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Parliament may be forced to shut down if the coronavirus outbreak gets significantly worse, it has emerged.
Downing Street confirmed discussions are ongoing between the parliamentary authorities and scientific and medical advisers about whether the Houses of Commons and Lords may need to shut down to stop the virus spreading.
The revelation was sparked by an MP’s concern that politicians could become “part of the problem” as 650 of them travel between Westminster and every part of the country every week, meeting people from across the world.
The SNP’s Carol Monaghan suggested electronic voting and conference calls as ways of allowing parliament to continue to operate while reducing the risk of infection.
Responding,
Boris Johnson said the government was still trying to contain the virus, but would soon be moving to the “delay phase”, when there would be “a lot more detail about what we propose to do with large gatherings in places such as parliament”.
Speaking after prime minister’s questions, Johnson’s official spokesman confirmed: “Discussions are already taking place with the parliamentary authorities and the scientific and medical advisers.
“It’s not for me to speak for parliament, but I’m sure parliament will itself be led by the experts in terms of taking the steps it needs in order to protect the people who work there.”HuffPost
UK understands Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is speaking to experts including the chief medical officer every day to monitor the situation but there are no imminent plans to close parliament.
MPs and Lords are needed to pass the emergency powers the government may need to use as the power gets worse.
It is understood the government wants to get these into law by the end of the month.
But shutting down parliament is a potential option if the outbreak turns into a full-blown crisis or if the building becomes a hotspot for the virus.
Earlier, Monaghan asked at PMQs: “Every week, 650 of us come here from every part of the UK, spend several days operating in close proximity and meeting people from all over the world.
“We then return to our constituencies, potentially becoming the very vectors that we’re trying to shut down.
“Parliament must stay open.
“But what plans does the prime minister have to utilise systems such as conference calls and electronic voting to ensure we do not become part of the problem?”
Johnson replied: “She’s raising a very important point and the chief medical officer and the chief scientific adviser, together with the health secretary, will say a little bit more in the next couple of days about what we’re going to do to delay the advance of coronavirus in parliament and at other large gatherings.
“We’re still at the containment stage ... when we come to the delay phase, she’ll be hearing a lot more detail about what we propose to do with large gatherings in places such as parliament.”Related... The Rise And Fall Of Priti Patel: Can She Survive Another Scandal?
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