The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (England) Regulations 2021

Made: at 1.35 p.m. on 29th November 2021

Laid before Parliament: at 5.00 p.m. on 29th November 2021

Coming into force: at 4.00 a.m. on 30th November 2021

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PART 1 — Introductory

Citation, commencement, extent and application

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Interpretation

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PART 2 — Requirement to wear a face covering: relevant places and public transport

Requirement to wear a face covering whilst entering or remaining within a relevant place

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Requirement to wear a face covering when on public transport

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Reasonable excuse

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Requirements relating to signage and information

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Prohibition on preventing a person from wearing a face covering

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PART 3 — Disapplication of requirements

Disapplication by the Secretary of State

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PART 4 — Enforcement

Enforcement of requirement to wear a face covering whilst entering or remaining within a relevant place or using public transport

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Offences and penalties

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Fixed penalty notices

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Amount of fixed penalty: contravention of regulation 3 or 4

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Amount of fixed penalty: contravention of regulation 6 or 7

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Prosecutions

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Expiry

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SCHEDULE 1 — Relevant places

PART 1 — Places where face coverings must be worn

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Shops.

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Enclosed shopping centres.

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Banks, building societies, credit unions, short-term loan providers, savings clubs and undertakings which by way of business operate a currency exchange office, transmit money (or any representation of money) by any means or cash cheques which are made payable to customers.

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Post Offices.

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• (1) Any motor vehicle of a class included in categories B, C, C1, C+E and C1+E of Schedule 2 to the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999[^f00017] (“the 1999 Regulations”), during any period during which the vehicle is being used in the course of a driving test, or the practical tests for giving driving instruction.

• (2) A motor vehicle of a class included in category B, C, C1, C+E and C1+E of Schedule 2 to the 1999 Regulations during any period in which such a vehicle is being used in the course of a driving lesson given by—

• (a) in the case of a motor vehicle of a class included in category B, an approved driving instructor for remuneration, whether as an employee or otherwise;

• (b) in the case of a motor vehicle of a class included in categories C, C1, C+E and C1+E, a qualified driver for remuneration, whether as an employee or otherwise.

• (3) In this paragraph—

• (a) “driving test” means a practical test for the relevant class of vehicle as prescribed by regulation 40 of the 1999 Regulations;

• (b) “practical tests for giving driving instruction” means—

• (i) the driving ability and fitness test and the instructional ability and fitness test, as prescribed by regulations 6 and 7 of the Motor Cars (Driving Instruction) Regulations 2005[^f00018] (“the 2005 Regulations”);

• (ii) the test of continued ability and fitness to give instruction as prescribed by regulations 12 and 12A of the 2005 Regulations[^f00019];

• (c) “approved driving instructor” has the meaning given in regulation 2 of the 2005 Regulations[^f00020];

• (d) “qualified driver” has the meaning given in regulation 17 of the 1999 Regulations.

PART 2 — Places where face coverings need not be worn

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• (1) The following premises—

• (a) restaurants, including restaurants and dining rooms in hotels or members’ clubs;

• (b) cafes and canteens;

• (c) bars, including bars in hotels or members’ clubs;

• (d) public houses;

• (e) any business which consists wholly or mainly of the provision of, whether for payment or otherwise—

• (i) a waterpipe to be used for the consumption of tobacco or any other substance on the premises, or

• (ii) a device to be used for the recreational inhalation of nicotine or any other substance on the premises;

• (f) any other premises, or part of premises, which are being used wholly or mainly by people eating or drinking.

• (2) The exemption in sub-paragraph (1)(f) does not apply in relation to any part of the premises in which people are not eating or drinking.

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Premises (other than registered pharmacies) providing wholly or mainly medical or dental services, audiology services, chiropody, chiropractic, osteopathic, optometry or other medical services including services relating to mental health.

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Photography studios.

Signed

Maggie Throup — Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, — Department of Health and Social Care — 2021-11-29

Explanatory note

EXPLANATORY NOTE

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Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1984 c. 22. Part 2A was inserted by section 129 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (c. 14).

[^f00002]: “Vessel” is defined in section 74 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.

[^f00003]: 1984 c. 51. Section 153A was inserted by section 75 of the Finance Act 2015 (c. 11).

[^f00004]: 1968 c. 67.

[^f00005]: Transport for London is a body corporate established by section 154 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29).

[^f00006]: 2006 c. 46.

[^f00007]: 2006 c. 28.

[^f00008]: S.I. 2006/3368.

[^f00009]: 1974 c. 37.

[^f00010]: 1995 c. 21. There are amendments to section 256, but none is relevant.

[^f00011]: Schedule 3A to the 1995 Act was inserted by Schedule 1 to the Marine Safety Act 2003 (c. 16). There are amendments to Schedule 3A, but none is relevant.

[^f00012]: The latest edition of Annex 9, which is published by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, is the 15th edition, which applied from 23rd February 2018 (ISBN 978-92-9258-301-9).

[^f00013]: 2020 c. 7.

[^f00014]: 2010 c. 15.

[^f00015]: 1989 c. 41.

[^f00016]: 1984 c. 60.

Editorial notes

[^key-b2cc46b1df2513d3f03ff171e38add80]: Regulations expired (27.1.2022) by virtue of The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (England) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/1340), reg. 15(1) (as amended by S.I. 2021/1400, regs. 1(2), 2(12)(a))

PART 1 — Places where face coverings must be worn

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Part 2 — Places where face coverings need not be worn

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SCHEDULE 2 — Gatherings taking place in community premises where face coverings need not be worn

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