Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of coronavirus health and safety adjustments in fast food outlets; and if she will make a statement.

Health and safety in fast food outlets is enforced by Local Authorities (LAs), who act as independent enforcers of health and safety. LAs in England are currently reporting their general coronavirus enforcement activity to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). BEIS does not hold data on the number of fast food outlets that have been reported. Across businesses in general, those in control are overwhelmingly seeking to comply with legislation and very few have required formal enforcement action to be taken.

During this period, across Great Britain, LA officers have been out in their local communities dealing with safety and health issues along with other coronavirus related activities linked to their wider public health duties. The clear guidance available on the governments webpages (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19) and the Health and Safety Executive’s website (https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/index.htm) is there so business can understand what they need to do to meet their legal duties and set the standards that Officers will enforce against and advise upon.