Global Travel Taskforce leaves unanswered questions
Following the publication of the Global Travel Taskforce, Henry Smith MP has written to the Secretary of State for Transport on gaps in the report. A copy of the letter is below:
Dear Secretary of State
Following on from the publication of the Global Travel Taskforce report there remain a number of unanswered questions and gaps within the current framework. These questions are essential to ensuring that our aviation, travel and tourism sectors can begin to resume operations and start their long path to recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
As you know, over the last thirteen months, international travel has been effectively grounded, with businesses in these sectors having generated little or no revenue during this period. This dire situation has led to significant job losses and placed a huge pressure on businesses throughout our world class aviation, travel and tourism industry. It also affects the wider UK economy, with many businesses relying on aviation for their success. For example, Heathrow Airport CEO John Holland Kaye noted on 29th April that cargo volumes at Heathrow are down 23% on 2019, underlining how a lack of flights affects UK trade with the rest of the world.
As an island trading nation, our economic recovery will be dependent on a thriving aviation sector and as such it is essential that the restart of international travel represents the start of the sector’s recovery and is not allowed to become another false dawn for an industry that remains on its knees.
The publication of the Global Travel Taskforce report was a welcome step in the right direction. However, businesses need to be able to prepare for the resumption of international travel. At present there are some gaps in the current framework and some elements that need urgent refinement or clarification to ensure a safe and successful restart of international travel.
Can you confirm that the announcement on the restart date will be made no later than the first week of May in order to allow businesses time to prepare?
Will the Government publish the criteria for placing countries on the green, amber and red lists and the green watch list, including when and how often the tiers will be reviewed and commit to a minimum of fortnightly reviews?
Can you confirm that the traffic light system will be fully aligned with FCDO travel advice?
Will the restart of international travel include the continuation of the Islands policy introduced last year?
Will the Government remove VAT from PCR tests to ensure that testing costs are kept as low as possible?
What other measures will the Government be taking to reduce the costs of PCR tests, including any tests provided by the NHS?
Under what criteria will the Government remove restrictions, such as the requirement for PCR tests and all restrictions on fully vaccinated people travelling to Green List countries at the first review on June 28th?
Will the Government ensure that Border Force are provided with additional resources to ensure that queues are kept to a minimum?
What progress has been made on reopening key long haul routes, including the USA?
What support has been provided to Visit Britain to promote the UK to international visitors?
Over the last thirteen months, our aviation, travel and tourism sectors have been amongst the most affected sectors by the Covid-19 pandemic and the impacts have been brutal, devastating and far-reaching. Passenger numbers have fallen to historically low levels, with last summer seeing the lowest level of international air travel since 1975. These impacts are not confined simply to numbers and statistics, there are very real human impacts of the collapse in international travel.
From the airport and airline staff who have lost their jobs to the businesses in the supply chain who have shut their doors for good.
There remain questions to answer ahead of the restart of international travel and I hope you will agree that it is vital that we get the restart of international travel right not only to protect these businesses but to begin our long road to economic recovery.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Your ever
Henry Smith MP
Chair of the APPG for the Future of Aviation