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Andrew Selous

South West Bedfordshire

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Support for the Travel Industry

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I fully appreciate the concerns and seriousness of the situation for the whole UK travel industry, which I recognise has faced significant challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. As such, I have taken the liberty of providing a link to the speech that I made on travel in the relevant debate in Parliament recently. Please be assured that I have raised this issue in Parliament on a number of occasions:

Aviation, Travel and Tourism Industries - Thursday 10 June 2021 - Hansard - UK Parliament

I am pleased that all accommodation and hospitality in England has reopened fully and, following our transition to Step 4 of the roadmap, restrictions have been lifted in time for the summer holidays. I imagine that when indoor accommodation and hospitality reopened in Step 3, many livelihoods were restored and since then travel businesses have been focusing on their recovery. 

On international travel, I am pleased that, following the publication of the Global Travel Taskforce's report which contained recommendations on how international travel can resume safely, the Government announced that international leisure travel has resumed. To protect public health and our vaccination programme, strict border controls have been put place and as such people returning from 'amber' or 'red' list countries for leisure currently have to self-isolate on their return and follow other requirements in the Government guidance. I am pleased that, since 19 July, the Transport Secretary has confirmed that fully vaccinated passengers no longer have to self-isolate on their return from 'amber' list countries, therefore in essence making it the same requirements for travellers to 'green' list countries.

In addition, since 2 August passengers fully vaccinated with vaccines authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Europe and the USA will be able to travel to England from amber countries without having to quarantine on arrival. These measures also give the go ahead to the restart of international cruise sailings. 

I am delighted that these new changes have immediately boosted the travel industry and given travel businesses certainty to plan ahead for the summer.  

I am pleased the Chancellor has extended and expanded business support schemes to help businesses during this difficult time. For example, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended until the end of September 2021 to protect jobs over the coming months as we begin our recovery. 

In addition, the Chancellor announced further financial support in the Budget, including reduced VAT rates for hospitality and tourism businesses and a one-off Restart Grant for eligible businesses of up to £18,000.

If applicable, I would also encourage businesses in the travel industry who are facing cashflow or other financial difficulties to explore the Government-backed loans and guarantees that have been made available. While the original Covid-19 Government-backed loan schemes have closed for applications, the Recovery Loan Scheme launched on 6 April and is available to support eligible businesses as they reopen with loans of between £25,000 and £10 million, 80 per cent guaranteed by the Government.

Package travel agencies are required to comply with the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, which protect consumers who have bought package holidays. Therefore, if a package holiday is cancelled due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, consumers are entitled to a full refund which should be issued within 14 days.

I understand that the Competition and Markets Authority published further information on the rights and responsibilities of consumers and businesses. In addition, they have established a Covid-19 taskforce for consumers to register any complaints. This is available online at: https://www.coronavirus-business-complaint.service.gov.uk/.

In cases where payments were made using a credit card, redress may also be sought from the credit card company under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. 

I have been reassured by colleagues that the UK Government has been engaging with both the package travel sector and consumer advocacy bodies to assess the impact of cancellations made due to the coronavirus outbreak. I am closely monitoring the situation too and taking on board the views of those living and working here in South West Bedfordshire, including on introducing Government-backed vouchers.

While I do understand the reasons why travel companies are calling for bespoke help, I hope the £25 billion support which has been made available for all travel industry businesses who have struggled has been of some assistance. 

Campaign Responses

  • Access to Waterways
  • Adult Dependant Relative Visa
  • Adult Social Care
  • Afghanistan and Pakistan
  • Afghanistan: Nowzad
  • Afghanistan Refugees
  • Afghanistan Refugees (Christians)
  • Afghanistan Withdrawal
  • Age UK's Winter Warmth Campaign
  • Air Passenger Duty
  • Air Quality
  • Alcohol Duty
  • All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs)
  • Animal Research
  • Animal Testing - Dogs
  • Animal Welfare Legislation
  • Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill
  • Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill: Cats
  • Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill: Dogs
  • Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill
  • Arms Exports
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  • Bowel Cancer Awareness Month
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  • Cash Availability and Acceptance
  • Child Deaths Worldwide
  • Child Maintenance Service (CMS)’s Collect and Pay Service
  • Child Poverty
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  • Children with Sight Loss (Education)
  • Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill
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  • Consular Services in Afghanistan
  • Conversion Therapy
  • COP26
  • COP26 Commitments (100 Days)
  • Coronavirus: Clinically Extremely Vulnerable
  • Coronavirus: Coronavirus Act
  • Coronavirus: Debt Cancellation
  • Coronavirus: Face Coverings
  • Coronavirus: Face Coverings in School
  • Coronavirus: Hospitality Support
  • Coronavirus: International Travel
  • Coronavirus: Mandatory Vaccination
  • Coronavirus: NHS and Social Care Staff (Vaccines)
  • Coronavirus: Provision of Tests
  • Coronavirus: Regulations and Living with COVID
  • Coronavirus: Self Isolation
  • Coronavirus: Support for the Self-Employed
  • Coronavirus: Testing (Childminders)
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  • Coronavirus: Vaccines (Developing Countries)
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  • Coronavirus: VAT Threshold
  • Cost of Living
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  • Cyprus
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  • Football Governance
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  • Free Trade Agreement with Australia
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  • Future of the TV Licence
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  • Guidance on Boycotts (Stop BDS)
  • Hamas
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  • Health and Care Bill
  • Health and Care Bill: Integrated Care Boards and Private Sector Providers
  • Health and Care Bill: Privatisation
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  • Health and Disability Green Paper
  • Heat Pumps
  • Hedgehogs
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  • HGV Driver Shortage
  • HIV and AIDS
  • Holiday Lets
  • Housing and the Queen’s Speech
  • Housing Emergency (Shelter)
  • Housing First
  • HS2 and the Environment
  • HS2: Cost Transparency
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  • Human Rights Act
  • Hunting Act 2004
  • Illegal Immigration (Nationality and Borders Bill)
  • Improving Access to the Countryside
  • Independent Review of Children's Social Care
  • Intellectual Property
  • Interest on Student Loans
  • Introducing Extended Producer Responsibility: Glass
  • Islamophobia
  • Israel: Amnesty International
  • Ivory Sales
  • Jagtar Singh Johal
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  • Loan Charge
  • Local Electricity Bill
  • Maternity Services
  • Meadows and Grasslands
  • Medicinal Cannabis
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  • Mental Health
  • Mental Health Facilities
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  • Midwifery Units
  • Migrant Channel Crossings
  • Modern Slavery
  • Motor Neurone Disease
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • National Insurance Contributions
  • National Security
  • Nationality and Borders Act (Accommodation for Asylum Seekers)
  • Nationality and Borders Act (Clause 9)
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  • Nationality and Borders Act (Overseas Asylum Processing)
  • Nationality and Borders Act (Unaccompanied Children)
  • Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
  • Neonicotinoids
  • New Plan for Immigration
  • NHS Pay
  • NHS Preparations for Winter
  • NHS Privatisation
  • Nigeria: Mubarak Bala
  • Non-Religious Belief (Human Rights)
  • Occupied Palestinian Territories
  • Offshore Wind
  • Oil Drilling and Cambo Oil Field
  • Online Marketplaces (Regulation)
  • Online Safety Bill (Internet Regulation)
  • Online Safety Bill (Misinformation)
  • Online Safety Bill (Pornography)
  • Online Safety Bill (Private Communications)
  • Online Safety Bill (Protecting Children from Online Porn)
  • Online Safety Bill (Suicide and Self-Harm)
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  • Onshore Wind
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  • Palestinian Human Right Defenders
  • Palliative Care
  • Pancreatic Cancer
  • Parental Bereavement
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  • Pavement Parking
  • Peat
  • Plastic Pollution
  • Police and Sarah Everard Case
  • Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
  • Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Climate Protesters)
  • Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Courts and Tribunals)
  • Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Data Extraction)
  • Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Parliament Square)
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  • Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Protests)
  • Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Protests and Noise)
  • Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Protests Tactics)
  • Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (Unauthorised Encampments)
  • Polluter Pays Bill
  • Prescription Charges
  • Primary School Assessments
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  • Private Rented Sector
  • Processing Asylum Claims in Rwanda
  • Proportional Property Tax
  • Prostate Cancer
  • Protection of Pollinators
  • Protests - Abortion Clinics
  • Public Inquiry on COVID-19
  • Public Sector Pensions
  • Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill
  • Puppy and Kitten Sales
  • Queen's Speech - Bill of Rights and Brexit Freedoms
  • Radiotherapy
  • Rail Vs Air Travel
  • Reforming Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing
  • Right to Work Checks
  • Royal Mail
  • Sarcoma UK Drop-In Session
  • Save Our Pubs (CAMRA)
  • SEND Green Paper
  • Sentencing (Dangerous Driving)
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Shared Parental Leave
  • Social Care Cap (Means Test)
  • Stamp Duty Land Tax
  • State Pension
  • State Pension Age
  • Statutory Sick Pay
  • Stop and Search
  • Support for Deaf Pupils
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  • Support for Renters
  • Support for Road Hauliers
  • Support for the Pig Industry
  • Support for the Travel Industry
  • Sustainable Fishing
  • Tax Avoidance
  • Teachers’ Pay
  • Tourism and VAT
  • Training Collars for Dogs
  • Transport for Disabled People
  • Trophy Hunting
  • UK Foreign Aid
  • UK Trade and Business Commission’s First Annual Report
  • Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits - £20 per Week Uplift
  • Universal Credit Standard Allowance for Those Under 25
  • Universal Credit (Under 25)
  • Universities: Antisemitism (IHRA Definition)
  • Uplands
  • Vaccinations for COVID-19
  • Valerie's Law
  • Vaping
  • VAT on Electric Vehicle Charging in Public Places
  • Violence Against Women and Girls
  • Voter ID
  • Voting System
  • Water Fluoridation
  • Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Developing Countries
  • Wealth Tax
  • Welfare of Farm Animals
  • Women’s Health Strategy - Miscarriages
  • Young People’s Wellbeing

Andrew Selous MP South West Bedfordshire

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