Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his current policy is on the wearing of face coverings in his (a) Department, (b) departmental agencies and (c) related bodies during the covid-19 outbreak.
In line with Government guidelines and the Department’s risk assessment staff in BEIS offices are not required to wear face coverings but do have individual discretion to wear one should they wish to do so. It is the responsibility of individual employers to undertake a risk assessment and advise on the need for additional mitigations to be put in place within their buildings.
BEIS sponsors 5 Executive Agencies and 23 arm’s length bodies (Non-Departmental Public Bodies and Non-Ministerial Departments). They have organisational independence to set their own policies regarding the use of face covering which considers the risk assessment, the devolved administrations guidance and legislation that impacts on their location and operational need.