Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data informed his Department's decision to place Nigeria on the Government's travel red list.

Nigeria was added to the travel red list from 4am on Monday 6 December following 21 cases of Omicron reported in England which were linked to travel from Nigeria. Decisions on red list assignment and associated border measures are taken by ministers, who take into account UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) risk assessments, alongside wider public health factors. A summary of the UKHSA methodology is published on gov.uk, alongside key data that supports Ministers' decisions.

Nigeria was removed from the red list at 4am on Wednesday 15 December. As Omicron cases rise in the UK and in countries around the world, the travel red list is less effective in slowing the incursion of this variant from abroad and managed quarantine measures are no longer proportionate. Additional temporary testing measures remain in place to help prevent additional cases of Omicron from entering the UK.