UK Government – Page 117 – The NEN

Ukraine: ‘a war would earn and deserve the condemnation of history’ – Boris Johnson

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s statement on Ukraine in the House of Commons yesterday (25th January 2022)

Mr Speaker,

A few weeks ago, I commissioned an independent inquiry into a series of events in Downing Steet, the Cabinet Office as well as some other Whitehall departments that may have constituted potential breaches of the Covid regulations.

That process has quite properly involved sharing information continuously with the Metropolitan Police, so I welcome the Met’s decision to conduct its own investigation because I believe this will help to give the public the clarity it needs and help to draw a line under matters.

But I want to reassure the House, Mr Speaker, and the country, that I and the whole government are focused one hundred percent on dealing with the people’s priorities including the UK’s leading role in protecting freedom around the world.

And with permission, I will make a statement about the United Kingdom’s response to the situation in Ukraine.

This winter, we have witnessed a spectacle that we hoped had been banished from our continent: a large and powerful country massing troops and tanks on the border of a neighbour, with the obvious threat of invading. Russia has, of course, already attacked Ukraine, illegally annexing 10,000 square miles of her territory in 2014 and igniting a war in the Donbas region, and Ukraine has scarcely known a day of peace ever since.

Now she faces the danger of a renewed invasion and this time the force arrayed on her frontier comprises over 100,000 troops – far bigger than anything Russia has deployed against her before.

If the worst happens and the destructive firepower of the Russian army were to engulf Ukraine’s towns and cities, I shudder to contemplate the tragedy that would ensue.

Ukrainians have every moral and legal right to defend their country and I believe their resistance would be dogged and tenacious, and the bloodshed comparable to the first war in Chechnya, or Bosnia, Mr Speaker, or any other conflict that Europe has endured since 1945.

No-one would gain from such a catastrophe.

Russia would create a wasteland in a country which as she constantly reminds us, is composed of fellow Slavs; and Russia would never be able to call it peace.

For months, Britain has worked in lockstep with the United States and our allies across Europe to avoid such a disaster.

We’ve sought to combine dialogue with deterrence, emphasising how a united Western alliance would exact a forbidding price for any Russian incursion into Ukraine, including by imposing heavy economic sanctions, and at the same time we stand ready, as we always have, to address any legitimate Russian concerns through honest diplomacy.

On 13th December, I spoke to President Putin, and I stressed that NATO had no thought of encircling or otherwise threatening his country and that Russia enjoyed as much right as any other state to live in peace and security.

But as I said to him, Ukraine of course enjoys an equal and symmetrical right to that of Russia. And I said any attack on his neighbour would be followed by tougher sanctions against Russia, further steps to help Ukraine defend herself, and by an increased NATO presence to protect our allies on NATOs eastern flank.

The truth is that if Russia’s goal is to keep NATO forces away from her borders, then if that is Russia’s goal, then invading Ukraine could scarcely be more counter-productive.

My Right Honourable Friends the Foreign and Defence Secretaries have both conveyed the same message to President Putin and I am prepared of course to speak, ready to speak to him again.

Meanwhile, the American Deputy Secretary of State met her Russian counterpart in Geneva on 10th January and the NATO-Russia Council gathered two days later as the House knows.

The American Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, met the Russian Foreign Minister last Friday, and the US Administration has confirmed President Biden’s willingness to have another meeting with President Putin, continuing the bilateral dialogue they began last year.

But credible deterrence is the other side of the coin.

Last night, I held a virtual meeting with President Biden, President Macron, Chancellor Scholz, President Duda, Prime Minister Draghi, Secretary General Stoltenberg, President Michel and President von der Leyen.

We agreed that we would respond in unison to any Russian attack on Ukraine, in unison, by imposing coordinated and severe sanctions, heavier than anything we have done before against Russia. And we agreed on the necessity of finalising these measures as swiftly as possible, in order to maximise their deterrent effect.

We in the UK will not hesitate to toughen our national sanctions against Russia in response to whatever President Putin may do – and the House will soon hear more on this from my Right Honourable Friend the Foreign Secretary.

We have already declassified compelling intelligence exposing Russian intent to install a puppet regime in Ukraine and we will continue to disclose any Russian use of cyber-attacks, false flag operations or disinformation.

Amid all these pressures, Ukraine asks for nothing except to be allowed to live in peace and to seek her own alliances, as every sovereign country has a right to do.

Last week, the UK acted to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend her soil by supplying anti-armour missiles and deploying a small training team of British personnel, in addition to the work of Operation Orbital, which as the House will know, has trained 21,000 Ukrainian troops since 2015.

Yesterday, we took the responsible precaution of temporarily withdrawing some staff and dependants from the British Embassy in Kyiv.

Though I emphasise that the Embassy remains open and will continue to provide consular assistance for British nationals in Ukraine, and I am particularly grateful for the dedication of our Ambassador in Kyiv, Melinda Simmons.

I commend our NATO allies for the steps they have taken and are taking to protect the eastern flank of the alliance. Denmark is sending a frigate to the Baltic and deploying four F-16s to Lithuania to join NATO’s longstanding air policing mission.

France has expressed its readiness to send troops to Romania under NATO command; and the United States has raised the alert level of 8,500 combat troops, preparing to deploy them in Europe at short notice.

The British Army leads the NATO Battlegroup in Estonia and if Russia invades Ukraine, we would look to contribute to any new NATO deployments to protect our allies in Europe.

In every contact with Russia, the UK and our allies have stressed our unity and our adherence to vital points of principle.

We cannot bargain away the vision of a Europe whole and free that emerged in those amazing years from 1989 to 1991, healing the division of our continent by the Iron Curtain.

We will not reopen that divide by agreeing to overturn the European security order because Russia has placed a gun to Ukraine’s head.

Nor can we accept the doctrine – implicit in Russian proposals – that all states are sovereign, but some are more sovereign than others.

The draft treaty published by Russia in December would divide our continent once again between free nations and countries whose foreign and defence policies are explicitly constrained by the Kremlin, in ways that Russia would never accept for herself.

More than half of Europe – including a dozen or more members of NATO and of the European Union – would be only partially sovereign and required to seek the Kremlin’s approval before inviting any military personnel from NATO countries onto their soil.

The Czech Republic – at the very heart of Europe, hundreds of miles from Russia – would have to ask the Kremlin for permission if she wanted to invite a company of German infantry to join an exercise, or even to help with flood defences.

There is nothing new about large and powerful nations using the threat of brute force to terrify reasonable people into giving way to otherwise completely unacceptable demands.

But if President Putin were to choose the path of bloodshed and destruction, he must realise that it would be both tragic and futile, and nor should we allow him to believe that he could easily take some smaller portion of Ukraine, to salami slice, because the resistance will be ferocious.

Anyone who has been to Kyiv as I have and stood by the Wall of Remembrance and studied the portraits of nearly 4,500 Ukrainians who have died in defence of their country since 2014 – and the total death toll in excess of 14,000 – anyone who’s been there will know that Ukrainians are determined to fight and have become steadily more skilled at guerrilla warfare.

And if Russia pursues this path, many Russian mothers’ sons will not be coming home.

And the response in the international community would be the same and the pain that will be inflicted on the Russian economy will be the same.

When I spoke to President Putin, I also reminded him that at crucial moments in history, Britain and Russia have stood together.

The only reason why both our countries are permanent members of the UN Security Council is because of the heroism of Soviet soldiers in the struggle against fascism, side-by-side with ourselves.

I believe that all of Russia’s fears could yet be allayed, and we could find a path to mutual security through patient and principled diplomacy, provided that President Putin avoids the trap of starting a terrible war, and Mr Speaker, a war that I believe would earn and deserve the condemnation of history and I commend this statement to the House.

Public urged to sign-up to world-first COVID-19 antiviral study

The public are being urged to sign-up to a world-leading study for antivirals if they test positive for COVID-19

Recruitment drive backed by charities including Kidney Care UK, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Diabetes UK and the British Liver Trust as antivirals help protect most vulnerable from hospital
At least 6,000 more participants needed as soon as possible so the life-saving treatments can be rolled out more widely
People can sign up here: www.panoramictrial.org

Adults over the age of 50 or with an underlying health condition who test positive for COVID-19 are being urged to sign up for a world-first COVID-19 study which is providing life-saving antivirals to thousands of people.

The UK government and leading charities, including Kidney Care UK, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Diabetes UK and the British Liver Trust, are calling on at least 6,000 more participants to come forward for these cutting-edge treatments through the PANORAMIC study.

This is so that expert scientists can understand more about how to deploy these treatments in the NHS more widely later in the year – including who would benefit most from receiving antiviral treatments for COVID-19.

Antivirals are medicines which can be swallowed as a tablet to help treat people with COVID-19 infections to reduce the risk of hospitalisations and death. Molnupiravir, which is currently being deployed through the study, has shown to reduce this for at risk, non-hospitalised adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 by 30% – potentially saving thousands of lives once the drugs are available to the NHS.

Anyone over the age of 50 or between 18 to 49 with an underlying health condition can sign up to the study as soon as they receive a positive PCR or lateral flow test result. They need to be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms that began in the last five days to be eligible to enrol.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The vaccines are critical as a first line of defence, but antivirals form a vital part of our approach as we learn to live with COVID by preventing the most vulnerable from being hospitalised.

“If you’re eligible, please step forward for the PANORAMIC trial and play your part in a vital mission – helping us to learn more about medicines which could save thousands of lives.”

The UK-wide study, run by the University of Oxford and supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), launched at the start of December 2021 and currently has around 4,600 trial participants signed up, but needs thousands more to sign up as soon as possible to gather the data necessary.

This will ensure medical experts can learn more about the potential benefits these treatments bring to vaccinated patients, and will help the NHS to develop plans for rolling out the antivirals to further patients later this year.

It is open to anyone living in the UK who meets the following criteria:

Have received a positive PCR or lateral flow test for COVID-19 and feel unwell with symptoms of COVID-19 that started in the last five days; and
are aged 50 and over, or 18 to 49 years old with an underlying medical condition that can increase the risk of developing severe COVID-19.

While vaccines remain the most important first line of defence against the virus, antivirals are used after someone contracts the virus to slow it down, make symptoms less severe and complications less common.

The antiviral, molnupiravir, that is part of the PANORAMIC trial, was granted approval for use by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority (MHRA) in November 2021, and so far no unexpected safety findings have been reported in clinical trials.

The UK government, through the Antivirals Taskforce, has procured 4.98 million courses of antivirals – including 2.23 million courses of molnupiravir and 2.75 million courses of PF-07321332/ritonavir.

Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, said: “If you’re eligible for PANORAMIC please give some serious consideration to taking part.

“This will help us decide how to use COVID-19 antiviral drugs for many years to come.”

Eddie Gray, Chair of the Antivirals Taskforce, said: “Antivirals are a hugely important addition to our response to COVID-19 and we have secured access to two important products for NHS patients.

“Getting people enrolled onto this study is vital, not just in protecting the most vulnerable now, but in ensuring we can deploy these medicines more widely as soon as possible.”

Pippa Erskine, double lung transplant recipient who lives with Cystic Fibrosis, accessed antivirals after testing positive for COVID-19 at the start of January. Pippa said: “Even after three vaccines, testing positive for COVID-19 after avoiding the virus for more than 18 months was worrying.

“Knowing antivirals would help ease my symptoms and help prevent potential complications was a huge relief.

“With restrictions easing, it’s so important that those vulnerable to COVID-19 have the best possible chance of staying protected against the virus and, most importantly, staying out of hospital. Antivirals are essential to this.

“I’d urge anyone eligible for the trial to put themselves forward to help make antivirals more widely available, and to protect themselves and others.”

Mr Harkishan Mistry, age 58, is General Secretary of Bradford Hindu Council said: “After testing positive for COVID-19 last Monday on a lateral flow, a friend recommended I look into the antivirals trial.

“As I’m over 50 and was experiencing symptoms such as sore throat, headache, and achiness, I was eligible and was selected to receive the antiviral treatment by Monday afternoon.

“The whole process was so simple – a courier delivered the capsules the next morning and I began taking the course straight away. While I’m still testing positive and remain in isolation, my symptoms eased daily and I feel much better.

“I’d really recommend anyone who’s eligible for the trial to sign up – why would you not if we can help others and ease pressure on the NHS.”

Hazel, a pharmacist from Whitley Bay, got COVID-19 early in January and so signed up to the trial immediately to help find antiviral medicines to treat the virus.

Hazel said: “I enrolled online when I got COVID-19 and the process was really simple. I got a call from a nurse right away who took me through everything and since then I’ve just had to keep a short online daily diary which takes less than a minute to do.

“The process really couldn’t be simpler, and it’s so exciting to be part of this world leading effort to find a treatment for COVID-19.

“Both as someone who got COVID-19 and as a pharmacist, I know the damage this virus can do and would urge anyone eligible to visit the website and really consider getting involved as it could save lives.”

Fiona Loud, Policy Director at Kidney Care UK, said: “We welcome the development and provision of antiviral treatments for people who are vulnerable to COVID-19.

“This trial is one of the ways to make them more widely available so we would like to encourage everyone who is eligible, including those with kidney disease, to take part in this study.

“While we continue to encourage people to take up the offer of vaccinations, antiviral treatments are going to be a vital tool to give more protection to people who are most at risk from COVID-19, including those with kidney disease.”

Vanessa Hebditch, Director of Policy at the British Liver Trust, said: “The introduction of new treatments for COVID-19 for the most vulnerable is an important and welcome development in the tackling of the pandemic.

“People with liver disease and liver transplant recipients are among the highest risk from COVID-19 and have less immunity from vaccines so treatments are vital to reduce their risk of hospitalisation should they catch the virus.

“We urge people living with a liver condition to consider signing up for trial to protect themselves and ensure that more people can access these treatments.”

David Ramsden, chief executive of Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: “It is vital for that we continue to focus on the development and evaluation of new treatments for COVID-19.

“This is a really important study and we would encourage all eligible people with cystic fibrosis to get involved.”

‘Bonfire of the Banalities’

Unnecessary train announcements to be binned

UK government to review and remove train announcements that add unnecessary noise and disruption to journeys
the Department for Transport will ensure train operating companies retain important safety messages and work with accessibility groups so that passengers receive the necessary information
announcement follows the publication of the government’s Plan for Rail, which puts passengers back at the heart of the railways

Quieter train journeys are set to become the norm after the government announced it will identify and remove repetitive and unnecessary onboard announcements on trains in England.

The changes mean that passengers will no longer be bombarded with unnecessary ‘tannoy spam’ that distracts from important safety-critical messaging.

Working closely with the Rail Delivery Group, passenger groups including Transport Focus, and train operators, the Department for Transport (DfT) will identify how the vast number of announcements can be cut or reduced while maintaining vital obligations to ensure train travel remains accessible for all. Messages that play a safety critical role, or that ensure the railways are accessible for all, will remain.

The review will take place over the course of this year, with redundant messages identified and starting to be removed in the coming months.

Banal announcements set to be culled include self-evident instructions, such as having your ticket ready when leaving the station and contradictory calls for passengers to keep volume levels low while onboard announcements blare out. There will also be new curbs on the maximum frequency at which remaining announcements will be heard.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Train passengers are all too often plagued by an endless torrent of repeated and unnecessary announcements.

“In line with the passenger improvements, we are rolling out with our Plan for Rail we want to see improvements to the railways for those who use them day in day out.

“That’s why I’m calling for a bonfire of the banalities to bring down the number of announcements passengers are forced to sit through and make their journey that little bit more peaceful.”

As passengers come back to the railways, DfT will continue to ensure journeys are more comfortable to all users and that passengers continue to receive the important information they need about their journey.

Officials will work with accessibility groups to ensure that access for all is maintained.

The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, launched last year, ‘puts passengers at the heart of the railway’. To improve the comfort and enjoyment of train travel, customer service will be modernised and upgraded across all stations and, on trains, focused on providing passengers with better communication and a more personalised service.

Anthony Smith, Chief Executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Passengers will welcome a review intended to cut out unnecessary announcements.

“Transport Focus looks forward to helping with the review so passengers get the information they want, including those with additional accessibility needs.

Jacqueline Starr, CEO of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “We know people want the most relevant and timely messages on their journeys and to help with this, train operators are continuing their work to improve customer information, including cutting unnecessary onboard announcements.

“We’re also going further by asking customers what they want to know and using their responses to plan more useful and consistent announcements across the network, helping people have a better experience travelling by train.”

Tories sweep away Covid regulations in England

Plan B measures will be removed following millions getting the booster, which gives strong protection against Omicron

People will no longer be advised to work from home, face coverings will no longer be mandatory in indoor venues, and organisations will be able to choose whether to require NHS Covid Passes
Vaccination remains our best defence against COVID-19 and people are urged to Get Boosted Now

The UK government has announced that England will fully return to Plan A on Thursday 27 January thanks to the success of the booster programme, with ministers urging anyone who has still not had a top-up jab to come forward and Get Boosted Now.

On 8 December, the Prime Minister announced a move to Plan B following the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.

The measures introduced helped to control the spread of COVID-19, bought time to assess the variant and allowed the NHS to rapidly expand the booster programme to strengthen defences.

While vaccinations remain a priority, the success of the vaccination programme so far means we are now able to cautiously return to Plan A in England.

This means immediately (from yesterday, Wednesday 19 January):

The UK government is no longer asking people in England to work from home if they can. People should speak to their employers about arrangements for returning to the office, and should follow the Working Safely guidance.

From today (Thursday 20 January):

Face coverings will no longer be advised in classrooms for both staff and pupils.

From next Thursday (27 January):

Venues and events will no longer be required by law to use the NHS Covid Pass. The NHS Covid Pass can still be used on a voluntary basis as was previously the case in Plan A.
Face coverings are no longer required by law in any setting. Public health guidance will remain in place, suggesting individuals should continue to wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
The Department for Education will remove national guidance on the use of face coverings in communal areas, with local Directors of Public Health able to recommend the use of face coverings in education settings across their area only where the department and public health experts judge the measure to be proportionate due to specific health concerns. This is a temporary measure and Directors of Public Health continue to advise individual settings experiencing outbreaks.
Any local introduction of face coverings must be subject to routine review and removed at the earliest opportunity.

Throughout the pandemic, the UK government says it has maintained a balanced approach to COVID-19 measures, considering the freedoms of individuals together with the public health concerns of COVID-19.

Although the government is able to remove blanket restrictions, prevalence of COVID-19 is still high with over 16,000 people in hospital in England with the infection. As such individuals, employers and local leaders are urged to act cautiously and consider the risk of COVID-19 when moving back to Plan A. The guidance on gov.uk will be updated accordingly.

Due to the success of the booster programme, with over 30.5 million boosters given in England, the situation continues to improve.

The latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows that getting a booster is 89% effective in preventing hospitalisation from COVID-19 from two weeks after it is administered and is 65 to 75% effective against symptomatic infection from Omicron.

Vaccinations remain our best defence against COVID-19 and in December the Prime Minister launched a national appeal to Get Boosted Now. The government met its target of offering every eligible adult a booster jab by Christmas and now more than 4 in 5 (81%) of eligible adults in England have had their booster.

Over 90% of people aged 12 and above have had their first dose and over 83% have had their second. The government recently provided an extra £22.5 million to councils for Community Vaccine Champions to help drive uptake in harder-to-reach communities.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Today marks the start of the next chapter in this country’s fight against COVID-19.

“Our plan was to use the time that Plan B gave us to give ourselves extra power in our fight against Omicron. That plan has worked, and the data shows that Omicron is in retreat.

“But it’s not the end of the road and we shouldn’t see this as the finish line. The best step that we can all take is to get vaccinated. It was the jabs that have got us this far, and the jabs can keep us here too”.

The vaccine programme is being bolstered by the development of world-leading antiviral treatments. In December, the Prime Minister confirmed a new national PANORAMIC study where 10,000 UK patients at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 will be given molnupiravir to treat their symptoms at home.

Testing also remains a vital tool in controlling the spread of COVID-19 and has allowed the government to take a proportionate approach to restoring individual freedoms.

Thanks to the accessibility of lateral flow tests (LFT), people self-isolating with COVID-19 can now end their isolation after five full days, provided they test negative on day 5 and 6. Contacts who are fully vaccinated can also avoid isolation by testing daily with LFTs and most of those who test positive on a LFT no longer have to confirm their case with a PCR test.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “Face-to-face education for all students has consistently been my priority, and that is why I am removing face coverings from classrooms – as promised – on the earliest possible date, making sure there is as little disruption to students’ learning as possible.

“National guidance to wear face coverings in communal areas will also be removed in line with the national move out of Plan B.

“Although we can take this action because we know the risk from Omicron is lower, the virus is still with us and proportionate protective measures remain vital to protect education. My message remains the same as ever – testing and vaccinations are our best weapons against the virus – keep testing, and get your vaccination as soon as possible.”

Chief Medical Advisor for the UK Health Security Agency, Dr Susan Hopkins said: “The recent decline in community case rates and individuals requiring hospitalisation is encouraging and it’s thanks to the public, who have taken up vaccination and followed the Plan B measures closely, that we’ve got to this point.

“However we should not be complacent. The pandemic is not over yet and we will need to remain cautious to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.

“I encourage everyone to get the vaccine as soon as they can, to continue testing regularly with LFTs – particularly before periods of high risk and before seeing anyone who is vulnerable – and to take a PCR test if they have symptoms.”

Government will set out a long term strategy for living with COVID-19 in due course.

Omicron: Self-isolation rules change from today in England

From today (Monday 17 January), people with COVID-19 in England can end their self-isolation after 5 full days, as long as they test negative on day 5 and day 6.

People self-isolating with COVID-19 will have the option to reduce their isolation period after 5 full days if they test negative on both day 5 and day 6 and do not have a temperature, from Monday, 17 January
Individuals who are still positive on their rapid lateral flow tests must stay in isolation until they have had 2 consecutive negative tests taken on separate days
This will support essential public services and keep supply chains running over the winter

From Monday 17 January, people with COVID-19 in England can end their self-isolation after 5 full days, as long as they test negative on day 5 and day 6.

The decision has been made after careful consideration of modelling from the UK Health Security Agency and to support essential public services and workforces over the winter.

It is crucial that people isolating with COVID-19 wait until they have received 2 negative rapid lateral flow tests on 2 consecutive days to reduce the chance of still being infectious.

The first test must be taken no earlier than day 5 of the self-isolation period, and the second must be taken the following day. If an individual is positive on day 5, then a negative test is required on day 6 and day 7 to release from isolation.

It is essential that 2 negative rapid lateral flow tests are taken on consecutive days and reported before individuals return to their job or education, if leaving self-isolation earlier than the full 10-day period.

For instance, if an individual is positive on day 5, then a negative test is required on both day 6 and day 7 to release from self-isolation, or positive on day 6, then a negative test is required on days 7 and 8, and so on until the end of day 10.

Those who leave self-isolation on or after day 6 are strongly advised to wear face coverings and limit close contact with other people in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces, work from home if they can do so and minimise contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with COVID-19.

The default self-isolation period continues to be 10 days, and you may only leave self-isolation early if you have taken 2 rapid lateral flow tests and do not have a temperature in line with guidance.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “After reviewing all of the evidence, we’ve made the decision to reduce the minimum self-isolation period to 5 full days in England.

“These 2 tests are critical to these balanced and proportionate plans and I’d urge everyone to take advantage of the capacity we’ve built up in tests so we can restore more freedom to this country, whilst we are keeping everyone safe.”

Existing public health measures remain in place, including:

staying at home if you feel unwell
getting a test if you experience any COVID-19 symptoms
wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces
working from home if possible
maintaining social distancing and regular hand washing
taking up the offer of the free COVID-19 vaccine

Self-isolation may continue in certain circumstances, such as for those who work with vulnerable people. A full list will be published in guidance in due course.

Vaccinations remain our best defence against COVID-19, offering substantial protection against infection and hospitalisation – and the government continues to urge the public to get boosted as soon as you’re eligible.

In line with this announcement, the government will also consider the guidance for close contacts of people with COVID-19, including around the advice for fully vaccinated contacts to take daily rapid lateral flow tests for 7 days.

NHS England has also announced that the first 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to book their booster jabs or attend a walk-in vaccination centre from today.

PM to chair new council with devolved governments

A landmark agreement setting out how the UK and devolved governments will work closely together to deliver for people across the whole of the United Kingdom has been published.

Landmark agreement on how UK government and devolved governments will continue to work together has been reached
New ways of working agreed by the UK government, Northern Ireland Executive, Scottish Government and Welsh Government
Reaffirmed principles agreed by all includes mutual respect, maintaining trust and positive working
Agreement formalises a PM led council, overseeing strengthened working

A landmark agreement setting out how the UK and devolved governments will work closely together to deliver for people across the whole of the United Kingdom was published yesterday (13 January 2022).

The statement was completely overhadowed by the ongoing brouhaha over the Prime Minister’s attendance at lockdown Downing Street parties (or work events!) At time of writing Boris Johnson’s political future remains very much in the balance.

The Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Review sets out new structures as to how the UK government, Northern Ireland Executive, Scottish Government and Welsh Government will work to deliver for people across the UK – based upon on the existing values of mutual respect, maintaining trust and positive working.

The new system will be a three-tiered structure and will formalise a new council, chaired by the Prime Minister, made up of Heads of the Devolved Governments.

The Prime Minister-led council and Ministerial groups will oversee and strengthen relations between all of the UK’s governments. They will discuss issues that affect people across the UK, particularly where they cut across reserved and devolved policy – or are of shared responsibility.

Strong working and close co-operation has been vital in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including coordinating the response to new variants and the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. Other examples of joined-up work include investment through Growth Deals and the Afghanistan resettlement programme.

The new structures will be supported by an independent secretariat made up of civil servants seconded from all four governments and will serve the UK government and devolved governments equally.

Beleaguered Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “When team UK pulls together in common cause, spirit and endeavour we will always be at our very best.

“We’ve shown time and time again the combined strength we have in facing off the shared challenges before us, while also seizing the opportunities ahead for the benefit of the whole United Kingdom.

“Today’s announcements build upon that strength as we all continue to work together to deliver for the British people.”

Minister for Intergovernmental Relations Michael Gove said: “Devolution has empowered communities and resulted in huge benefits across the United Kingdom.

“Today’s landmark agreement will build on the incredible amount of collaboration already taking place between the UK government and the devolved administrations.

“By working together even more effectively, we can better overcome the challenges we face, create greater opportunities and improve people’s lives for the better.”

The new structures are based on a three tier levels for ministerial engagement – alongside a new mechanism for avoiding, escalating and resolving disputes; supported by joint or independent secretariats and based upon consensus.

Sitting below the Prime Minister-chaired council, the second tier will consist of two Interministerial Standing Committees, one chaired by the Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and one on finance.

There will also be the option of time limited committees agreed by consensus to deal with specific issues as required.

The third tier will be made up of Interministerial Groups (IMG) led by individual departments, which will cover a wide range of policy issues within a given minister’s or department’s portfolio.

These will include regular meetings between devolved and UK government ministers on issues such as Health, Transport and Education.

The new structures and processes announced yesterday are underpinned by a reaffirmed set of principles for collaborative working. These are:

Maintaining positive and constructive relations, based on mutual respect for the responsibilities of the governments and their shared role in governance of the UK
Building and maintaining trust, based on effective communication
Sharing information and respecting confidentiality
Promoting understanding of, and accountability for, their intergovernmental activity
Resolving disputes according to a clear and agreed process

The new structures create a ‘more equal, transparent and accountable system to support collaboration and information sharing between the UK government and the devolved governments and continue to deliver for citizens across the UK‘.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “Scotland has two governments, and people want to see them continue to work together to tackle covid and drive our recovery.

“Throughout the pandemic, the Scottish and UK governments have worked closely together, to keep people safe, protect public services, and support businesses and jobs in Scotland.

“This important agreement will build on that and help strengthen cooperation further – as we work together to deliver the priorities of people in Scotland on jobs, prosperity and economic recovery.

“It also reflects the increased powers of the Scottish Parliament since 2016 and the UK’s vote to leave the EU.”

Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart said: “People in Wales want to see politicians working together to defeat the pandemic and focus on our recovery and throughout the past two years the UK government has worked with the Welsh Government more closely and productively than ever.

“This agreement will strengthen these relationships still further as we work together to deliver the priorities of the people of Wales like jobs, prosperity and economic recovery.”

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis said: “Today’s agreement will enhance the positive working relationship between the UK government and the Northern Ireland Executive, to the benefit of everyone in Northern Ireland.

“By ensuring that we work together in the best way possible, we will build on the fantastic collaboration which has stood us in good stead as we continue to deliver together for local people.”

So the PM will chair the new council with devolved governments – but will Boris Johnson still be that Prime Minister, or is the party over? The picture may perhaps become clearer early next week.

See the written ministerial statement

Smart motorway rollout to be paused as Government responds to Transport Committee report

Rollout of new All Lane Running smart motorway schemes will be paused until five years of safety data available
Current stretches of smart motorway to be further upgraded with best-in-class technology and resources
£900 million commitment to ensure drivers feel safe and confident, including extra £390 million to install additional emergency areas

The rollout of new smart motorway schemes will be paused until a full five years’ worth of safety data is available, as the Department for Transport invests £900 million to improve safety on existing All Lane Running (ALR) motorways.

In line with the Transport Committee’s most recent recommendations, the rollout of new ALR smart motorways will be paused until a full five years’ worth of safety data becomes available for schemes introduced before 2020. After this point, the Government will assess the data and make an informed decision on next steps.

Although available data shows smart motorways are comparatively the safest roads in the country in terms of fatality rates, while their rollout is paused, the UK Government will go further by ensuring current smart motorways without a permanent hard shoulder are equipped with best-in-class technology and resources to make them as safe as possible.

This will include investing £390 million to install more than 150 additional Emergency Areas so drivers have more places to stop if they get into difficulty. This will represent around a 50% increase in places to stop by 2025, giving drivers added reassurance.

The Department for Transport has welcomed the Transport Committee’s report, which endorsed its focus on further upgrading the safety of existing ALR smart motorways rather than reinstating the hard shoulder.

As concluded by the Committee, evidence suggests hard shoulders do not always provide a safe place to stop, and by reducing motorway capacity, they could put more drivers and passengers at risk of death or serious injury if they were to divert onto less safe local roads.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “One of my first actions as Transport Secretary was to order a stocktake of smart motorways and since then, I have worked consistently to raise the bar on their safety. I am grateful to the Transport Committee and to all those who provided evidence for its work.

“While our initial data shows that smart motorways are among the safest roads in the UK, it’s crucial that we go further to ensure people feel safer using them.

“Pausing schemes yet to start construction and making multi-million-pound improvements to existing schemes will give drivers confidence and provide the data we need to inform our next steps. I want thank safety campaigners, including those who have lost loved ones, for rightly striving for higher standards on our roads. I share their concerns.”

National Highways CEO Nick Harris said: “We have listened to public concerns about smart motorways and we are fully committed to taking forward the additional measures the Transport Committee has recommended.

“While we pause those all lane running schemes yet to start construction we will complete the schemes currently in construction, we will make existing sections as safe as they can possibly be and we will step up our advice to drivers so they have all the information they need.

“We are doing this because safety is our absolute priority and we want drivers to not just be safer, but also to feel safe on our busiest roads.”

Independent road safety campaigner, Meera Naran, whose 8-year-old son Dev, died in a motorway crash on the M6 in 2018, said: “Conventional and smart motorways both have their risks and benefits. I welcome this pause in the rollout of smart motorways which will give us all a positive opportunity to assess the future of our motorway network.

“I’m encouraged by the commitment of £900 million to improve the safety of our motorways, following my campaigning since Dev died. However, I’ll continue to both challenge and work alongside the Department for Transport to ensure even more is done, including calling for legislation to be looked at for Autonomous Emergency Braking and further support for on-going driver education.”

The Government’s response to the Transport Committee builds on the significant progress already made against the Department’s 18-point Action Plan to improve smart motorway safety, announced in March 2020, including adding emergency areas and upgrading cameras to detect Red X offences.

The measures in the Stocktake and Transport Committee response represent over £900m of improvements in total, including £390m of new money for extra emergency areas, with the remainder of the funding delivering other measures such as Stopped Vehicle Detection and concrete central reservation barriers.

National Highways will also ‘ramp up’ communications so drivers have better information about how to drive on smart motorways.

While the Department for Transport will be taking forward all the recommendations set out in the Committee’s recommendations, it does not agree with the view that smart motorways were rolled out prematurely or unsafely. All ALR smart motorway schemes are, and will continue to be, subject to high standards of design, risk assessment and construction, followed by detailed monitoring and evaluation once opened to traffic.

While further data is being collected, National Highways will continue work to complete schemes that are currently in construction, which will all open with technology in place to detect stopped vehicles.

These schemes are all more than 50% completed and halting progress on them now would cause significant disruption for drivers. Design work will also continue on those schemes already being planned, so they are ready to be constructed depending on the outcome of the pause. No preparatory construction work will take place.

Also, in line with the Committee’s recommendations, National Highways will pause the conversion of Dynamic Hard Shoulder (DHS) motorways – where the hard shoulder is open at busy times – into All Lane Running motorways, while it investigates alternative ways of operating them to make things simpler for drivers. National Highways will also install technology to detect stopped vehicles on these sections.

New campaign launched to help parents improve children’s diet

New Better Health campaign launches today to help families eat better, with new NHS Food Scanner App feature offering healthier alternatives
Former ‘Girls Aloud’ member Nadine Coyle, dietician Dr Linia Patel and a Netmums family test the app in a new film supporting the campaign
60% of parents say they are giving their children more sugary or fatty snacks than before the pandemic

Families will be given support to help to improve the diets of their children through a new campaign as the new statistics reveal the number of parents giving unhealthy snacks to their children has increased during the pandemic.

The multimedia Better Health campaign has been launched today [Monday January 10] to encourage families to eat better and includes a new ‘scan, swipe and swap’ feature for the NHS Food Scanner App, which provides a simple solution to help families maintain a healthier diet.

The campaign follows a record rise in obesity amongst children since the start of the pandemic, with latest data highlighting that one in four (27.7%) children of reception school age are overweight or obese; this rises to 4 in 10 (40.9%) in Year 6 (ages 10-11). Evidence shows that families purchased food more during lockdowns and this remained above normal levels even once lockdowns ended.

A new survey conducted with Netmums showed that nearly 6 in 10 (58%) parents give their children more sugary or fatty snacks than before the pandemic and nearly two-thirds (64%) of parents said they often worry about how healthy their children’s snacks really are. Nearly 90% of parents said they would benefit from an App which would help them make healthier choices for their children.

Families can scan the product barcodes from their shop and the app will suggest healthier alternatives to help them make an easy swap next time they shop.

The app uses a “Good Choice” badge to help signpost people to healthier food and drinks in line with the government’s dietary recommendations for added sugar, saturated fat and salt.

Public Health Minister Maggie Throup said: “We know that families have felt a lot of pressure throughout the pandemic which has drastically changed habits and routines.

“The new year is a good time for making resolutions, not just for ourselves, but for our families. Finding ways to improve their health is one of the best resolutions any of us could make.

“By downloading the free NHS Food Scanner App, families can swap out foods from the weekly shop for healthier alternatives and avoid items high in salt, sugar and saturated fat.”

Dr Alison Tedstone, Chief Nutritionist at DHSC said: “We are all aware of the increased pressures families have been under throughout the pandemic with children being stuck at home more.

“With advertising promoting unhealthy foods to kids, it’s not surprising that parents say they’ve often found it hard to resist pestering from their children for more unhealthy snacks, and that is why the NHS Food Scanner App is a great tool to help families make quick and easy healthier swaps.

“It’s so important that children reduce the amount of sugary, fatty and salty foods they eat to help them stay healthy and reduce the risk of health problems such as diabetes and tooth decay.”

‘Girls Aloud’ member Nadine Coyle and dietician Dr Linia Patel met with a family to talk about eating habits and to trial the NHS Food Scanner App for themselves, and recorded a short film to support the campaign.

Nadine Coyle said: “As a busy working mum, I find it hard to say no to my kid’s demands and often give in to “snack” pressure – even though I know it’s not that good for them. I had no idea some foods were so high in sugar, saturated fat and salt – so it’s great that the App gives you alternatives.

“I love using the NHS Food Scanner App and so does my daughter; she likes choosing the healthier swaps which is great – we are already making small changes through good food choices.”

Dr Linia Patel, Dietician said: “We know that parents find it really hard to find healthier snacks for their kids, especially if they’re fussy eaters.

“The NHS Food Scanner App is a fun way to get the kids involved in choosing healthier foods that they’ll love – so get going and scan, swipe, swap!”

Annie O’Leary, Netmums Editorial Director said: “That two thirds or parents find they’re giving kids more treats as snacks than pre-pandemic doesn’t surprise me in the slightest – we all comfort ate our way through the pandemic and I know my kids ate far more treats than usual.

“But thank heavens there’s now something to help get us all back on track. And that it’s from the gold standard in terms of trustworthiness, the NHS, hopefully means millions of families will be downloading it and using it ASAP.

“Shopping for snacks can be an absolute minefield for busy parents, so thank you for coming to the rescue yet again, NHS.”

As part of the UK Government’s Obesity Strategy, the department is regulating the promotion of less healthy foods to children and has dedicated £100m of funding to support children, adults and families achieve and maintain a healthier weight.

The NHS Food Scanner App provides parents with the ideal hack to improve their children’s health in 2022. The free App can be downloaded or search ‘Food Scanner App’.

UK Government urges pregnant women to Get Boosted Now

Pregnant women are being urged to Get Boosted Now in a new advertising campaign launched today over social media and radio

Pregnant women are being urged to Get Boosted Now in a New Year advertising drive launched today
New social media and radio assets highlight the risks of catching the virus and benefits of the vaccines to both mothers and their babies
Almost all pregnant women who were hospitalised or admitted to intensive care with COVID-19 were unvaccinated

Pregnant women who have not yet had their first, second, third or booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are being urged to get their jab as soon as possible, as the government launches a new advertising campaign for the New Year.

The new campaign joins forces with the experts at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) to highlight the serious risks of catching COVID-19 and the benefits the vaccines bring to protecting both mothers and their babies.

Testimonies of pregnant women who have had the jab to keep themselves safe will be played out in adverts across social media and radio stations across the country from today [Monday January 10].

The new campaign urges pregnant women ‘don’t wait to take the vaccine’ and highlights the risks of COVID-19 to mother and baby, and the benefits of vaccination.

The latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows COVID-19 vaccinations provide strong protection for pregnant women against the virus. It also shows the vaccines are safe for pregnant women, with similar birth outcomes for those who had the vaccine and those who had not.

DHSC Chief Scientific Adviser and Honorary Consultant Obstetrician Professor Lucy Chappell said: “Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is one of the most important things a pregnant woman can do this year to keep herself and her baby as safe from this virus as possible.

We have extensive evidence now to show that the vaccines are safe and that the risks posed by COVID-19 are far greater.

“If you haven’t had your COVID-19 vaccine, I would urge you to speak to your clinician or midwife if you have any questions or concerns, and book in your vaccine as soon as you can.”

Data from the UK Obstetric Surveillance System shows 96.3% of pregnant women admitted to hospital with COVID-19 symptoms between May and October 2021 were unvaccinated, a third of which (33%) requiring respiratory support. Around 1 in 5 women who are hospitalised with the virus need to be delivered preterm to help them recover and 1 in 5 of their babies need care in the neonatal unit.

The COVID-19 vaccines are safe for pregnant women and have no impact on fertility, which has been made extremely clear by the government, its senior clinicians and a range of independent experts from stakeholder groups such as RCOG the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the British Fertility Society.

Since April 2021, around 84,000 pregnant women have received one dose and over 80,000 have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. In August 2021, only 22% of women who gave birth were vaccinated.  

Dr Edward Morris, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “We welcome this national campaign as an important way of amplifying the very clear message to pregnant women that vaccination provides the best protection for both them and their babies from COVID-19. We urge all pregnant women to get vaccinated as soon as possible, and to get boosted 3 months after the second dose.

We are very concerned that many pregnant women have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 and we hope this campaign will help reassure them that vaccination is safe and effective. Pregnant women are more vulnerable of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 infection, and this can lead to an increased risk of giving birth prematurely, and stillbirth.

“Gill Walton, Chief Executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said: There is overwhelming evidence that the COVID vaccine is safe for pregnant women and for their babies – and that it’s the best way to keep them safe from harm. Sadly, there are too many pregnant women being admitted to hospital with COVID, and 96.3% of them haven’t been vaccinated.

“The consequences of COVID when you are pregnant are clear and potentially devastated, from increased possibility of premature birth and admission to intensive care to a heightened risk of stillbirth.

“We know that pregnant women want to do everything they can to protect their baby, which is why midwives want to reassure them that vaccination is the best thing they can do.”

Dr Jen Jardine, from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, who is also seven months pregnant and has had her COVID-19 booster jab, said: “Both as a doctor and pregnant mother myself, we can now be very confident that the COVID-19 vaccinations provide the best possible protection for you and your unborn child against this virus.

“I would strongly call on all pregnant women like me, if you haven’t had the vaccine yet, to either speak to your GP or midwife if you still have questions and then book right away today.”

PM Boris Johnson’s measures to ‘keep our country open’

Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a statement in the House of Commons on the Omicron variant yesterday:

Mr Speaker, with permission I will make a Statement on the Omicron variant, and our measures to contain this virus, fortify our NHS and keep our country open.

First, I am sure the whole House will join me in paying tribute to everyone working in our NHS and social care, for their extraordinary efforts in the teeth of yet another wave of this pandemic, and for all they have done, together with thousands of volunteers, to get Britain boosted.

Since we began the Get Boosted Now campaign just over three weeks ago, we have delivered 10 million extra boosters across the UK; we have doubled the rate of vaccination from 450,000 doses a day to a peak of more than 900,000; we have matched the NHS’s previous record day, and then beaten it again and again; and we have met our target of offering a booster to every eligible adult in England a whole month early.

As a result, we have a higher level of booster protection than all our European neighbours, with over 34 million boosters administered across the UK, including in England reaching more than 90 per cent of the over-70s, and 86 per cent of the over-50s.

Together with the evidence that Omicron causes less severe disease than previous variants, and the way the public have conscientiously changed their behaviour in response to Plan B, this level of protection means we are in a very different position than during previous waves.

I know some Hon Members might therefore ask whether this means we can now do away with measures altogether. But I am sorry to report that hospital admissions are rising rapidly, doubling around every 9 days, with already more than 15,000 Covid patients in hospital in England alone.

We are experiencing the fastest growth in Covid cases that we have ever known, with over 218,000 cases reported yesterday, although that included some delayed reporting.

And potentially of greatest concern, case rates are now rapidly rising among the older and more vulnerable, including doubling every week among those over 60, with the obvious risk that this will continue to increase the pressures on our NHS.

So in response to the latest data, the Cabinet agreed this morning that we should stick with Plan B for another three weeks, with a further review before the regulations expire on 26 January.

People in England should carry on working from home whenever they can, wear face coverings on public transport and in most indoor public places, and take a test before going to high risk venues or meeting the elderly or vulnerable.

All of these measures are helping to take the edge off the Omicron wave, slow the spread of infection, manage the immediate pressures on our NHS and buy time for the boosters to take effect.

And those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should, of course, continue to follow the rules where they live.

Mr Speaker, faced with these pressures on our NHS, I know some Members may ask the opposite question: whether we should go even further and move towards a full lockdown. But lockdowns are not cost free. They impose a devastating toll on our physical and mental wellbeing, on our businesses, jobs and livelihoods, and, worst of all, on the life chances of our children.

So this government does not believe we need to shut down our country again. Instead we are taking a balanced approach, using the protection of the boosters and the Plan B measures to reduce the spread of the virus, while acting to strengthen our NHS, protect critical national services and keep supply chains open.

We’re building onsite Nightingale hospitals and creating 2,500 virtual beds to increase NHS capacity.

We’ve bought more antivirals per person than anywhere else in Europe. And we’re working to identify those NHS Trusts which are most likely to need military support, so this can be prepared now.

From 10th January, we will provide 100,000 critical workers in England with free lateral flow tests for every working day to help keep essential services running.

This includes those who work on critical national infrastructure, national security, transport, and food distribution and processing. And these tests are separate – and in addition – to those already allocated to our public services, such as in education, where we have delivered 31 million testing kits to schools and colleges for the start of the new term.

Mr Speaker, we have the biggest testing programme in Europe, registering almost twice as many tests as France, and four times as many as Germany.

Last month alone, we distributed 300 million lateral flow devices – enabling millions of people to get tested and keep their loved ones, friends and colleagues safe in the run-up to Christmas.

But thanks to the sheer size of the Omicron wave, we still need to take steps to ensure our testing capacity reaches those who need it most.

So we will be suspending the need to do a PCR to confirm the result of a positive lateral flow test.

From next Tuesday in England, if you test positive on a lateral flow device, you should just record that result on gov.uk and begin self-isolating.

Mr Speaker, our balanced approach also means that where specific measures are no longer serving their purpose, they will be dropped.

So when the Omicron variant was first identified, we rightly introduced travel restrictions to slow its arrival in our country.

But now Omicron is so prevalent, these measures are having limited impact on the growth in cases, while continuing to pose significant costs on our travel industry.

So I can announce that in England from 4am on Friday we will be scrapping the pre-departure test, which discourages many from travelling for fear of being trapped overseas and incurring significant extra expense.

We will also be lifting the requirement to self-isolate on arrival until receipt of a negative PCR, returning instead to the system we had in October last year, where those arriving in England will need to take a lateral flow test no later than the end of Day 2 and, if positive, a further PCR test to help us identify any new variants at the border.

Mr Speaker, all of these measures are balanced and proportionate ways of ensuring we can live with Covid without letting our guard down.

And we can only do this thanks to the biggest and fastest booster campaign in Europe.

Yet Mr Speaker, there are still almost 9 million people eligible, who haven’t had their booster. As many as 90 per cent of those in intensive care with Covid have not had their booster and over 60 per cent have not had any vaccination at all.

And there are 2 million slots available over the next week alone. So I urge Hon Members on all sides of the House to do everything possible to encourage your constituents to get boosted now.

This is the very best way to save lives, reduce the pressure on our NHS and keep our country open. And I commend this Statement to the House.

Pre-departure testing removed for vaccinated travellers

Testing and border measures are changing for fully eligible fully vaccinated travellers arriving in England

A lateral flow test can be used instead of PCR tests for eligible fully vaccinated travellers and over 5s to take on or before day 2
Eligible fully vaccinated travellers and under 18s will no longer have to take a pre-departure test or self-isolate on arrival in England – returning to the travel rules that were in place before Omicron
Scotland expected to follow suit
Omicron is the dominant variant in the UK and is spreading widely among the community

From 4am on Sunday 9 January, eligible fully vaccinated travellers and over 5s will be able to take a lateral flow test instead of a PCR on or before day 2 of their arrival in England. Lateral flow tests for travel can be booked from Friday 7 January and taken upon arrival, by the end of day 2.

Eligible fully vaccinated passengers and under 18s will no longer need to take a pre-departure test or self-isolate on arrival in England from 4am on Friday 7 January but must continue to take their post-arrival tests.

As data shows Omicron is the dominant variant in the UK and spreading widely in the community it is now proportionate to cautiously reduce testing measures at the borders.

Anyone who receives a positive result on their lateral flow test must self-isolate immediately and order a NHS PCR test from gov.uk. Positive PCR tests for arrivals will be sequenced to understand if and where variants are emerging around the globe in order to protect the UK public.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “As we learn more about the Omicron variant it is right that we keep our testing and border measures under review to ensure they remain proportionate.

“The steps we’re taking will make travel easier for people while protecting the UK public from the virus.

“Omicron continues to be a serious threat and it is important that travellers continue to get tested. The most important thing anyone can do if they haven’t already is come forward for their vaccine.”

Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps said: “I’ve always said that we won’t keep international travel restrictions in place any longer than they are necessary to protect public health.

“That’s why we’re removing the temporary, extra testing measures we introduced for Omicron in November, making travel easier and cheaper for fully vaccinated passengers and providing a big boost for the travel industry as we enter the peak new year booking period.

“We want to provide more certainty to passengers and businesses, and will do a full review of our international travel measures for 2022 by the end of the month.”

Dr Susan Hopkins UK Health Security Agency said: “It is vital anyone who receives a positive Day 2 lateral flow test self-isolates immediately and orders a PCR on gov uk. All travel PCRs with high amounts of virus are sequenced to help us understand if any new variants are emerging around the world and entering the UK.

“Everyone must continue to wear face coverings where required, wash hands regularly and work from home to help stop the spread of the virus and keep our loved ones and community safe.”

Lateral flow tests for international travel must be purchased from a private provider as NHS Test and Trace lateral flow tests cannot be used for international travel. Passengers who have already bought a PCR to use for travel do not need to buy another test as PCRs can still be used.

Unvaccinated passengers must continue to take a pre-departure test, PCR test on or before Day 2 and on or after Day 8 and self-isolate for 10 days. ‘Test to release’ remains an option for unvaccinated people to shorten their self-isolation period.

Proof of vaccination from over 15 further countries and territories will be accepted for entry into England from 4am on Monday 10 January: Bhutan, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Fiji, Iraq, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, north of Cyprus, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Solomon Islands, The Gambia and Uzbekistan.

The World Health Organisation has recently granted WHO Emergency Use List (EUL) authorisation to the two versions of the ‘Novavax’ vaccine named Covovax and Nuvaxovid. Therefore, eligible travellers who have received either version of this vaccine will be recognised for international travel into England from 4am on Monday 10 January.

No countries have been added to the UK travel red list, which remains on standby. A further review of all travel measures will be carried out later in the month, and our long-term goal remains to return to safe, restriction-free travel as soon as it’s safe to do so.

Scotland is likely to follow suit with an announcement expected this afternoon.