Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what travel will be classed as essential under the terms of his Department's covid-19 Exceptional Travel Advisory Notice.

Since 17 March, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised against all but essential travel globally due to the unprecedented international border closures and other restrictions currently in place in response to the global pandemic.

Whether travel is essential or not is a personal decision. Travellers may have urgent family or business commitments to attend to. Circumstances differ from person to person. Only individuals can make an informed decision based on the risks.

Current Her Majesty's Government guidance also states that members of the public should not stay overnight away from their own home, except for in a limited set of circumstances, such as for work purposes.

We are monitoring the international situation very closely and keeping all our travel advice under constant review to ensure it reflects the latest situation on the ground and our assessment of risk to British people.