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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of reports that supermarkets are not implementing Government policy (a) restricting shopping to essential goods and (b) on social distancing within shops during the covid-19 outbreak.

Government is clear that people should only leave the house for four reasons, which includes shopping for food and other essentials if they have to. Government have not published a list of goods it deems essential nor asked supermarkets to reduce the range of products they sell.

We have set out the general principles and measures for how social distancing can be implemented in the workplace, including staggering processes which would enable staff to continue to operate both effectively and where possible at a safe distance from one another.

We have also set out tailored advice for different scenarios as an example of how social distancing and other measures that might be implemented by employers in England to help protect their workforce and customers from coronavirus while still continuing to trade.

Everyone must comply with the rules issued by the?Government in relation to coronavirus, in order to protect both themselves and others. In England, Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers will monitor compliance with these regulations with police support if appropriate.