Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they sought from the government of Romania any assurances that Romanian citizens coming to undertake agricultural or horticultural harvesting work in the UK, had been screened for coronavirus before being permitted to travel.

All passengers on entry to UK are to follow Government’s social distancing guidance strictly as per gov.uk website available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others

Various airlines and airports have implemented social distancing measures, by making reasonable adjustments and any individual who is ill and showing signs of COVID-19 should not be allowed to board the flight to the UK.

All flights to the UK are required to provide health announcements to passengers relating to the current COVID-19 outbreak and to provide information to the relevant airport in line with standard operating procedure. In the unlikely event that there is a seriously unwell passenger on a flight, the Public Health England (PHE) Health Control Unit at Heathrow Airport in London will be informed. If the unwell passenger has COVID-19 like symptoms then on arrival they will be advised to self-isolate for 7 days and if symptoms worsen to call NHS111. All passengers will be provided with information leaflets and appropriate posters are on display on arrival in the UK about following Government’s social distancing guidance.

In the white paper published on 11 May, ‘The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy’, the Government sets out the plan for managing the risks of transmissions being introduced from abroad. The paper states that: ‘Alongside increased information about the UK’s social distancing regime at the border, the Government will require international arrivals to supply their contact and accommodation information. They will also be strongly advised to download and use the NHS contact tracing app.

All international arrivals to the UK not on a short list of exemptions will be required to self-isolate in their accommodation for fourteen days. Small exemptions to these measures will be in place to provide for continued security of supply into the UK and so as not to impede work supporting national security or critical infrastructure. These measures will be introduced as soon as possible and further details will be set out shortly’.