Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that the use of private planes during the covid-19 pandemic has not been in breach of international travel restrictions.

We keep all of our measures, including arrivals to the UK by any mode, under constant review and we are ready to strengthen our border policy where appropriate to protect public health.

All persons arriving in the UK (with a few exemptions for certain occupations), wherever they are coming from, are required to show proof of a negative Covid test taken in the last 72 hours, complete a Passenger Locator Form, and to isolate for 10 days on arrival. This applies to those travelling to the UK on private flights (General Aviation) as well as scheduled flights, ferries and trains.

On 24 December 2020, we introduced travel bans on all arrivals from South Africa, later extending the ban to what is currently 35 countries, sometimes called “red-list” countries. No direct flights are allowed from these countries including via General Aviation. Furthermore, we look to refuse entry to non-UK residents who have been in one of these countries in the last 10 days.

Passengers who have been in or through any of the “red-list” countries and cannot be refused entry must quarantine in a managed quarantine hotel further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transport-measures-to-protect-the-uk-from-variant-strains-of-covid-19

More information regarding travelling to the UK can be found at https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control/before-you-leave-for-the-uk