Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab did not deny that ministers are considering introducing a higher Tier 4 level of coronavirus restrictions in England.
Asked about reports, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We’re always ready for further measures that we can take. But I think the most important thing about further measures is that we continue on the track we’re on of targeting the virus.”
Under the Tier 4 – or Tier 3-plus – restrictions reportedly being discussed, restaurants and non-essential retail such as clothes shops could also be forced to close.
It comes amid concerns the current tier system does not allow for the closure of schools, so 'local circuit breaker' lockdowns are also reportedly being considered for areas tier 3 restrictions have failed to bring the virus under control.
Mr Raab also said the public would find it “desperately unfair” to impose a national lockdown while rates vary across the country.
He told BBC Breakfast: “I think intuitively as well as scientifically if you look at what we’re trying to achieve is to focus on where the virus is the strongest or where the uptick is the greatest.
“Also I think in areas where the virus is not picking up I think people would feel it was not only counterproductive or ineffective but desperately unfair for measures to be imposed across the board.”
A decision on Tier 4 could be made by mid-November, when there will be enough data to assess how effective the three tier system has been, a Whitehall source told iNews at the weekend.
Matt Hancock previously said the Government would “rule nothing out” on the prospect of a new fourth tier of restrictions.
The Health Secretary told BBC Breakfast: “We’ve always said all along that we take nothing off the table."
He added: “We rule nothing out but at the moment the three-tier system is what we’re working to and it’s effective in slowing the growth of this virus but it hasn’t brought this curve to a halt.”
