Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that consumers who were unable to travel on package holidays due to the covid-19 outbreak receive (a) a full refund or (b) a Government-backed transferable voucher equal to the amount paid.
The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 protect consumers who have bought package holidays. Consumers are entitled to a refund?if forced to cancel a package holiday due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, which should be issued?within 14 days, depending on the nature of the contract in place. Businesses in the sector are offering consumers vouchers or refund credit notes but acceptance must be the choice of the consumer who retains the right to a cash refund. Further information on the rights and responsibilities of consumers and businesses was published on 30 April by the Competition and Markets Authority who have also set up a covid-19 taskforce for consumers seeking refunds.