Ban on full face coverings in public spaces

That this House notes with concern the increasing prevalence of full-face coverings, including the burqa and niqab, in public spaces across the United Kingdom; believes that the covering of the face in public settings undermines open communication, social trust, and public safety; further notes the challenges such coverings pose to identification in security-sensitive environments, healthcare settings, and educational institutions; expresses concern that in some cases, the wearing of full-face veils may reflect coercion rather than personal choice; recognises the steps taken by several European nations to restrict full-face coverings in public places in the interest of social cohesion, gender equality, and public order; and calls on the Government to introduce legislation to prohibit the wearing of garments that obscure the face in public spaces, including the burqa and the niqab, with narrowly defined exemptions for occupational, medical, or weather-related reasons.