Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the length of time that restrictions introduced on 30 November 2021 requiring face coverings to be worn on public transport and in shops will remain in place.

On 30 November new regulations requiring face coverings to be worn in shops and on public transport were put in force until 22 December. However, as the scale of the challenge presented by Omicron became clearer, the Department acted, both broadening the scope of these regulation and extending their life to 26 Jan 2022. The Department is keeping all aspects of its response to the pandemic under review, including the latest response in the light of Omicron.