taking part in certain gatherings for educational purposes in community premises are not required to wear a mask. They amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings on Public Transport) (England) Regulations 2020 and the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Local Authority Enforcement Powers and Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020 to change the date on which those Regulations expire to 20th June 2021, and amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Obligations of Undertakings) (England) Regulations 2020 to clarify the obligations of undertakings under regulation 2 of those Regulations.

They amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps) (England) Regulations 2021 (“Steps Regulations”), to move all places in England (including the territorial sea and airspace above England) from the Step 2 area to the Step 3 area, so that the restrictions set out in Schedule 3 to the Steps Regulations apply throughout England with effect from 17th May 2021, the date on which these Regulations come into force.

They amend the Steps Regulations to remove the restrictions on leaving the United Kingdom, and amend the restrictions set out in Schedule 3 to the Steps Regulations to increase the number of people who are able to attend a parent and child group or a support group, to remove the limits on the number of people who may attend a funeral, to permit gatherings necessary to enable a student to move to another household for the purposes of a vacation before 30th June 2021 and to amend the restriction on organising a large gathering outdoors so that it only applies when there are more than 50 people in the gathering. They also amend the Steps Regulations to remove savings provisions in regulations 21 and 23 which are unnecessary because they replicate the effect of section 16 of the Interpretation Act 1978(a).