Face masks in shops from Tuesday 30th November, confirms Sajid Javid

Health Secretary Sajid Javid says face mask rules are planned to come into force from Tuesday 30th November.

He says the UK government is working with devolved administrations to bring in border measures as soon as possible, as "we've always tightly taken a four-nation approach across the UK."

The Health Secretary has said he hopes extra measures will be “temporary”, adding he thinks people will “take this more seriously”.

Speaking on Sunday morning, Sajid Javid said: “Doing it in this proportionate way where it’s for public transport, it’s for retail outlets, I think is the right level of response on masks."

“It will be via Government regulation and that means, I think, that people will take it seriously.”

Pressed on whether people will following the rules on masks, Mr Javid said following the news of a new variant: “I do think people will take this more seriously.”

Mr Javid told Sky News: “It’s important, I think, to act in a proportionate way and also in a temporary way.

“I hope this is something that we can remove within weeks. But I do think in terms of making progress, we want life to go back towards normal, but at this point in time, given what we know about this variant, and the expert advice that has been received, I think it is right to take some proportionate and balanced action.”