Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of major furniture retailers reopening stores before 15 June on independent furniture retailers.

The regulations have always identified homeware, building supplies and hardware stores as being among those businesses which may be regarded as legal exceptions to the requirement to close.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 does not include a definition on what constitutes a homeware retailer. It is for each business to assess whether they are a business exempt from closing having considered the Regulations.