BREAKING: Covid - Legal limits on social contact to end in June - with beer gardens reopening in April

The new four-step plan to ease lockdown could see all legal limits on social contact lifted by 21 June.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told MPs the plan aimed to be "cautious but irreversible" and at every stage decisions would be led by "data not dates".

Changes require continued progress on vaccines, falling infection rates and quashing new coronavirus variants - all of which must be met at every step.

Step One

Will see schools reopen on Monday, March 8[.B]

Step Two

Will see shops, hairdressers, gyms and outdoor hospitality will reopen on 12 April in England - if strict conditions are met, under plans being set out by the PM.

Also on 12 April: Non-essential retail, hairdressers, nail salons, gyms and outdoor areas in hospitality venues (such as beer gardens) set to reopen - along with libraries, museums, zoos and theme parks.

Up to six people from separate households could be able to meet in beer gardens from that date.

'The Scotch Egg debate will be over' says the PM.

There will be no curfew under step two of the relaxing of England's lockdown restrictions, adding there will be no requirement for alcohol to be accompanied by a "substantial meal."

Self-contained accommodation will reopen, but people will only be able to stay with members of their household

Step Three

From 17 May will see pubs, restaurants, cinemas, hotels, B&Bs and children's play areas set to open their doors once more, with fans allowed back into sporting events.

Step Four

Johnson says step four will start no earlier than 21 June. At that point all limits on social contacts should be lifted.

And he says large events like weddings, funerals, wakes, receptions and christenings should be able to go ahead

Read our LIVE BLOG to see how the news unfolded in real time