Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether covid-19 guidelines in prisons permit people who are medically exempt from wearing facemasks to enter prisons where facemasks are otherwise required.

Prison COVID-19 guidelines specify the GOV.UK criteria for persons exempt from wearing face coverings. Visitors to Prisons who are exempt from wearing a covering are permitted to visit and are not required to wear a covering during the visit. Where staff are exempt from wearing a mask an individual risk assessment is undertaken and any necessary adjustments are made, for example these staff may be deployed to work in areas of the prison where face masks are not required.