Asked by: Darren Henry (Conservative - Broxtowe)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the scientific basis is to allow hair salons to reopen on 4 July 2020 as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased, but not beauty salons, massage therapists and tattoo parlours.
Answered by Paul Scully
Following my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement, from 4 July hairdressers and barbers in England will be able to reopen, to offer hairdressing services, once they are following the COVID-secure guidelines.
Other close contact services, like massage therapists, beauty and tattoo parlours remain closed until further notice.
We are taking a phased, cautious approach to reopening our economy, working with businesses, trade associations and medical experts on the safest way to reopen close contact services like massage therapists, beauty salons and tattoo parlours, where there is often greater risk of transmission due to prolonged periods of face-to-face contact and close proximity between staff and customers.
We intend to allow close contact services, such as massage therapists, beauty salons and tattoo parlours to re-open as soon as it is safe to do so.
Our approach is guided by the scientific and medical advice, and SAGE provides world-leading scientific advice to the government. Any changes in approach depend on us continuing to meet the five tests.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if his Department will publish further clarification on when (a) spas, (b) beauty businesses (c) mobile practitioners can resume their operations during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Paul Scully
Hairdressers and barbers in England will be able to reopen from 4 July to offer hairdressing services, once they are following the COVID-secure guidelines.
Other close contact services, like nail salons, beauty and tattoo parlours remain closed until further notice.
We appreciate that this is difficult for some businesses. Our approach is guided by the scientific and medical advice, and every step is weighed against the evidence, remembering that the more we open up the more vigilant we will need to be.
The Government will work with the remaining closed services to establish a timeline for when they can reopen safely.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Information Commissioner on pubs and restaurants being required to collect the names and addresses of customers after they reopen on 4 July 2020 as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department for Health and Social Care is responsible for the NHS Test and Trace programme. Following the announcement that some businesses will be asked to keep a temporary record of their customers and visitors, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy hosted a meeting with representatives of the hospitality and hairdressing sector on 26 June. The Information Commissioner was involved in the discussions.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the ability of pubs and restaurants to collect, process and handle the data collection required of them as part of the plans for their reopening on 4 July 2020; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Department for Health and Social Care is responsible for the NHS Test and Trace programme. Following the announcement that some businesses will be asked to keep a temporary record of their customers and visitors, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy hosted a meeting with representatives of the hospitality and hairdressing sector on 26 June. The Information Commissioner was involved in the discussions.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Prime Minister's covid-19 announcement on 10 May 2020, on what date the Government plans to permit the re-opening of (a) hairdressing and (b) beauty salons.
Answered by Paul Scully
On 11th May we published our COVID-19 recovery strategy, which sets out a roadmap to a phased recovery. Over the coming months, the Government will introduce a range of adjustments to current social distancing controls, timing these carefully according to both the current spread of the virus and the Government’s ability to ensure safety. Each step may involve adding new adjustments to the existing restrictions or taking some adjustments further.
The ambition at step three of the roadmap is to?open at least some of the remaining businesses and premises that have been required to close, including personal care?(such as hairdressers and beauty salons), and we will work with the sector to develop safe ways for them to open at the earliest point at which it is safe to do so. The Government’s current planning assumption is that this step will be no earlier than 4 July.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether officials in his Department have had discussions with officials in the Treasury on making hairdressing salons eligible for business rate relief.
Answered by Paul Scully
Under guidance published on 18th March, hereditaments that are being used for the provision of hair and beauty services (such as hairdressers, nail bars, beauty salons, tanning shops, etc.) do qualify for the grants. It will be for individual local authorities to determine in each individual case when, having regard to this guidance, to grant relief.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of encouraging hairdressers to obtain hairdressing qualifications.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to the petition P002432, “The regulation of the Hair, Barber and Beauty industries”, 20 May 2019, Official Report, Volume 660, Column 6P.
Asked by: Gordon Marsden (Labour - Blackpool South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Hairdressing Council on the (a) regulation and (b) registration of hairdressers.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to the petition P002432, “The regulation of the Hair, Barber and Beauty industries”, 20 May 2019, Official Report, Volume 660, Column 6P.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will introduce minimum standards for wigs required by people.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
Wig suppliers under contract to the National Health Service through the NHS Supply Chain framework must be a member of the Hairdressing and Beauty Suppliers Association (HBSA) and subscribe to the HBSA Wigs Suppliers Code of Practice 2018 which covers the expected quality and standards of service.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the toxic waste that comes from hairdressing salons in England in the form of peroxides and dyestuff is dealt with safely.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
The safe use of peroxides and dyestuff by hairdressers falls within the policy remit of the Health and Safety Executive and the relevant health and safety legislation is enforced by local authority inspectors. The disposal of hazardous waste is enforced by the Environment Agency.
Most products used in the hairdressing sector are considered to be ‘cosmetics’ and to be deemed safe for human use they must comply with Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on Cosmetic Products (recast) which are enforced by Trading Standards under The Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013.
Under the Registration Evaluation Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Regulations (REACH) 2006 suppliers of hazardous substances must provide users of those substances with a Safety Data Sheet (SDS). The SDS contains the information necessary to enable users to carry out a risk assessment as required by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002 including how the product can be used, stored and disposed of safely.