Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what public health concerns he identified as part of his recent decision-making not to re-open tattooists' premises as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

The Government has considered the impact of close contact services such as tattooing and hairdressing on COVID-19 transmission. The advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) is clear that the risk of COVID-19 transmission increases with close contact, prolonged contact and higher numbers of contact. Given the nature of both tattooing and hairdressing, close contact is inevitable. Both pose a high risk of transmission, though there is a greater likelihood of prolonged proximity and exposure in tattooing compared to hairdressing.