17 [Cleo Watson] [09:09] ³Hi! PM birthda\ toda\ - Ze¶ve organised some sandZiches and cake for about 1pm in the Cabinet Room if anyone from your team would like to pop in and wish him a happy birthda\«. ́ [Cleo Watson] [09:09] ³Have sent this to polic\, press and e&v heads. Do \ou mind letting PSs knoZ? ́ [Martin Re\nolds] [09:32] ³Will do ́. Martin Reynolds subsequently sent an email at 09.34 to a number of No10 staff, including the No 10 Permanent Secretary for Covid and the Pandemic Response , Simon Case, and the No 10 Private Secretaries, saying μ For the PM¶s birthda\ today we are having sandwiches and cake in the Cabinet room so do come along and wish the PM happy birthday. ¶ We do not kn ow which individuals saw this email. The event The Prime Minister was not aware of this event in advance and it did not form part of his official diary for the day. He returned from an external visit to No 10 Downing Street at approximately 14.20 and was taken into the Cabinet Room which had been set up with sandwiches, snacks, soft drinks and cans of beer. Those attending included No 10 officials and Mrs. Johnson. The Permanent Secretary for Covid and Pandemic Response, Simon Case , attended for a shor t period having arrived early for a meeting which was due to take place in the Cabinet room. The Chancellor was also there briefly having also arrived early for the same meeting . He had no advance knowledge about what had been planned. The event lasted between 14.25 and 14.45, throughout which the Prime Minister was present. Those attending consumed food and drink, and some drank alcohol. There are photographs of the event. 13 November 2020: A gathering in No 10 Downing Street on the departure of a special adviser Extract from regulations/guidance On 5 November 2020, a second national lockdown was introduced which required people to stay at home and prohibited indoor gatherings of two or more people from other households except for permitted exceptions, including where the ³gathering is reasonabl\ necessar\ « for Zork purposes ́. Social distancing remained the rule at Zork, Zith guidance on Zorking safel\ in offices sa\ing ³\ou must maintain social distancing in the workplace wherever possible ́. Offices Zere advised to ³maintain social distancing guidelines (2m, or 1m Zith risk mitigation