6. Will the Minister make a statement on the use of personal protective equipment in schools? OQ55430

It is essential that those who need personal protective equipment have access to it. Our guidance on increasing operations in schools sets out the use of PPE by practitioners and support staff within the education sector.

With regard to face masks, I note the answer that the First Minister gave earlier was that face covering is not of itself a magic bullet, and I suspect there are a number of concerns the Government has behind that. But I've been contacted by a Caerphilly resident who is concerned to not send her child back to school until she sees face masks more widely available, and particularly in a school setting. What reassurance can you give her today, and when will we have further information about PPE and face masks in school settings from September?

There are only very, very specific circumstances where the Welsh Government advises that staff working in our schools should use a face mask. With regard to face coverings—because there is a significant difference between the two—we do not advise that face coverings are necessary within a school setting.