Update: On Wednesday morning (May 27), Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said fines for families who breached lockdown rules due to childcare concerns will not have their punishment reviewed.

The Government will look at cancelling any fines given to parents who travelled during lockdown for childcare reasons.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock made the promise at the daily Downing Street press conference yesterday (Tuesday, May 26) when he answered a question.

In a reference to the Dominic Cummings row, a member of the public asked: “Will the Government review all penalty fines imposed on families travelling for childcare purposes during lockdown?”

Mr Hancock responded: “It’s a very good question and we do understand the impact and the need for making sure that children get adequate childcare, that is one of the significant concerns that we have had all the way through this.”

Mr Cummings, who is Boris Johnson's chief aide, is under fire after it was revealed that he travelled 260 miles to Durham during the height of the lockdown in March.

The senior advisor said he made the journey after his wife fell ill. He said he was worried about childcare for his four-year-old son in the case of both parents falling ill.

During yesterday's press conference, Mr Hancock defended Mr Cummings, saying that, unlike himself, the aide did not have childcare available in London and it was reasonable to have driven to Durham to seek that.