Passenger locator forms may be ditched in time for the Easter Holidays in the final easing of UK travel restrictions.
Currently, all travellers arriving in Britain must complete the forms, which are the last remaining requirement for vaccinated people after Covid 19 tests for fully-vaccinated arrivals were scrapped earlier in February.
Last week, Boris Johnson revealed his Living With Covid plans but they did not include any changes to international travel.
However, Health Secretary Sajid Javid backs the move to end the forms, reports The Mirror.
Government sources told the Mirror it is now “fairly likely” the change will be in place before families jet off for the Easter holidays.
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A formal process would still have to take place, with ministers signing off the scrapping of the passenger locator form at a Covid meeting in the coming weeks.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is understood to have been pushing for the move to help the travel industry get back on its feet.
The Prime Minister hinted last week that the form could be scrapped in time for Easter.
He was asked by Labour MP Ben Bradshaw why the “bureaucratic and irritating” documents were still needed when they aren’t by other European countries.
The PM responded by saying the form would be reviewed by Easter.
Tory MP Huw Merriman, who chairs the Commons transport committee, urged ministers to give the travel industry a “much-needed shot in the arm” by getting rid of the form.
Travel industry association ABTA said: “Given the relaxation of domestic Covid measures, we believe all Covid-related restrictions on international travel should be [axed] unless they serve a clear public health objective.
“While recent simplifications of the [form] have helped, the system for collecting passenger data is much more complex than that used by many other countries. It’s time to get people travelling again.”
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