Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with providers of managed quarantine hotels for travellers returning to the UK on ensuring adequate processing times for refund requests.
Answered by Caroline Johnson
The Department of Health and Social Care’s Managed Quarantine Service (MQS) ended on 15 December 2021 when all countries were removed from the United Kingdom’s “red list”.
Corporate Travel Management (CTM) managed the booking system for MQS, taking payments from travellers and booking their rooms in MQS hotels across the UK.
Where a refund is due, the aim is to process this within 20 working days, though occasionally more information is required, which can cause delays. There are a very small number of refunds that are being processed, which we are aiming to action as quickly as possible. Customers are advised to contact UKHSA if they believe that they are still awaiting a refund so that this can be investigated.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to hold regular discussions with CTM on a range of issues.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the total outstanding amount owed in managed quarantine service charges for (a) 2020-21 and (b) 2021-22.
Answered by Maggie Throup
As of 1 March 2022, the Department was owed £3 million from 2020/21 and £71 million from 2021/22 from unpaid stays in the managed quarantine service or for tests purchased from Corporate Travel Management. This includes amounts owed by individuals on repayment plans due to financial hardship. All appropriate debts have been passed to the Department’s debt recovery partner for collection.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing the Animal and Plant Health Agency to conduct regulatory checks on animals travelling with refugees from Ukraine immediately upon their arrival in the UK.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Government wishes to ensure that people fleeing from Ukraine can come here with their pets, in a way which also safeguards our rabies-free status.
The UK has been rabies-free for many years, and we wish to remain so. Ukraine is a high-risk country for rabies and animals coming to the UK from Ukraine need to meet the health preparation requirements before they travel. In practice, this means having a microchip, a rabies vaccination, passing a blood test 30 days later and then waiting for three months before travelling.
However, we recognise that many people fleeing from Ukraine will not have been able to complete all of these requirements. Therefore, people fleeing from Ukraine can bring their pets with them under licence. In cases where their pets need to spend time in quarantine, we are covering the costs of this.
We have streamlined the license application process for people fleeing from Ukraine with their pets. Pets from Ukraine may also be eligible for home isolation in England if they are found to have rabies antibodies, subject to strict criteria.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the amount fraudulently claimed in refunds by people who stayed in the managed quarantine service.
Answered by Maggie Throup
An estimated £18 million has been fraudulently claimed in refunds through the Managed Quarantine Service. All appropriate debts have been passed to the Department’s debt recovery partner, Qualco, for collection.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of refunds issued for early release from the managed quarantine service as a result of policy changes made on 15 December 2021.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The total refunds granted to passengers relating to early release on 15 December was £1,987,483.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his policy is for calculating refunds to individuals subject to the managed quarantine service who were granted early exemption from quarantine on and before 14 December 2021.
Answered by Maggie Throup
In England, guests who were released early from the managed quarantine service were entitled to a refund based upon the unused part of their quarantine package. All refund requests were considered on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Gavin Newlands (Scottish National Party - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many complaints have been made to the managed quarantine service on refunds for unused days of quarantine since 1 January 2021.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The information is not held in the format requested.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to facilitate entry into the UK for Ukrainian citizens with pets.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As a nation of animal lovers, we understand how important it is for those fleeing Ukraine to bring their pets. We recognise that many pet owners will not have been able to complete the preparations needed, especially in relation to rabies. We need to protect the UK’s public and animal health and that is why pets coming from the Ukraine may need a period of quarantine. All quarantine and relevant health costs will be covered by the UK Government.
We are acting quickly to ensure that everyone who wants to travel with their pet can, and without delay. Pet owners must contact The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to apply for a licence before they travel to the UK. APHA will make all the necessary arrangements and confirm entry dates for when the pet arrives in the UK.
We have been working with stakeholders to increase capacity, and in parallel exploring alternative options with the rescue and rehoming sector, and with licenced boarding kennels and catteries where we have implemented the use of isolation facilities.
We have delivered emergency legislation to authorise the use of a new blood test for rabies, which reduces the timescale for checking immunity, which in respect can free up quarantine spaces. Results can be turned around in a minimum of 3 days and animals may be eligible for home isolation in England if they are found to have rabies antibodies, subject to strict criteria. This will help maintain our strict biosecurity measures and may allow people to be reunited more quickly with their pets.
We continue to work with APHA to streamline the process, and are continuing to provide information in both Ukrainian, Russian and English to those wishing to travel.
We have provided full guidance on GOV.UK for those fleeing Ukraine to bring their pets to the UK. This provides detailed information on the steps that need to be taken to enter the UK. We have included advice on ports of entry and the process once their pet reaches the UK. People fleeing to the UK from Ukraine with pets should contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for a pet licence by email at ukrainepettravel@apha.gov.uk or call +44 3000 200 301 and select option 2.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will issue pet passports for Ukrainian refugees who arrive in the UK via the Ukraine Family Scheme visa with pets.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
We recognise the difficult and distressing situation that people fleeing Ukraine currently face, and the UK Government is working at pace to support them.
People fleeing Ukraine can bring their pets to the UK. We are working with vets and quarantine facilities to make sure that the arrival of Ukrainians in the UK is not delayed by the process to make arrangements for their pets. Pets include cats, dogs and ferrets as well as other domesticated animals that are commonly viewed as pets but not legally part of the pet travel scheme.
Before arrival, people leaving the Ukraine or their carrier should contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) at pettravel@apha.gov.uk or call +44 3000 200 301 option 2. APHA will be able to confirm approval for an emergency licence and organise any necessary stay in quarantine which is required to complete the rabies risk management process. Any quarantine costs will be met by the Government.
The maximum stay in quarantine for a pet which has received no rabies vaccination is four months. Pets will be considered on a case by case basis, with a shortened quarantine period for those that are vaccinated. We are working with vets and quarantine facilities to make sure that the arrival in the UK of people fleeing Ukraine is not delayed by the process to make arrangements for their pets.
We advise those who are travelling to the UK from Ukraine with pets to contact APHA Centre for International Trade at the earliest opportunity to discuss their options.
There is a limited number of quarantine facilities in the UK and we will prioritise those fleeing Ukraine who wish to bring their pets with them, rather than animals being brought over on a commercial basis, including rescue imports. Commercial imports, including rescue imports must follow the usual process.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was spent on quarantine hotels by travellers entering the UK following the re-introduction of the covid-19 red list in November 2021; and if he will refund people who paid for quarantine once it became apparent that the omicron variant was transmitting in the community.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Following the re-introduction of the ‘red list’ on 26 November 2021, passengers spent £15.2 million on quarantine services. There are no refunds or financial compensation for guests who completed their quarantine period and had checked out of the quarantine hotel on or before 4am on 15 December. From 4pm on 15 December, guests with a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result and those who had not yet taken a PCR test were able to depart quarantine following the removal of all countries from the ‘red list’. In England, guests who were released early from managed quarantine are entitled to a refund for the unused part of their managed quarantine.