Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the evidential basis for the Government's decision (a) to require passengers to wear face coverings on public transport and (b) not to extend that requirement to customers in shops.

The Government has always been clear that its highest priority in managing this national crisis is protecting the public and the National Health Service. On 15 June, the Government website published clear guidance on passengers wearing mandatory face coverings when travelling on public transport in England. The advice details the evidential basis for requiring passengers to wear face masks on transport, and broadly states that there is strong evidence suggesting that social distancing, hand hygiene and isolation measures offer the best protection from the spread of the disease.

From Friday 24 July, members of the public must wear a face covering when visiting a shop or supermarket. Guidance on this was published on 14 July.