Police able to break up house parties of more than 15 people

Police have been handed powers to break up house parties under new coronavirus laws.

Any private gatherings of more than 15 people from more than one household can be halted by officers from Friday.

The precaution has been brought in to help stop the spread of Covid-19 as the total number of positive tests surpass 20,000.

However Nicola Sturgeon has stressed it will only be used as a last resort.

At her daily briefing on Thursday the First Minister said house parties pose a “significant transmission risk” but insisted the government is “not trying to police your social life”.

Sturgeon said the temptation to hold big indoor gatherings will be greater during the cold autumn and winter months but said the new powers will be used only in the “most blatant breaches of the guidance”, and will be reviewed every three weeks.

She said: “I want to make it clear – particularity to young people – this is not about trying to stop people having fun.

“We are not trying to police your social life. Seeing and socialising with your friends is important, especially during what continues to be a very difficult period. But… it needs to be done safely and responsibly.”

Speaking at the Justice Sub-Committee on Policing at Holyrood, Police Scotland’s chief constable Iain Livingstone said that the force would continue to take the approach it has throughout the pandemic.

“It’s always to engage with people and tell people to do the right thing,” he said.

“Encourage people to go home, if they go home willingly, that’s good.”

He added: “[The new regulation is] one that we will use very lightly, we’ll use it the same way we’ve used all the powers we’ve been granted – enforcement will be the last resort.”