Michael Gove appeared to have an injury to his face as he arrived at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 9 January.
The housing secretary also appeared on BBC News with a mark visible on his forehead.
It came as the government announced proposals to bring in a strict time frame for landlords to fix problems under legislation named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his home in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.
Landlords will have to make emergency repairs within 24 hours under the proposals.