Oral Answers to Questions

Richard Drax Excerpts

Monday 11th May 2020 Commons Chamber

[Imran Hussain (Bradford East) (Lab)]

What recent steps he has taken to repatriate (a) British citizens and (b) UK residents overseas during the covid-19 pandemic.

[Richard Drax (South Dorset) (Con)]

How many British citizens are awaiting repatriation as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.

--- Later in debate ---

[Dominic Raab]

We certainly share the concern expressed by the hon. Gentleman about flights that are cancelled. There is an onus on the operators to make sure that they can be reimbursed. Insurance can also kick in. In the last resort, there is also financial assistance that can be made available in the form of a loan, but of course that would have to be repaid on return.

[Richard Drax [V]]

Many of my constituents have said, “We’ve all been locked down but people have still been allowed to come into our country.” Why is the quarantine about to be launched at airports being done now, and will it include arrivals by port and the channel tunnel?

[Dominic Raab]

The reason the measure is being introduced now is that the advice that we have always had is that there was little point, if any, in introducing quarantine at the border with the R level—the level of the prevalence of the virus—at a high level, particularly above R1. Now that it has come down, and is still coming down even further, it makes sense, as we reduce the level of coronavirus in the UK, to introduce the measure to stop reinfection coming in from people carrying it from abroad, particularly those who would not necessarily be showing symptoms. There will be some flexibility in the detailed arrangements set out, but this will cover, in principle, all people coming in, whether it is to ports or to airports.