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International Travel
29 June 2021
Lead MP
Grant Shapps
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
No tags
Other Contributors: 40
At a Glance
Grant Shapps raised concerns about international travel in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Huw Merriman
Con
Bewdley
Question
Asked the Secretary of State for Transport to provide a 'flight path' for international travel easing, detailing data and dates for when domestic restrictions are eased. He also inquired about certainty for industry and passengers.
Minister reply
The Minister stated that they will return to the House with further details next month. They explained there are complexities such as vaccination rates among children and fairness issues to resolve before easing travel restrictions.
Gavin Newlands
SNP
Paisley and Renfrewshire North
Question
Asked about support for the aviation sector, including extending furlough schemes and matching Scotland's unlimited business rates support. Also inquired if clinical advice fully supports decisions on double-vaccinated travellers.
Minister reply
The Minister paid tribute to the hon. Member's advocacy but redirected some questions to the Scottish Government, noting their actions affect aviation recovery negatively. He stated billions of pounds have been provided through the furlough programme.
Henry Smith
Con
Epsom and Ewell
Question
Asked for urgency in concluding the UK-US taskforce on opening international travel to avoid economic losses.
Minister reply
The Minister confirmed the working group has met, noting issues such as a US executive order need resolving. They are working at pace.
Sarah Olney
Lib Dem
Richmond Park
Question
Inquired about entry restrictions from international partners and the delta variant's impact on travel negotiations.
Minister reply
The Minister noted sequencing efforts in the UK, urging international transparency. He confirmed discussions with the Health Secretary to combat the delta variant.
Jonathan Gullis
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent North
Question
Asked for clarity on travel rules to help travel agents and residents plan their summer breaks.
Minister reply
The Minister agreed clarity is needed. A traffic light system, plus double vaccination status, will be used to provide greater certainty.
Margaret Ferrier
Ind
R Renfrewshire
Question
Asked for updates on the US-UK travel taskforce and impact of press reports on the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
Minister reply
The Minister confirmed weekly meetings, urging disregard for unconfirmed newspaper stories. He noted recognition issues in both countries need resolving.
Julian Sturdy
Con
York Outer
Question
Asked for clarity over timing of easing quarantine restrictions to help the travel sector recover.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledged the desire for clarity but highlighted complexities such as children's vaccination status. He committed to returning to the House once progress is made.
Pontypridd
Question
UK airlines have announced over 30,000 job cuts so far. Labour has called for a sectoral deal that secures jobs and protects the aviation supply chain. Why will not Ministers give aviation the support they promised?
Minister reply
We are providing £7 billion of support to the aviation sector. The former shadow Chancellor did not support public funds paying for projects that make the shift to zero carbon harder.
Question
Travel companies in my constituency want more countries on the green list. Will you reassure them and provide a clear plan?
Minister reply
We wish to reopen travel as fast as possible, but we must be realistic about the global pandemic situation.
Diana R. Johnson
Lab
Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham
Question
What is the date for a clear plan on reopening international travel?
Minister reply
We need to ensure safety first, including digital certificates for vaccinated travellers.
Question
I had to go through many tests and fill out complex forms when returning from Gibraltar. Can you look at reducing the cost, bureaucracy, and time wasting?
Minister reply
Returning from a green country requires only a pre-departure test and day-two test. We are working on driving down costs and bureaucracy.
Question
Mark Tanzer of ABTA said 44% of members anticipate more redundancies as furlough tapers off. Have you had conversations with the Chancellor about continuing furlough at full rate?
Minister reply
We have ongoing conversations and extended business rates support for major airports.
Question
Our vaccination programme has allowed us to begin reopening international travel. Should we take a cautious approach?
Minister reply
We need to be cautious due to the global situation, but also keen to reopen as soon as possible.
Toby Perkins
Lab
Chesterfield
Question
The threat to travel and tourism is real. Your position regarding the green list and vaccine passports seems to misrepresent Labour's stance.
Minister reply
We have been listening carefully to expert advice, which forms our approach.
Question
My constituency has aerospace manufacturing suffering due to lack of international travel. Can you provide more notice and guidance on policy changes?
Minister reply
We use the green watch list for forward guidance, and will return next month with more details on double vaccination.
Kevan Jones
Lab
Question
Regional airports such as Newcastle International rely on the summer season for revenue. Will the Secretary of State look at regional airports this winter and provide support to ensure they do not face difficulties?
Minister reply
The Government has extended business rates relief, provided furlough schemes and loans to regional airports. The best support is getting travel reopened, which is the current focus.
Edward Leigh
Con
Gainsborough
Question
Will the Secretary of State avoid risking a return to restrictions over winter while arguing for freedom day in Cabinet?
Minister reply
The evidence shows divergence between cases and hospitalisations, giving high confidence that 19 July will be the date for reopening.
Patricia Gibson
Lab
Question
Does the Secretary of State understand disappointment at not extending additional support to the travel industry?
Minister reply
The Government is paying business rates, providing furlough and loans, totalling billions of pounds. The Scottish Government’s role regarding restrictions is noted.
Mark Pawsey
Con
Question
Will the Secretary of State ensure travel agents receive support through this difficult time?
Minister reply
The Government has provided grants and loans, VAT deferrals, furlough scheme, etc. The best thing is to get travel going again with help from the vaccination roll-out.
Yvette Cooper
Lab
Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
Question
Will the Secretary of State agree to publish analyses from the Joint Biosecurity Centre as part of improving surveillance systems?
Minister reply
The UK sequences more genomes than any other country. The Government publishes risk assessment methodology online with data available on JBC and PHE websites.
James Cartlidge
Con
South Suffolk
Question
Does the Secretary of State realise that taking too long to open travel can mean businesses will not be there?
Minister reply
Issues are being resolved as soon as possible. Internationally recognised systems are being worked on through G7 and OECD.
Yasmin Qureshi
Lab
Bolton South and Walkden
Question
Why was Pakistan placed on the red list despite disparities in cases with other nations? When will it be taken off?
Minister reply
The JBC looks at many factors including sequencing, data upload to GISAID, domestic vaccination rates. Authorities can contact UK scientists for better understanding.
Alun Cairns
Con
Question
Will the Secretary of State look at rules associated with passengers from international hub airports and consider status of those flying out of regions?
Minister reply
It is about understanding who travels through a country, not just infection rate. Countries can be in touch to better understand how data is assessed.
Ruth Cadbury
Lab
Brentford and Isleworth
Question
The communities around Heathrow are hugely dependent on aviation for jobs, so they have been devastated by the pandemic’s impact on international travel. Hounslow borough alone has lost 43,000 jobs, with lower-income communities hardest hit, and 22,000 Hounslow residents are still furloughed and worrying about the end of the scheme in September. Aviation and its supply chain is not in a position to recover by September, and the Transport Secretary repeating figures from the general schemes from which the sector has received support is of no help for the future. When will Ministers announce the specific sector support they promised? Will that include a sector-specific extension of furlough?
Minister reply
I am concerned about the position of airlines and airports and of the aviation sector generally—the House will be interested to know that I track it every single week. I am a little concerned about the hon. Member dismissing £7 billion of support as if it is not a significant figure as well as, indeed, the bespoke work done to help airports in particular to pay their rates. She will appreciate that it is for the Chancellor to come to the House to explain whether further measures will be taken, and I am sure he will return to the House when the next Budget and autumn statement come round.
Question
I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. As I have the pleasure of chairing the all-party parliamentary group on business travel, I particularly welcome the Department’s recent announcement about quarantine exemptions for business travellers, but my right hon. Friend will know that they are restricted to a very small number of jet-setting multinational executives. The business travel ecosystem is much wider than that, so will he look again at the criteria for significant economic benefit, and instead look at just economic benefit, and set out when he might be able to widen the exemption to all business travel?
Minister reply
I am very happy to take a further look at it, and my hon. Friend is right to point to the exemptions that have been provided for large job-creating travel under very specific and restricted circumstances. To answer his question, we are best to pursue fully vaccinated status in order to open up travel further. Of course, that would apply to businesses as much as it would apply to everyone else. None the less, that is the route to getting business and other travel going again.
Question
From the Secretary of State’s response, it is clear he was not listening to my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham West and Royton (Jim McMahon), who said that Labour supports an expansion of the green list and that we want the rapid introduction of covid passports. The Secretary of State claims that it is complicated, but other Europeans and Americans are already free to travel with a vaccine passport, a negative test or proof of infection in the last six months. Why are we less free than they are and less free than we were last summer, when we did not have the vaccines?
Minister reply
I am tempted to say that we cannot have it both ways. We have to be vigilant and aware of the risks of travelling to every single country in the world. Without exception, other countries do fewer tests of sequencing, so they do not know about variants. I see that the right hon. Gentleman does not agree, which is fine, but because they are not doing the sequencing it opens us up to an unknown degree of risk. [Interruption.] He says “Germany”, but 1.3% of their positive cases are sequenced, whereas we sequence nearly 50% of our cases—that is a good case in point.
Of course we are looking at what other countries are doing. We are also making sure that we are talking to them all; I speak to my counterparts on a regular basis. However, the fact of the matter is that we have a traffic light system. We need those countries to be able, ideally, to get into the green category and, if not, to be able to use the fully vaccinated route in order to open up travel further.
Question
I was a travel agent and tour operator before I came to the House, and I have great sympathy for the industry. The Secretary of State will realise that travel is not just about holidays. I was made aware yesterday of a very sad case of people needing to travel as soon as possible following a sudden death of a young relative in the United States of America. In a state of shock, they wanted to know what they should do. If the Secretary of State can bring forward travel bridges, especially with the United States of America, it would help people in such circumstances.
Minister reply
I want to let my hon. Friend know that, in the very sad case that he talked about, America’s being on the amber list would allow them to travel. There is a wider issue with the United States around executive order 212(f), which prevents travel from the UK, European nations and many other countries within the previous 14 days, so people may well require special arrangements on the US side as well. That is not the British Government’s doing, of course, which is why we are working with the Americans through the working group to try to remove such impediments.
Newcastle upon Tyne North
Question
The “wait and see” statement last Thursday just has not given the vision for international travel that many were hoping for, and it is not good enough to leave major airports, such as Newcastle International, in the dark. The outlook looks extremely challenging, and the Government cannot delay their aviation recovery plan any longer. The sector needs a comprehensive package of support to ensure that it can increase global connectivity and drive growth in our region in a planned way, and we need Newcastle airport to thrive for that. The Government say they are committed to global Britain, but when will they start acting like it?
Minister reply
I urge the hon. Lady to talk to her own Front Benchers, who are trying to remove the amber list entirely and chuck all those countries, presumably, into red; the hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton (Jim McMahon) is not able to tell us how many would go into green. Meanwhile, we are supporting Newcastle airport; as I mentioned, we have paid the entirety of its business rates throughout this crisis. The best hope of all for it is to get travel going again.
I have said this several times and I do not want to labour the point, but I will be returning to the House with full details of exactly how a double-vaccinated—fully vaccinated—status could help with international travel. I have also tried to explain why it is not quite as straightforward as the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North (Catherine McKinnell) might imagine; for example, what do we do about children, who have not yet had their vaccination status confirmed?
Question
I welcome the decision to loosen travel restrictions on double-jabbed Brits, but I also agree with other speakers regarding the need for a clear road map. However, whatever that road map contains, it will take time for passenger confidence to recover. Thousands of jobs in the travel industry are still at stake, so what will my right hon. Friend do to explore all options for further financial support for the travel industry?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend will know that I have been working with the Chancellor throughout this crisis, which is how £7 billion-worth of support has been provided to the travel sector. I also think it is very important, as my hon. Friend and others have said, to be able to set out as clear a path as possible to the reopening of international travel, notwithstanding the fact that, unfortunately, the virus is raging in different parts of the world and new variants of interest, at least, and sometimes variants of concern, are coming about on a monthly basis. We will do everything we can to put in place a system that involves both the traffic lights and the double-vaccinated status in order to provide a sense of certainty—as much as can be done in a global pandemic—for the aviation sector.
Question
With greater restrictions being placed on UK travellers to Spain, Portugal, Germany and Hong Kong, there is no doubt that the aviation and travel sectors are still in a difficult place. We have already heard today the chief executive of the Association of British Travel Agents, Mark Tanzer, tell the Treasury Committee that 44% of ABTA members anticipate more redundancies as furlough tapers off. That is on top of 37% of those jobs already having been lost or being at risk, so action is plainly necessary. Does the Minister agree that there must be a tailored package of financial support, crucially including furlough extension, for the travel sector, as called for by the Travel Day of Action campaign?
Minister reply
I think the hon. Lady is aware that these are matters for the Chancellor, and I know that he will be coming to the House at some point to set out his future plans as we get through this pandemic.
Question
My constituent Tom Williams kindly agreed to participate in the Novavax trial. He was promised that that would not disadvantage him in any way. He is now fully vaccinated with Novavax and, restrictions willing, is hoping to go to France this summer with his family. As the European Medicines Agency has not yet certified the Novavax vaccine, the trip is now at risk. Will my right hon. Friend investigate this case as a priority and do all he can to ensure that Mr Williams can travel with his family?
Minister reply
Yes, I certainly will.
Wendy Chamberlain
Lib Dem
North East Fife
Question
The changes announced by the Secretary of State will make a properly functioning test and trace system even more important. Last week, however, we saw the damning report of the National Audit Office on the English test and trace system, and just yesterday responses to a series of freedom of information requests made by my friend and colleague the MSP for North East Fife suggested a cover-up by the Scottish Government of failures in their test and protect scheme. What steps are being taken to work with the devolved nations on the functioning of testing regimes, and how will the Secretary of State ensure that those schemes are not overwhelmed as a result of the changing picture?
Minister reply
One of the very important things that we have been doing is automating the process of being able, essentially, to track people no matter where they have come back from. With regard to international travel, for example, the passenger locator form now automatically links with someone’s passport and provides confirmation as they enter, either through an e-gate or through a Border Force inspector, of where they have come from and therefore whether they need to self-isolate or quarantine. Those conversations are ongoing, and I keep in touch with the devolved Administrations about that on an ongoing basis.
Kevin Hollinrake
Con
Thirsk and Malton
Question
The Opposition do not seem to be able to name any countries or destinations they want to add to the green list, but may I suggest a couple—the Greek islands and the Canaries? Both have very low infection rates, they are very popular destinations for UK travellers, and they seem, potentially, to qualify under other criteria. When might they be added to the green list, and will they stay there until a variant of concern has been properly identified?
Minister reply
One thing I know for sure is that it is very difficult to give guarantees about any countries staying on the green list forever. The Canaries and the Greek islands were looked at in the last review but did not qualify, due to factors such as their ability to sequence the genome.
Carla Lockhart
DUP
Upper Bann
Question
The Secretary of State will no doubt agree with me that the support packages provided by the Government—furlough, grant packages, low interest loans—have been essential in supporting businesses and industry through the pandemic. With the continued impact of covid-19 on the aviation and travel industry, can the Secretary of State outline what representation he has made to the Chancellor on the part of the travel industry for the extension of furlough and a much-needed specific tailored grant support scheme to be provided to sustain jobs and protect the future of this industry?
Minister reply
The hon. Lady is absolutely right about how essential the package has been to date, and my conversations with the Chancellor are ongoing.
Question
While we all have huge sympathy for travel companies with very little income, what action is the Secretary of State going to take to help people such as my recently widowed constituent who has had no refund for the holiday she was due to have with her husband, and not even an acknowledgement of receipt of her husband’s death certificate?
Minister reply
I am putting pressure on the whole sector to do the right thing and provide either vouchers or refunds. I would be very happy to follow up this particular case.
South Shields
Question
Throughout the pandemic, the Transport Secretary has treated the travel industry as an afterthought—delaying decisions, making vague promises, creating chaos and confusion. Nearly 200,000 jobs have been lost or are at risk, and countless well-established high street agencies are now boarded up. Over a year ago, the Government promised a sector-specific support package. He keeps referring to £7 billion, yet he knows that that was purely for the aviation industry, not for travel agencies. ABTA wrote to him just this week about the lack of support. Why has he failed to deliver for them?
Minister reply
I disagree with the hon. Lady if she is saying that the support has not been there because we have provided furlough for everybody in every sector, including travel agencies.
Question
I know that virus detection equipment from Kromek in Sedgefield is being trialled at both Newcastle and Teesside airports. While I appreciate the sacrifices being made by our whole population to shield the most vulnerable and keep our NHS from being overwhelmed this year, I do not believe that economic growth and business should be held back until every adult is able to travel. Does my right hon. Friend agree that, although those not fully vaccinated may find it frustrating, we need to open up international travel for those who are fully vaccinated and safe to kickstart the rebuilding of the travel economy?
Minister reply
The costs have been coming down dramatically in recent months and I share my hon. Friend’s enthusiasm and anxiety to get the sector opened up as quickly as possible.
Stephen Flynn
SNP
Aberdeen South
Question
Just this morning, the Department for Transport snuck out the news that senior business executives will be able to dodge the quarantine rules relating to the amber list. What changes does my right hon. Friend anticipate that could make our travel easier?
Minister reply
The changes are necessary for thousands of people to keep their jobs and get new jobs.
Question
My delegation to the Council of Europe, most of whom have been double-vaccinated, and despite having diplomatic status themselves, are having to wait to represent the UK in person until France has gone green. What changes does my right hon. Friend anticipate that could make our travel easier?
Minister reply
I am most anxious to enable my hon. Friend's delegation to travel and will undertake to speak to my opposite number, Jean-Baptiste Djebarri, to find out what can be done.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
There have been mixed messages, with amber or green travel acceptable for some countries in the EU, while Germany says that the EU should get together and prevent UK nationals from travelling. The USA has stated that UK citizens may not travel to the States before August and may not be able to do so for a period of time after that, causing much uncertainty. Will the Secretary of State tell those who book holidays and then have them cancelled, or those who are on holiday and then have to quarantine on their return, just when there will be a direct, honest and clear strategy?
Minister reply
The reality is that this virus does not give us straightforward answers. Through the traffic light system and the forthcoming double-vaccination system, we hope to enable people to travel more freely.
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