Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to taken to ensure the biosecurity of aircraft crews that may have been in a country on the red list during the covid-19 pandemic in the last 14 days.

The Government has put in place robust border measures to prevent people travelling into the UK if they have Covid-19, including the requirement to present a negative Covid-19 test before departure. An entry ban is currently in place for the 33 countries identified as high risk (otherwise known as the ‘red list’), as well as direct flight ban for 7 of these countries.

The Government has worked with the travel industry to put in place safer travel guidance for both operators and passengers.

This guidance is clear that robust social distancing, regular cleaning, and good hand and respiratory hygiene are the best ways of protecting against the transmission of coronavirus.

Where this may not be possible - such as on board an aircraft - airlines are advised to carry out a risk assessment and implement appropriate risk controls. For example, wearing a face covering can play a role in helping to protect passengers and crew, which is now mandatory.