MPs to debate petition relating to international travel and COVID-19

On Monday 24 May, MPs will debate e-petition 565102, relating to international travel and COVID-19. Nick Fletcher, member of the Petitions Committee, will open the debate. The Government will send a Minister to respond.

Allow international travel to visit partners and family

The petition, which has more than 104,000 signatures, states: “The Government should class in-person interaction with family members and unmarried partners abroad as an essential reason to travel.

“It is vital for people’s mental wellbeing. It is simply inhumane to isolate and forcibly separate people and their family/partner. There are safe ways of enabling people to travel to their family members and/or partners, so there is no reason why the UK cannot facilitate this.”

In response to the petition, the Government said: “The Government recognises the immense challenges these restrictions place on people with loved ones based outside the UK. Unfortunately, at this time people must only travel with a reasonable excuse.”

The debate will last 90 minutes, and will provide opportunities for MPs to question Government Ministers directly on these issues. The debate will take place in Westminster Hall from 18:15, and will be available to view on Parliament TV and on YouTube.

Petition details

• ‘Allow international travel to visit partners and family’ - view on petition signature map.

• Any Library Briefing Papers for this debate will be available here.

Follow the debate:

• Watch the debate live online: https://parliamentlive.tv/Commons or https://youtu.be/tNXNpCWbMng

Read the debate transcript: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-05-24

• Follow the Committee on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hocpetitions
• You can also follow the debate with the hashtag: #InternationalTravelDebate

Where in the country were these petitions signed?