Do covariant cv-qualifiers apply to primitive types in C++?

Question

In C++ it is valid to reduce the cv-qualifier of a return type in a derived class:

class Base {
    virtual const Base* f();
};

class Derived : public Base {
    Base* f() override;
};

Is this valid with pointers to primitive types?

class Base {
    virtual const int* f();
};

class Derived : public Base {
    int* f() override;
};

Answer 1

Do covariant cv-qualifiers apply to primitive types in C++?

NO

§ 10.3.7 Virtual functions

The return type of an overriding function shall be either identical to the return type of the overridden function or covariant with the classes of the functions. If a function D::f overrides a function B::f, the return types of the functions are covariant if they satisfy the following criteria:

• both are pointers to classes, both are lvalue references to classes, or both are rvalue references to classes
• the class in the return type of B::f is the same class as the class in the return type of D::f, or is an unambiguous and accessible direct or indirect base class of the class in the return type of D::f
• both pointers or references have the same cv-qualification and the class type in the return type of D::f