Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the potential merits of exempting travel for medical procedures from the international travel restrictions during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care works closely with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and other Cabinet colleagues on how best to protect the public from COVID-19.

The current lockdown restricts travel including international travel, however there is an exemption for travel for medical reasons.

An individual who had travelled abroad for medical reasons would, on arrival in England, be required to self-isolate for ten days. If eligible they may choose to pay for a private COVID-19 test under the Test to Release scheme after five days. If the result is negative, they would then be able to stop self-isolating.

Individuals arriving to attend pre-arranged treatment, when receiving that treatment in the United Kingdom, are exempt from the requirement to self-isolate whilst they are attending a place to receive that healthcare or travelling directly between that place and the place where they are self-isolating.