Where's your mask, Matt? Smirking Health Secretary is pictured in the back of his ministerial chauffeur-driven Range Rover WITHOUT his face covered despite Boris Johnson ordering ministers to cover up in Government vehicles
Matt Hancock received a telling off from Number 10 today after riding in his chauffeur-driven ministerial a without a face mask.
The Health Secretary was pictured arriving at the Department of Health and Social Care in his £83,000 black Range Rover Vogue this morning with his face uncovered.
This is despite Boris Johnson ordering his ministers to wear masks in the back of official cars last month, after it was revealed they were exempt from laws forcing taxi passengers to wear them.
A Downing Street spokesman today said there had been no change in the rules.
'The advice was that ministers should wear face coverings and they were made available within the cars that ministers use,' he said, adding that he had not seen the images of the Health Secretary.
Boris Johnson arrived back in Downing Street this morning after spending the weekend at Chequers, getting out of the back of his car wearing a black face mask.
The Health Secretary was pictured arriving at the Department of Health and Social Care in his black Range Rover this morning with his face uncovered.
Boris Johnson arrived back in Downing Street this morning after spending the weekend at Chequers, getting out of the back of his car wearing a black face mask
Mr Hancock uses a black Range Rover as his official car (pictured in Downing Street in April)
Mr Johnson introduced the rule on September 23 after it was confirmed chauffeur-driven cars would be exempt from new coronavirus rules forcing taxi passengers to wear face masks.
Passengers in licensed vehicles require coverings under new restrictions in England aimed at preventing a resurgence of Covid-19.
But No 10 said the measure would not include passengers in chauffeur-driven cars, though the driver's employer would have to ensure they could work safely.
'Government cars are not classified as private hire vehicles, but the PM and ministers will be wearing face coverings in line with the guidance,' a spokesman said at the time.
Like the Prime Minister, Mr Hancock contracted coronavirus early in the pandemic, before recovering.