Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether pest control services are classified as a key service in relation to the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government’s guidance for critical workers specifically relates to the continued offer for education provision for their children. The indicative list of critical sectors published in the guidance does not have wider implications, and does not confer special status on individuals included in the guidance pertaining to travel, business or any other services.

Pest control services come under the ‘Food and other necessary goods’ section of the government’s guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

In the first instance, employees should confirm with their employer if their role is critical and if they are able to work from home, to establish whether they meet the criteria for their children to attend school. We are asking individuals, employers and schools to make sensible judgments about the policy.

The Government's position remains that everyone who can work from home should do so. Where that is not possible, people should go into work where it is safe and they (or members of their household) are not symptomatic, following relevant PHE guidance. This applies to pest control services. The guidance for employers and businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19) can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19.