united-kingdom england-and-wales covid-19
Covid19-related regulations in England
<p>The official UK government site
<a href="https://www.gov.uk/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.gov.uk/</a>
does not always explain how particular laws and regulations came to be. In particular, it <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own" rel="nofollow noreferrer">says</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In England, you must by law wear a face covering in the following
settings:</p>
<ul>
<li>(...)
-Shops and Supermarkets as of 24 July 2020</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>My question is: what is the nature of the law which is referred to in the citation above, i.e. how this law came to be? Presumably via some sort of executive power of the UK government as there hasn't been a vote specifically on this in the parliament as far as I'm aware.</p>

<h2>These are executive powers of the Secretary of State for Health</h2>
<p>They have that power through the <em>Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984</em> to issue regulations controlling a disease without a draft being laid before parliament. The emergency regulations will have immediate effect but will cease after 28 days unless approved by parliament (and the national assembly if they are to apply in Wales).</p>
<p>The present Secretary of State for Health and Social Care used the urgent procedure to implement the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Protection_(Coronavirus)_Regulations_2020" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020</a> in England. Since then, parliament has passed the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_Act_2020" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Coronovirus Act 2020</a>. Other laws relating to other countries in the UK have also been passed.</p>
<p>These acts devolve power on the Secretary of State to make rules such as face mask requirements without further parliamentary involvement.</p>
