Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to negotiate with the Greek Government the granting of special permits to allow the up to 180 days that are permitted per year under Schengen rules to be used in a single block of any length up to 180 days by travellers from the UK.

The 90 days in a rolling 180-day period is the standard length of stay that the EU offers to the nationals of eligible third countries that reciprocate visa-free travel access for EU citizens. There is no precedent for the EU offering a longer length of visa-free stay than 90 / 180 days to the nationals of any third country and the Government does not typically enter into bilateral agreements on visa-free travel. Both the UK and the EU provide visa-free arrangements for tourists and short-term business visitors.