Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to assist the repatriation of people on (a) spouse and (b) family visas during the covid-19 pandemic.

Our objective remains to bring home British national travellers who want to return to the UK, as soon as possible. British national travellers will therefore be prioritised for seats on HMG repatriation flights. We are seeking to help vulnerable non-British UK residents with indefinite leave to remain where possible. We will not split up families where any non-British spouses or dependents have the relevant entry clearance, are resident in the UK, and are travelling with a British family member. This goes beyond what we usually do, since our consular assistance is for UK nationals. However, recognising the exceptional challenge of Covid-19 and that many people who call the UK home want to get back, we are seeking to help vulnerable people with ILR wherever possible so long as they have lived in the UK within the last year.