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 advice the Government received on the effect of wearing face-masks on the spread of covid-19.

The Government has published advice on the effect of wearing face masks related to the spread of COVID-19. The ‘SAGE 27 minutes: Coronavirus (COVID-19) response, 21 April 2020’ can be found online at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sage-minutes-coronavirus-covid-19-response-21-april-2020

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies advised that using cloth masks as a precautionary measure could be at least partially effective in enclosed spaces like public transport where social distancing is not possible consistently, creating a risk of close social contact with multiple parties the person does not usually meet.