Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to Answer of 23 October 2020 to Question 99072, for what reason the Food Standards Agency has banned the conduction of remote hygiene inspections when Ofsted has carried out all planned inspection remotely.

Inspections for assessing compliance with food hygiene law are not directly comparable with the inspections that Ofsted undertake.

The Food Standards Agency and local authorities continue to use remote assessment techniques, where appropriate, to reduce footfall and the spread of COVID-19. Onsite visits continue where there is a need to assess and address public health risks.