LEAVING LOCKDOWN: B&Q, housebuilders Taylor Wimpey and carmakers Jaguar and Nissan have begun asking staff to return to work this week

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it is still too soon for UK lockdown measures to be relaxed, but that he is “comfortable” with some businesses reopening as B&Q, housebuilders Taylor Wimpey and carmakers Jaguar and Nissan begin asking staff to return to work.

THE minister said that while the daily number of UK deaths due to coronavirus meant the country was not yet ready to start diluting some social-distancing rules, he was not opposed to building sites and hardware stores resuming work.

“The things that are restarting are things that we never required to close in the first place, but what the companies have been doing is working out how they can have safe working following the social distancing rules whilst people are at work,” he said.

“I’m comfortable with what they’re doing.”

DIY retailer B&Q reopened 155 of its stores across the UK, meaning around half of its total number of branches are now open for business.

The hardware chain initially reopened 14 branches last weekend after watching “other essential retailers support social distancing measures.”