With so many lockdown changes, it's easy to forget what's happening when.

But you'd at least expect a Cabinet minister to get his facts right.

Not so Grant Shapps, who seemed not to know when face masks will become compulsory in shops in a nightmare interview this morning.

It'll be mandatory to wear a face covering in shops and supermarkets in England from this Friday, July 24.

Yet the Transport Secretary claimed the rule would take effect from this Saturday, July 25.

When he was questioned on the discrepancy by Sky News, Mr Shapps was unable to give the right date.

The Transport Secretary claimed the rule would take effect from this Saturday

Instead he repeatedly said several changes are coming in on both Friday and Saturday.

That's true - but the face masks rule starts on Friday; followed by separate changes to reopen indoor gyms and pools in England on Saturday.

The Transport Secretary was also unable to answer whether people have to wear a face covering in a sandwich shop like Pret a Manger.

Coverings are already compulsory on public transport in England

Ministers have previously contradicted each other on that - and despite days of questions to the government, Mr Shapps shed no more light.

He said: "I know it’s very tempting to dance on a pin head and say 'can you wear it in a Pret?'

"If you wear a face covering, you know you’re covered.

"But it is the case that because you eat in places like restaurants that you don’t need to wear a face covering there."

Mr Shapps was questioned on the policy by Sky News' Kay Burley. He said: "You do [already] need to wear masks on things like public transport.

"We are going to be saying you need to wear a mask from the 25th in all shops.

"Restaurants and pubs are the exceptions, with many other social distancing measures that are now in place to make it safe to go to those locations.

"So in general the rule is wear a face covering if you’re in any kind of enclosed space, be that shops or public transport."

When Kay Burley asked if he actually meant the 24th, he replied: "Sorry, the 24th and the 25th have various different new introductions and new things…

"The simple rule is, just to remove the confusion, is, from this, er, er, weekend, er, start to wear, er, face coverings, it’s already mandatory on public transport.

"We will also be making it mandatory to do that in other public - enclosed public spaces."

Asked again to confirm it began on Friday, not Saturday, Mr Shapps said there are "various different things" and new laws “both on Friday and Saturday”.

It's perhaps little surprise Mr Shapps appeared confused - because the law, which will enact £100 fines against rule-breakers, still isn't published.

It will only be published tomorrow, when it is expected to give a full definition of which types of shops are hit by the face coverings rule.

Sandwich shops are unknown territory because they are both a retail outlet and a sit-down cafe.

People will not need to wear a face covering in places where they eat or drink, like a restaurant, cafe or pub.

There will also be wider exemptions for children under 11, people with certain disabilities and those talking to deaf lip-readers.