Aviation: Coronavirus

(asked on 22nd February 2021) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the requirement for additional border checks for passengers entering the UK from ‘red list’ countries on queues at (1) Heathrow airport, and (2) other airports; and what plans they have to increase the number of Border Force officers on duty dealing with passenger border checks in order to improve people’s ability to maintain social distancing.


Answered by
Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait
Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
This question was answered on 8th March 2021

We will never compromise on border security and continue to fill our vital function of keeping the border secure and are deploying additional officers to provide support as and when required. Border Force officers have played a vital role during this pandemic.

There is extensive signage throughout the airport – including in immigration halls – reminding passengers to adhere to the Government’s social distancing guidance, but there are points in the airport journey where social distancing is not always possible. Border Force officials implement social distancing as an effective control measure. Every airport, including Heathrow, has a responsibility to comply with social distancing and Covid measures on site.

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