The UK government’s Global Travel Taskforce (GTT), established “in response to the impact of and specific challenges posed by Covid-19 to international travel”, is ‘no longer active’, according to the Department for Transport.
A DfT spokesperson told BTN Europe: “The GTT considered the role of testing in the restart and recover of international travel and tourism. The GTT is no longer active, but made valuable recommendations to government that we are continuing to implement. This included recommendations on test to release, which we launched successfully in December 2020, and on pre-departure testing.”
The GTT was chaired by transport secretary Grant Shapps and health secretary Matt Hancock and was made up of the following departments:
• Department for Transport
• Department for Health and Social Care
• NHS Test and Trace
• Public Health England
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
• HM Treasury
• The Home Office
• Department for International Trade
• The No 10 / Cabinet Office C-19 Taskforce.
Commenting on the news, Manuel Cortes, head of the travel trade union TSSA, said: “I’d like to laugh at this appalling decision from the government on the future of the Global Travel Taskforce, but frankly they are beyond a joke.
“With our travel industry on its knees due to the impact of the virus it seems ministers have chosen to take this step, without consultation with our industry, business or trade unions, while we are still in this pandemic. Our travel industry has once again been thrown to the wolves.
“I have repeatedly told Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps and others that travel needs proper bespoke financial support if our industry is to have any hope of surviving. Sadly they have failed to listen at every turn.
“Now, just when we need absolute clarity over quarantine and testing plans the Government has pulled the plug on the very body which should have been holding the road map. That is just plain daft – and we must have answers as to why this step has been taken.”
The government is expected to announe new restrictions on international arrivals to the UK today.