Oral Answers to Questions

Charlotte Nichols Excerpts

Tuesday 17th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Craig Whittaker (Calder Valley) (Con)]

15. What recent steps he has taken to update travel advice on travelling to areas and countries affected by covid-19.

[Charlotte Nichols (Warrington North) (Lab)]

16. What steps he is taking to support UK nationals based overseas who are at risk from covid-19.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and First Secretary of State (Dominic Raab)]

The Prime Minister spoke to his G7 counterparts yesterday about the international effort to take a global and effective response in tackling covid-19.

--- Later in debate ---

[Dominic Raab]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The situation is moving very rapidly—to give him a sense of that, I should say that the Foreign Office made more than 200 changes to our travel advice over the last weekend alone. We have also published a checklist to help British travellers to think through the challenges of international travel and the questions they should ask about it. We are in contact with the airlines for the insurance reasons that my hon. Friend explained. As I mentioned, I will make a further statement after oral questions.

[Charlotte Nichols]

Over the coming weeks and months, as more and more airlines, travel operators and insurance firms go bust, more and more British nationals will find themselves stranded abroad without accommodation or flight options. Will the Secretary of State reassure us that the Foreign Office is gearing up for that challenge and will be there to provide whatever support is required?