My Lords, I too support the regulations. Indeed, I hope they are put on a permanent basis, as my noble friend the Minister suggested. I agree with the suggestion that the review should take due account of the effect on people in the vicinity, and with the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, on the public health issues she outlined.
I have given notice to the Minister of the point I am going to raise, because it is on the broader canvas of the effect of Covid and regulations post-pandemic, as we now see off the dreadful pandemic period. Many of us will recall that during the pandemic itself, we were able to deal with certain things in a very effective way, which gave rise to a warm glow of satisfaction. I am thinking particularly of rough sleeping, which disappeared in a way that many of us found both stunning and encouraging. Sadly, it is now of course creeping back. Have the Government given any thought as to how this can be reversed?
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Another feature of the pandemic that we all recall was that, all of a sudden, there was a host of very willing, not to say enthusiastic, volunteers who came forward to help with the vaccination programme. What happened to these people? We do not want to lose that well of good will post-pandemic, and we are in danger of doing so if we do not think of ways to use that very beneficial aspect of the pandemic to good effect.
I will briefly mention one area which I think the Government are neutral on, although at times they seem to be somewhat against it: the change in working patterns. Many people, understandably, are now working more from home. Ministers have sometimes indicated that that is not a good thing. Regardless of whether it is good or bad, the data suggests it is happening, and that will have an effect on communities and their retail aspect, which is another element. In short, I am looking for some reassurance that the Government are considering these issues and that they will consider having a debate, so we can all participate in a discussion of them. I leave to one side the health issues, which I know are being looked at in the Covid-19 inquiry. But there are many other issues as well, which I hope can be addressed.
With that, I am certainly in favour of these regulations, which strike me as very sensible.