Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring airlines to check passengers' coronavirus paperwork and to ensure they have booked testing packages for their return to the UK.
It is already a legal requirement for carriers to check these measures have been complied with, and there are financial penalties for operators and passengers for non-compliance.
We are working closely with airlines to ensure passengers are compliant with the requirements of passage to the United Kingdom. Airlines are in an excellent position to assist in ensuring compliance with the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) away from the border, facilitating a smoother arrivals process in UK ports. They are able to communicate with passengers at various stages of the journey, from booking passage to departure, ensuring passengers comply with their requirement to complete the PLF and that the relevant testing packages have been booked.