Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of service providers such as hairdressers, dentists, and others, requiring customers to pay additional fees to cover the cost of necessary personal protection equipment and other COVID-19 related protective measures; and whether any such requirement is in breach of their COVID-19 guidance for reopening close contact services.

Our safer workplaces guidance is clear. Outside of clinical settings like a hospital, the number of roles for which Public Health England advises use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is small. In cases where additional PPE is required, and an employers’ risk assessment reflects this, employers must provide PPE free of charge to employees.

Pricing is a commercial decision for businesses. We know, however, it is essential that businesses that experience disruption as a result of coronavirus are supported. That is why Government has provided unprecedented support to businesses. The first stage was a £160 billion support package, which included £49 billion of extra funding for the country’s vital public services including the NHS, paying the wages of nearly 12 million people and supporting over a million businesses through grants, loans and rates cuts.