Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of exempting seafarers from the requirement for anyone travelling to the UK from a country on the travel ban list to quarantine in a government-approved facility for 10 days during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seamen and masters, maritime pilots and inspectors and surveyors of ships, where they have travelled to the United Kingdom in the course of their work and live in the UK, do not need to self-isolate. If they live overseas, they must self-isolate in their accommodation while in England, except while undertaking the exempt activity or travelling as part of their work. They are permitted to enter the UK and do not need to quarantine in a Government approved hotel, even if they have been in any country on the travel ban ‘red list’ in the previous 10 days. This is to reflect the critical role that seafarers play in ensuring the continued supply of goods in and out of the UK.