Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what mechanisms they have in place, if any, to check that results from COVID-19 PCR tests provided by private companies for those entering England from abroad meet the public health requirement to return test results within two days.
Answered by Lord Kamall
We closely monitor the performance of private providers, including delivery and testing services. Those providing inadequate services receive a warning allowing the company to demonstrate it has rectified its service or it is removed from the GOV.UK list. Private providers may be reinstated to the list once they have undertaken corrective action and provided the Department with such evidence.
The information requested on the number of companies which have failed to meet the two day requirement is not currently available, as this data is not yet centrally validated. No providers have been removed as a direct result of failing to meet the two-day test result return requirement alone. All providers have a legal requirement to report on a daily basis to achieve all minimum standards, which includes the returning of test results within two days.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on what basis the Government had made the decision of requiring a PCR test for those who have had covid-19 in the last 90 days, upon arriving in the UK, while the advice pre-departure had been to do an LFT as a PCR could show positive.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were required for those with COVID-19 infection in the last 90 days to identify not only those with the virus but also new variants which may have been acquired overseas. Positive PCR tests for arrivals were sequenced to understand potential emerging variants. Recent infection and associated immunity is not associated with a residual positive PCR.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Government's covid-19 travel restrictions on the spread of the omicron variant.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The assessment of the effectiveness of travel restrictions is ongoing.
Asked by: Simon Jupp (Conservative - East Devon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to help strengthen public confidence in international travel during 2022.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Following the changes to international travel implemented on 11 February, including the removal of all testing requirements for eligible vaccinated passengers, reducing measures for all other passengers, and recognising vaccine certificates from over 180 countries and territories, the UK now has one of the most open and streamlined COVID-19 border regimes in the world. Furthermore, my Rt Hon Friend the Transport Secretary is also looking at removing the Passenger Locator Form as soon as possible.
The Government has also committed to developing a contingency toolkit, to be set out ahead of Easter, with new border health measures only implemented in extreme circumstances where necessary to protect public health against COVID-19 variants.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to assess the recovery of the travel sector from the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Since the international travel changes implemented on 11 February, the UK now has one of the most open and streamlined COVID-19 border regimes in the world. While the recovery has begun, many challenges remain. That is why, in addition to the regular monitoring of key recovery metrics, the Government continues to engage with businesses across the travel sector to understand ongoing challenges to growth and recovery. The Government is also working on a strategic framework for the aviation sector which will focus on building back better and ensuring a successful UK sector for the future.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the records of covid-19 booster vaccinations are provided on covid-19 travel passes.
Answered by Maggie Throup
When travelling abroad, records confirming receiving the booster vaccination can be accessed using the NHS COVID Pass via the NHS App and NHS.UK. The booster record can be seen in both the Domestic and Travel COVID Pass sections.
From 10 December 2021, an NHS COVID Pass letter can be ordered via the 119 or NHS.UK, if non-digital proof is required for the booster vaccination for international travel. The letter will show a 2D barcode for each vaccination received, including the booster vaccination.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of international travellers, taking into account any exemptions, have not had their day 2 covid-19 PCR test result registered by the end of day 4.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We do not hold data in the format requested.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to confirm when proof of recovery from covid-19 will be available for 12 to 15 year olds via the NHS Covid Pass for the purpose of international travel.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Since 3 February, children aged 12 years old and over are able to get a digital NHS COVID Pass for international travel. The travel digital NHS COVID Pass shows evidence of prior infection (recovery) for 180 days following a positive NHS PCR test and provides a record of COVID-19 vaccinations received. The pass is available via the NHS.UK website for those aged 12 years old and over and via the NHS App for those aged 13 years old and over.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) extending access for 12 to 17 year olds to a second dose of the covid-19 vaccine and (b) making it possible for 12 to 17 year olds to be able to prove that they have had the virus on the covid-19 travel passport to enable those people to travel to countries that require proof of double vaccination.
Answered by Maggie Throup
On 15 November 2021, the Government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to offer a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccination to all 16 and 17-year-olds. On 29 November 2021, the Government accepted further advice from the JCVI to offer all 12-17-year-olds a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with the second dose being offered at a minimum of 12 weeks from their first dose, or 12 weeks after testing positive for COVID-19 infection.
The NHS COVID Pass has been available for people aged 16 or over to demonstrate their COVID-19 status for travel purposes since 17 May 2021. Since 13 December 2021, children in England aged 12-15-years-old who have had a full course of COVID-19 vaccination are eligible for an NHS COVID Pass letter for travel with an internationally recognised 2D barcode, following the decision to offer two doses of vaccine to all 12-15-year-olds in the United Kingdom. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nhs-covid-pass-for-12-15-year-olds-for-international-travel
Since 3 February 2021, children in England have been able to prove their vaccination or proof of prior infection via a digital NHS COVID Pass for outbound travel. The COVID Pass is available via the NHS.UK website for those aged 12 and over and via the NHS App for those aged 13 and over. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/get-digital-covid-pass/
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the process for removing businesses from the list of PCR test providers for travel on the gov.uk website in the event that those providers do not meet the criteria they have set for delivery and process times of PCR tests.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We continuously monitor and assess the adequacy of the process for removing private providers, including delivery and testing services, to ensure a high-quality service to customers.
Since the start of the travel testing programme, we have refined the process for identifying where providers have not met our standards for the delivery and processing of polymerase chain reaction testing.