Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng says the Government has not ruled out keeping businesses closed in the areas worst-impacted by the Indian variant of coronavirus.
Asked on Sky News whether there could be a return to some sort of local lockdown, Mr Kwarteng said ministers were considering “all options”.
He said: “I repeat what I’ve said before, we’re looking at the data. We want to reopen on the 21st of June, and we’re trying to get to that outcome. But if the data says suggests that it would be unsafe to do that, we may well follow that, we would follow that.”
Business owners understand the Government has “to look at the science… scientific evidence, we have to look at the data, and that we shouldn’t be rushing too quick and easy conclusions” with opening up, a Cabinet minister has said.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky News businesses had told him, especially in hospitality, that they found the situation “frustrating”.
“They want to get open and up and running again,” he said.
“But they do understand that we have to do it in a safe way.”
Mr Kwarteng has said “it’s impossible for anyone to know what the situation will be like in a week or two weeks’ time” in relation to the planned reopening of the country on June 21.
Speaking to Sky News he said: “We’ll be looking at the data, we’ve said repeatedly that we won’t make a final decision about the 21st of June until the 14th of June, a week before the established date.
“So I can’t guarantee one thing or the other.”
