Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment he has made of the risk of covid-19 transmission at automated and hand car washes; and what the evidential basis is for shutting (a) automated and (b) hand car washes under covid-19 lockdown restrictions from 5 November 2020.

No such assessment has been made.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies provided advice and evidence to the Department on the risks of transmission through different routes and environments which is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/933225/S0824_SARS-CoV-2_Transmission_routes_and_environments.pdf