International Travel Restrictions 2022-02-03
2022-02-03
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The question arises from the government's decision to remove testing requirements for eligible fully vaccinated arrivals.
What recent progress has been made with Cabinet colleagues on easing international travel restrictions for UK nationals?
On 24 January, the Secretary of State announced to the House that all testing requirements will be removed for eligible fully vaccinated arrivals.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The question follows the success of the roll-out and booster programme, which led to the removal of plan B restrictions.
Given the success of the roll-out and the welcome news that the plan B restrictions are ending and will end with travel restrictions set to end on 11 February, will the Minister please assure the country that we will never again go back to travel restrictions of that kind? The latest travel restrictions seem to have had very little effect and the damage done to our economy was vast.
My hon. Friend is absolutely correct: thanks to the success of our roll-out and booster programme—the fastest in Europe—we are now in a position where we can live with covid and start to travel again. The Government are developing a more flexible model, including a contingency playbook to deal with future variants that will provide certainty to consumers and industry alike.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not give a direct assurance that there will be no return to previous levels of travel restrictions.
Developing A More Flexible Model
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The question is about the process of filling out passenger locator forms and the potential for simplification.
I thank the Minister for his response—he has definitely been on his Weetabix this morning, so he has. My question is on a specific issue. As filling out a passenger locator form per traveller takes a long time, has consideration been given to providing group application facilities, whereby families can fill in their details as one and save themselves the stress of having to fill out multiple applications in a foreign country so that they can return home safely?
The hon. Gentleman makes an excellent suggestion. We have committed to looking into and radically simplifying the way that the PLF works. It remains necessary for now but I shall take that suggestion on board and consider it in any upcoming review.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not commit to implementing group application facilities, instead committing to considering the suggestion.
Looking Into
Considering
Response accuracy