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 proportion of people who refuse to wear masks in public without legitimate reason when required to do so.

There is a growing body of evidence that shows high compliance by the public with the requirements to wear face coverings: the Office for National Statistics’ Opinions and Lifestyle Survey; YouGov (Face Coverings and Staff Survey); and the Department of Health and Social Care Coronavirus Health Behaviours and Campaigns Report, all show high levels of public understanding of the regulations and adherence to wearing face coverings in the relevant settings.

While the majority of people comply with the rules, as they have done throughout the pandemic, the Regulations give powers to the police and Transport for London officers to enforce the requirement to wear a face covering. Fines are issued by enforcing officers as a last resort, so in many cases police engagement ends with the person either proceeding to wear a face covering or leaving the setting. Data published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council show that the police issued a total of 258 Fixed Penalty Notices between 15 June and 19 October for breaches of the Face Coverings Regulations across England and Wales.