Grant Shapps makes no guarantee of an expansion to ‘green list’

The transport secretary has dampened expectations of a significant increase in the number of “green list” destinations.

Speaking to MPs on the Transport Select Committee, Grant Shapps said: “I have no other agenda but to get people travelling.”

But while he confirmed that the next review of quarantine-free “green” destinations would take place in the first week in June, he said only that he hoped it “may well lead to an expansion”.

At present the only significant European summer-sun destination on the green list is Portugal. All other major EU countries are on the “amber list”, requiring self-isolation on return. Turkey is on the “red list,” from which arrivals must go into hotel quarantine.

Spain, the most popular destination for British holidaymakers, opened up to UK visitors this week. But ministers have urged against non-essential travel to all amber list countries.

Mr Shapps was replying to Labour’s Ben Bradshaw, who asked: “The British people were promised a vaccine dividend; can we expect a significant expansion of the green list when it’s announced next week?”

The transport secretary said there would be no short-term “vaccine dividend” for British travellers who have had both jabs, saying: “If you send people, even vaccinated people, to other countries, given that vaccinations are not 100 per cent reliable then you are exposing them to risks that they don’t have if they stay in the UK.”

He did not address whether travellers returning from green list locations who have been fully vaccinated should be able to avoid onerous and expensive testing requirements.

On 28 June, the government will consider whether any recognition could be given of people who have been vaccinated.

Mr Shapps reiterated that islands belonging to countries such as Greece and Spain could be given different “traffic light” ratings to the mainland.

“If you can get to an island directly, rather than via the mainland, then it’s fair and proper to consider it separately.

“The Joint Biosecurity Centre look at a variety of factors. In addition to things like the level of coronavirus they’re also looking at the level of vaccinations but also very interested in variants and that requires the ability to measure variants so sequencing capability. And in some of the islands that is missing.

“I’ve asked the Joint Biosecurity Centre to consider islands within their criteria. Where possible they would look to include them where the facts stacked up.”

Earlier, airline chief executives condemned the government’s hesitant approach to opening up international travel.

Mr Shapps insisted to the committee: “I am the secretary of state for transport. I want people always to be able to travel. I have no other agenda but to get people travelling.”

But Huw Merriman, chair of the committee, said: “All of these inherent risks will probably always exist so we’re either going to have to change our risk appetite, or actually never go to these wonderful places again.”

Mr Shapps described the assertion as “misleading”.

“As other countries come up to our vaccination levels and beyond, although there will always be risks in travelling wherever, actually it will become a less and less important part of the risk factor,” he said.

“At the moment the risks are just generically higher.”