Repeal the Coronavirus Act 2020
The Parliament petitions site records 102,808 signatures for this petition, which closed on 28 November 2020. The Government responded on 20 October 2020. MPs debated it in Westminster Hall on 22 March 2021.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Repeal the Coronavirus Act 2020
The Coronavirus Act grants potentially dangerous powers including to detain some persons indefinitely, to take biological samples, and to give directions about dead bodies. Powers last up to 2 years with 6 monthly reviews, and lockdown powers could prevent protests against measures.
The Act also lowers protections under the Mental Health Act. Only one medical 'officer' is required to sign off a compulsory treatment order. There are changes to the court system and registration of deaths, and inquests have been suspended in some circumstances. There is no requirement for any medical certification for cremations. It also provides for the indemnity of health service activity for those providing care to a person who has, or is suspected of having, coronavirus disease.
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 20 October 2020; the petitions site lists the Cabinet Office as responsible. Its summary:
With the Coronavirus pandemic still at large, the Coronavirus Act, and the measures within it, remain as important as ever.
The opening 384 words of the 831-word response:
The current coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, which began in December 19, presents a significant, unprecedented challenge for the entire world. All of the UK has been touched by the pandemic and the use of the provisions of the Coronavirus Act should be seen in the context of the extensive and ongoing impact across the whole of society.
The development of an effective response to the pandemic required several actions. Some of these involved the use of new tools and powers that required new legislation. The UK government’s coronavirus action plan, published on 3 March, set out measures to respond to the Coronavirus pandemic that are reasonable, proportionate and were based on the latest scientific evidence. The plan envisaged that changes to legislation might be necessary in order to give public bodies across the UK the tools and powers they need to carry out an effective response to this emergency. On 25 March, the Coronavirus Act 2020 received Royal Assent. The Coronavirus Act gives us the powers we need to take the right action at the right time to respond effectively to the impact of the pandemic and should be seen as part of a wide range of public health measures designed to tackle the pandemic during its life cycle.
A balance has had to be struck between protecting the public’s health, and safeguarding individuals’ rights; and between acting swiftly to respond to fast moving events, whilst ensuring accountability and transparency. A two-year life span for this Act has been chosen to ensure that its powers remain available for a reasonable length of time, with the option for the provisions in the Act to be extended by the relevant national authority. These provisions are subject to a six-monthly review and renewal vote in the House of Commons. The first of these was held on 30 September 2020, following a debate in the House of Lords on 28 September, in which Parliament decided that the Act should continue. They are also subject to a two-monthly report to Parliament and an annual debate. Many of the provisions can be suspended if the scientific advice is that they are not needed, and revived again if it says that they are. This is a flexible and proportionate response to a major crisis.
The Act enabled action in 5 key areas:
Read the full response on the petitions site.
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies on the boundaries used until the 2024 general election. The largest number, 363, came from Knowsley.
101,827 of the signatures were from the UK and 981 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures |
|---|---|
| Knowsley | 363 |
| Lewisham, Deptford | 313 |
| Croydon North | 309 |
| Bootle | 288 |
| Garston and Halewood | 288 |
| Wealden | 285 |
| Holborn and St Pancras | 276 |
| Lewisham West and Penge | 276 |
| Leeds Central | 270 |
| Hackney North and Stoke Newington | 269 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| London | 15,069 |
| North West | 13,657 |
| South East | 13,455 |
| East of England | 9,064 |
| South West | 8,366 |
| West Midlands | 8,126 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 7,767 |
| East Midlands | 6,434 |
| Scotland | 5,993 |
| Wales | 5,287 |
| North East | 4,110 |
| Northern Ireland | 1,996 |
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated the petition in Westminster Hall on 22 March 2021. Read the debate in Hansard. House of Commons Library debate pack.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/313310.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
e16ae205ccb7ed7a… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.