To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Immigration Controls: Coronavirus
Tuesday 5th May 2020

Asked by: Baroness Brady (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce COVID-19 health checks and quarantine measures at the borders and entry points for people travelling to the UK; and if not, why not. [T]

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)

Our approach to tackling coronavirus is driven by the latest scientific and medical advice. In line with that advice to date, no changes have been required at the UK border.

Any decision to implement additional restrictions on international travel to the UK or on arrival at ports/airports will be made based on the consideration and advice of SAGE/Public Health England.

We will continuously review the most appropriate response at the UK border to the changing situation in relation to CV-19, both in the UK and across the international community

To date medical and scientific advice is that screening at the border, particularly given the current low passenger volumes and CV-19 levels within the UK, would make no material impact. There are also significant challenges with thermal screening including:

  • Low likelihood of identifying individuals with COVID-19 given the incubation period can be anywhere between 2 and 14 days;
  • High probability of identifying false positives or those with other conditions who will need clinical assessments to ascertain they have Covid-19; and
  • Easy to circumvent: by taking fever-suppressing drugs.
  • There are similar concerns with clinical screening.

Written Question
Knives: Sales
Wednesday 24th April 2019

Asked by: Baroness Brady (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent the online sale of machetes in the UK.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)

In 2016, the Government agreed a set of commitments with major retailers to prevent the underage sales of knives, including machetes, in their stores and online. This also covered staff training, the display and packaging of knives. A number of major retailers have signed up to this, including Tesco, eBay UK, Lidl UK, Amazon UK, Wilko, Argos, Asda, Poundland, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis, Waitrose, Boots, the Co-op, B&Q, Aldi, TKMaxx and Debenhams. We continue to work with retailers to strengthen the agreement, including in relation to the display of these products in stores.


It is an offence to sell articles with a blade, which includes machetes, to a person under 18, whether that be face to face or online. In addition, the Offensive Weapons Bill will further strengthen the law, with specific new knives offences, including making it an offence to possess certain offensive weapons in private, and stopping bladed products being sent to residential addresses after they are bought online unless the seller has made arrangements with a delivery person or company not to hand that item over to a person under 18 at that address.

This means that businesses will still be able to sell and dispatch bladed products, which could include machetes, to residential addresses, but they will need to have the necessary arrangements in place to ensure that their products are not delivered into the hands of anyone aged under 18.