The names of most of the people fined over coronavirus restriction breaches in Downing Street and Whitehall have not been made public.
Operation Hillman, which is probing possible Covid breaches in Downing Street and Whitehall, has referred more than 50 fines to the Acro Criminal Records Office since the inquiry started.
While it is usual practice for police forces to identify someone facing a criminal charge, this is not the case with lesser offences dealt with via on-the-spot fines, such as Covid breaches.
However Downing Street confirmed Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak had been issued with fines for breaches of Covid-19 regulations.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s wife, Carrie Johnson, confirmed she had also been fined.
Here is a list of the fines which have been issued so far:
– March 29
The first wave of fines were issued by the Metropolitan Police, with 20 junior civil servants given £50 fines apparently delivered by email.
The fixed penalty notices were thought to relate to a leaving do held in the Cabinet Office on June 18 2020 to mark the departure of a private secretary, Hannah Young.
None of the junior ministers were named, with the Metropolitan Police saying they were following guidelines issued by professional body the College of Policing for communication between the media and police.
But the Government’s former ethics chief Helen MacNamara admitted she was among those fined, saying: “I am sorry for the error of judgment I have shown. I have accepted and paid the fixed penalty notice.”
– April 5
The Daily Telegraph reported that some of those at a farewell drinks event for Kate Josephs, who was director-general of the Cabinet Office’s Covid-19 taskforce, had been handed fixed penalty notices.
In January, after news of the gathering in the Cabinet Office on December 17 2020 emerged, she had said: “I am truly sorry that I did this and for the anger that people will feel as a result.”
– April 12
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he had paid a fine in relation to an event in the Cabinet Room on his 56th birthday on June 19 2020.
Mr Johnson said it “did not occur” to him that the gathering in the Cabinet Room was a violation of coronavirus rules but now “humbly” accepted that it was.
A spokesperson for his wife, Carrie Johnson, said she had paid a fixed penalty notice relating to the same event and that while “she believed that she was acting in accordance with the rules at the time”, she apologised “unreservedly”.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak also offered an “unreserved apology” and said he had received a fine for the same gathering.
“I understand that for figures in public office, the rules must be applied stringently in order to maintain public confidence. I respect the decision that has been made and have paid the fine,” he said in a statement.
