Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his announcement of 24 June 2021 on future plans to exempt arrivals who are fully vaccinated against covid-19 from quarantine when travelling from amber list countries, what the public health justification is for introducing that policy in phases starting with UK residents.
Answered by Robert Courts
The recognition of vaccine status at ports and airports is currently available for UK citizens through the NHS app or an accessible letter, but it is currently less easy to prove for someone from overseas visiting the UK. The government is keen to work constructively with international partners to reopen travel in a sustainable way for travellers and industry.
Further detail will be set out next month including the rules which will apply to children, vaccine clinical trial volunteers and those unable to be vaccinated, how we will operationalise this approach at the border, and the dates on which any changes will come into effect.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how third country hubs are dealt with in his Department’s plan for reopening international travel as covid-19 restrictions are eased.
Answered by Robert Courts
The UK government has introduced a traffic light system to support the safe restart of international travel. Decisions on red, amber and green list countries are taken by ministers informed by risk assessments provided by the Joint Biosecurity Centre alongside wider public health factors. This includes international transport hubs.
Passengers must follow the applicable requirements for the highest risk country or territory that they have been in or passed through in the previous 10 days. This includes transit stops. Passengers are also required to record the countries and territories they have transited through on their Passenger Locator Form.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to reduce the covid-19 restrictions on international travel for passengers who have been vaccinated.
Answered by Robert Courts
All arrivals into the country, irrespective of vaccination status, must follow the same testing and isolation requirements as per the traffic light system. We are considering evidence and policy options relating to the role of vaccinations in facilitating more seamless inbound travel where it is safe and fair to do so, and will set out our position in due course.