On Monday this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the Living with Covid plan, which will end all remaining Covid restrictions.
This includes the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test and will see the end of contact tracing, as well as the need for fully vaccinated close contacts to test for seven days.
And, from 1st April, the testing programme is being significantly scaled back with the end of free lateral flow tests.
The ending of restrictions is broadly welcomed by the Chambers and businesses battered by two years of crisis caused by the pandemic. However, the Government now needs to set out practical steps to help businesses adjust to the lifting of remaining restrictions, which while providing a boost to consumer confidence, leave several helpful questions for businesses unanswered.
Whilst lifting restrictions will likely boost consumer confidence and further revitalise an economy, the Prime Minister was also right to stress the dangers associated with the emergence of new variants and the need for considered pragmatism.
The removal of free mass testing will please Treasury officials in the short term but does little to assure us that any future spread of the virus will be contained without the testing infrastructure in place that’s worked so well over the last two years.
Business also needs clear guidance on employer liabilities and the removal of Covid-19 from risk assessments; otherwise, they could face lengthy and costly legal battles, which could dampen recovery prospects.
Firms are still struggling with huge overheads and price pressures – removing national restrictions won’t suddenly make these issues disappear.
The Government needs to use the upcoming Spring Statement to set out a blueprint on how they will tackle problems such as financial support for those struggling to pay energy bills, maintain lower VAT levels, and consider further reform of the business rates system. Also, the Government must not pass public decisions on to business owners, who are not public health experts.
We will continue to interpret how these changes are likely to impact Staffordshire businesses and press the Government to provide the details required to give businesses the confidence they need to look ahead with a renewed sense of optimism.
If you have any concerns or issues you would like to raise around the ending of Covid restrictions, please email info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk or join the discussion in our Virtual Members’ Lounge at Virtual Members’ Lounge.
The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative
This week we have planted a tree at Commerce House as our contribution to supporting the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) initiative.
The QGC is a unique tree planting initiative that has been created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, inviting people from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”.
Everyone from individuals to voluntary youth groups, villages, cities, counties, schools and corporates are encouraged to play their part to enhance our environment by planting trees during the official planting season between October 2021 and March 2022. Tree planting will commence again in October 2022, through to the end of the Jubilee year.
With a focus on planting sustainably, the initiative encourages tree planting to create a legacy in honour of The Queen’s leadership of the nation, which will benefit future generations.
As well as inviting the planting of new trees, The Queen’s Green Canopy will dedicate a network of 70 ancient woodlands across the United Kingdom and identify 70 ancient trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service. To find out more about the QGC, click here.
Cop 26 last November already seems a distant memory, especially as global events have recently moved on. Still, we must act in our business and home environments as we move towards Net-Zero.
We must continue to develop the green infrastructure to help nurture human wellbeing, nature and biodiversity, which will all, in turn, play their part in improving our air quality.
And a special mention goes to Chamber members DJ Ventures for their help with planting the tree.
To find out more about the QGC, click here.
More information about our Environmentally Conscious Staffordshire Campaign can be found at: Environmentally Conscious Staffordshire – Staffordshire Chambers
If you want to talk to us about any business issues, including funding, you can call our switchboard on 01782 202222 or call the Stoke and Staffs Growth Hub Helpline on 0300 111 8002 or email: info@staffordshirechambers.co.uk
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