Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact of the withdrawal of the list of travellers scheme for school trips from EU countries in October 2021 on the (a) tourism and education sectors and (b) economy.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Visitors from outside the EU are expected to hold a passport (and visa where necessary) and those visiting from EU countries are now expected to do the same.
In implementing changes to document acceptability policy following the UK’s exit from the EU, a full impact assessment was carried out which can be found at the following link: Impact Assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk). This assessment also acknowledged the end of the List of Travellers arrangements.
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023, as part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France, the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France. This agreement is specific to France.
As a result of changes to the Immigration Rules that came into effect on 28 December 2023, we now permit the use of national identity cards for French schoolchildren (aged 18 and under) travelling on organised trips and waive UK visa requirements for their visa national classmates. When travelling, their responsible adults must be in possession of a fully completed and authenticated form listing the participants on the trip. French schools are able to access the form online from gov.uk.
A number of countries in the EU already offer an exemption to visa requirements for children travelling as part of a school trip from the UK, and the details of those countries is published by the EU Commission.
There are no current plans, or ongoing negotiations, to extend the arrangement with France to other countries but, in the context of wider agreements on migration related issues, we would consider negotiating with other countries should they approach us with an interest in making similar arrangements.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to take steps to ensure parity in travel requirements for school groups travelling to the UK from (a) Germany and (b) other EU member states with those from France.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Visitors from outside the EU are expected to hold a passport (and visa where necessary) and those visiting from EU countries are now expected to do the same.
In implementing changes to document acceptability policy following the UK’s exit from the EU, a full impact assessment was carried out which can be found at the following link: Impact Assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk). This assessment also acknowledged the end of the List of Travellers arrangements.
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023, as part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France, the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France. This agreement is specific to France.
As a result of changes to the Immigration Rules that came into effect on 28 December 2023, we now permit the use of national identity cards for French schoolchildren (aged 18 and under) travelling on organised trips and waive UK visa requirements for their visa national classmates. When travelling, their responsible adults must be in possession of a fully completed and authenticated form listing the participants on the trip. French schools are able to access the form online from gov.uk.
A number of countries in the EU already offer an exemption to visa requirements for children travelling as part of a school trip from the UK, and the details of those countries is published by the EU Commission.
There are no current plans, or ongoing negotiations, to extend the arrangement with France to other countries but, in the context of wider agreements on migration related issues, we would consider negotiating with other countries should they approach us with an interest in making similar arrangements.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had discussions with his European counterparts on easing travel restrictions for UK school groups travelling to EU member states.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Visitors from outside the EU are expected to hold a passport (and visa where necessary) and those visiting from EU countries are now expected to do the same.
In implementing changes to document acceptability policy following the UK’s exit from the EU, a full impact assessment was carried out which can be found at the following link: Impact Assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk). This assessment also acknowledged the end of the List of Travellers arrangements.
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023, as part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France, the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France. This agreement is specific to France.
As a result of changes to the Immigration Rules that came into effect on 28 December 2023, we now permit the use of national identity cards for French schoolchildren (aged 18 and under) travelling on organised trips and waive UK visa requirements for their visa national classmates. When travelling, their responsible adults must be in possession of a fully completed and authenticated form listing the participants on the trip. French schools are able to access the form online from gov.uk.
A number of countries in the EU already offer an exemption to visa requirements for children travelling as part of a school trip from the UK, and the details of those countries is published by the EU Commission.
There are no current plans, or ongoing negotiations, to extend the arrangement with France to other countries but, in the context of wider agreements on migration related issues, we would consider negotiating with other countries should they approach us with an interest in making similar arrangements.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had discussions with his European counterparts on extending the rules for school groups travelling to the UK from France, to other EU member states.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Visitors from outside the EU are expected to hold a passport (and visa where necessary) and those visiting from EU countries are now expected to do the same.
In implementing changes to document acceptability policy following the UK’s exit from the EU, a full impact assessment was carried out which can be found at the following link: Impact Assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk). This assessment also acknowledged the end of the List of Travellers arrangements.
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023, as part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France, the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France. This agreement is specific to France.
As a result of changes to the Immigration Rules that came into effect on 28 December 2023, we now permit the use of national identity cards for French schoolchildren (aged 18 and under) travelling on organised trips and waive UK visa requirements for their visa national classmates. When travelling, their responsible adults must be in possession of a fully completed and authenticated form listing the participants on the trip. French schools are able to access the form online from gov.uk.
A number of countries in the EU already offer an exemption to visa requirements for children travelling as part of a school trip from the UK, and the details of those countries is published by the EU Commission.
There are no current plans, or ongoing negotiations, to extend the arrangement with France to other countries but, in the context of wider agreements on migration related issues, we would consider negotiating with other countries should they approach us with an interest in making similar arrangements.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps the Government has taken to facilitate travel of school groups from (a) Germany and (b) other EU member states to the UK.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
Visitors from outside the EU are expected to hold a passport (and visa where necessary) and those visiting from EU countries are now expected to do the same.
In implementing changes to document acceptability policy following the UK’s exit from the EU, a full impact assessment was carried out which can be found at the following link: Impact Assessment (publishing.service.gov.uk). This assessment also acknowledged the end of the List of Travellers arrangements.
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023, as part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France, the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France. This agreement is specific to France.
As a result of changes to the Immigration Rules that came into effect on 28 December 2023, we now permit the use of national identity cards for French schoolchildren (aged 18 and under) travelling on organised trips and waive UK visa requirements for their visa national classmates. When travelling, their responsible adults must be in possession of a fully completed and authenticated form listing the participants on the trip. French schools are able to access the form online from gov.uk.
A number of countries in the EU already offer an exemption to visa requirements for children travelling as part of a school trip from the UK, and the details of those countries is published by the EU Commission.
There are no current plans, or ongoing negotiations, to extend the arrangement with France to other countries but, in the context of wider agreements on migration related issues, we would consider negotiating with other countries should they approach us with an interest in making similar arrangements.
Jul. 13 2010
Source Page: Health profile of England 2009. 120 p.Found: countries in the EU)EU-15 (member countries before 2004)EU-12 new (member countries from 2004)Best EU
Mentions:
1: Baroness Coussins (XB - Life peer) without a visa or ETIAS to EU member states. - Speech Link
2: Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston (XB - Life peer) doing online digital links with schools outside the UK. - Speech Link
3: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Lab - Life peer) countries, school trips can move freely without individual documentation. - Speech Link
4: Baroness Barran (Con - Life peer) Free movement within the EU has ended. - Speech Link
Written Evidence Mar. 12 2024
Committee: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)Found: schools.
Written Evidence Dec. 18 2023
Inquiry: The UK’s engagement with the Middle East and North AfricaFound: -Peace is envisioned within Israeli society and between Israel, Arab countries, and Palestinians.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to help increase the number of visits by UK schools to EU countries.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department does not request or record data on school trips that have been independently organised and funded directly by schools. The Turing Scheme, launched in the 2020/21 academic year, provides funding for UK students to work and study around the world. For the current 2023/24 academic year, the Turing Scheme is providing over £10 million in funding for 6,789 UK school pupils to take part in overseas visits, and over 4,400 of these pupils are due to visit EU countries for their Turing visits.
The Department recognises the importance of cultural and educational exchanges between the UK and other nations and will continue to support opportunities for children and young people, where appropriate.
At a recent UK and France summit, the UK committed to making the travel of school groups from France to the UK easier by changing the documentary requirements for pupils on organised trips from France. France committed to ensuring appropriate mechanisms are in place for visa free travel for pupils travelling on organised school trips from the UK and to facilitating the passage of those groups through the border.