The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel, Operator Liability and Information to Passengers) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022

Simplification of requirement to provide information to passengers

14.—(1) In regulation 2, omit the definition of “the information requirement”.

(2) Regulation 10 (requirement to provide information to passengers at certain times) is amended as follows—

(a) for paragraph (1) substitute—

“(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, an operator must ensure that a passenger who arrives at a port on a relevant service is provided with the information required by regulations 10 and 11 (“the passenger information requirement”) and in the manner required by that regulation at each of the times specified in paragraph (2).”,

(b) in paragraph (2)—

(i) omit sub-paragraph (a),

(ii) for sub-paragraph (b) substitute—

“(b) where a booking was made for the passenger to travel on the relevant service (“the pre-departure information requirement”)—

(i) at least 24 hours prior to departure of the service, at least 24 hours prior to departure;

(ii) within 24 hours prior to departure of the service, at any point prior to departure.”,

(iii) omit sub-paragraph (c),

(iv) in sub-paragraph (d), at the end insert “(“the on-board information requirement”)”,

(c) for paragraph (3) substitute—

“(3) If another person (A) makes the booking on behalf of the passenger (whether or not A is also a passenger on the relevant service), the pre-departure information requirement is to be treated as complied with if the required information is provided to A in the required manner before the booking is made, along with a written request that A provide that information to the passenger unless A considers that, by virtue of age or mental capacity, the passenger is unlikely to be capable of understanding it.”,

(d) omit paragraphs (4) and (5),

(e) in paragraph (6) for “the information requirement” substitute “paragraph (1)”,

(f) in paragraph (8) for “paragraph (2)(a) to (c)” substitute “paragraph (2)(b)”,

(g) in paragraph (9) for “the information requirement” substitute “that information”.

(3) Regulation 11 (requirement to provide information to passengers in a certain manner) is amended as follows—

(a) omit paragraph (1),

(b) for paragraph (2) substitute—

“(2) For the purposes of regulation 10(2)(b) (pre-departure information requirement), the required information—

(a) may be provided orally or in writing;

(b) where provided orally is the information specified in Part 1 of the Schedule;

(c) where provided in writing is the information specified in Part 1 of the Schedule and—

(i) where it is provided by electronic means, a hyperlink to each of the relevant websites;

(ii) where it is provided other than by electronic means, the text of the URLs of each of the relevant websites;

(iii) in any event, must be provided in a way that draws the passenger’s attention to it by being particularly prominent and distinct from other written information provided in relation to the booking.”,

(c) omit paragraph (3),

(d) for paragraph (5) substitute—

“(5) In this regulation “the relevant websites” means the websites listed in Part 3 of the Schedule.”.

(4) For the Schedule substitute—

Regulation 11

“SCHEDULE Information for passengers

PART 1 Essential information to enter Northern Ireland from overseas

All persons arriving in the UK must fill in a Passenger Locator Form before arrival.

Before departure to the UK check if any of the countries you have visited in the last 10 days are on the red list.

If you have visited a country on the red list you must follow the red list rules.

If you have not visited any countries on the red list, what you have to do depends on your vaccination status. Check the rules before you travel at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-travelling-northern-ireland-non-red-list-country

Public health requirements may vary depending upon which nation of the UK you are travelling to. Check the relevant website if your final destination is in England, Scotland or Wales.

Failure to comply with these measures is a criminal offence and you could be fined. There are a limited set of exemptions from these measures. You may be fined if you fraudulently claim an exemption.

PART 2 Onboard announcement

The following is a public health message on behalf of the UK’s public health agencies.

If you are not fully vaccinated or do not meet the eligibility criteria, you must take a test before the end of day 2 after you arrive.

The symptoms of coronavirus are a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell. If you experience any of these symptoms, however mild, you are advised to make yourself known to the crew.

Please follow the Public Health guidance for the area you are living or travelling in.

Visit gov.uk/coronavirus for more advice.

PART 3 Relevant websites

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-list-of-countries-and-territories

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-to-england-from-another-country-during-coronavirus-covid-19

https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-advice

https://gov.wales/arriving-wales-overseas

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-quarantine”.