On Tuesday evening 6th Oct we debated the rule of six.
The minister at the despatch box conceded, when asked for the scientific basis for choosing six, that the number was chosen for its simplicity rather than science.
I couldn’t resist pointing out that if simplicity was the yardstick, then ten would be preferable as we could count them up on our fingers.
Furthermore, without sacrificing simplicity, was not possible to exclude children from the six, as they have done in Scotland, or is that too complicated for the English to grapple with?
The limit of six applies both indoors and out of doors (save only for households and bubbles of more than six). Thankfully however, it emerged during the debate that the police have no power of entry to a dwelling to enforce the measure. So they will have to wait outside to count you as you emerge -assuming sufficient fingers are available.
Sir Desmond Swayne TD
