The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) (Amendment) (No. 25) Regulations 2020

Statutory Instruments

2020 No. 1323

Public Health, England

Transport

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) (Amendment) (No. 25) Regulations 2020

Made

19th November 2020

Laid before Parliament

20th November 2020

Coming into force

at 4.00 a.m. on 21st November 2020

The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 45B, 45F(2) and 45P(2) of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984(1).

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) (Amendment) (No. 25) Regulations 2020 and come into force at 4.00 a.m. on 21st November 2020.

(2) In these Regulations, “the International Travel Regulations” means the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020(2).

Amendment of the International Travel Regulations

2.—(1) The International Travel Regulations are amended as follows.

(2) In Part 1 of Schedule A1, insert entries for “Bonaire, Sint Eustatius & Saba”, “Israel”, “Jerusalem”, “Namibia”, “Northern Mariana Islands”, “Rwanda”, “Sri Lanka”, “Uruguay” and “The United States Virgin Islands” at the appropriate places.

(3) For paragraphs 13 and 13A of Part 2 of Schedule 2 substitute—

“13.— (1) Any person who the relevant Department has certified as meeting the description in sub-paragraph (a), (b) or (c)—

(a) a Crown servant or government contractor who is required to undertake essential policing or essential government work in the United Kingdom within the period during which they would, but for this paragraph, have had to self-isolate in accordance with regulation 4,

(b) a person returning from conducting essential state business outside of the United Kingdom,

(c) a person returning to the United Kingdom where this is necessary to facilitate the functioning of a diplomatic mission or consular post of Her Majesty or of a military or other official posting on behalf of Her Majesty.

(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)—

(a) “consular post” means any consulate-general, consulate, vice-consulate or consular agency,

(b) “Crown servant” has the meaning given in section 12(1)(a) to (e) of the Official Secrets Act 1989,

(c) “essential government work” means work which has been designated as such by the relevant Department, and includes, in particular, work related to national security, the work of the National Crime Agency in pursuance of its statutory functions, and work related to immigration, the coronavirus disease or any other crisis response, but does not include work of the description in paragraph 2 of Part 1 of this Schedule,

(d) “essential policing” means policing which has been designated as such on behalf of the relevant chief officer or chief constable,

(e) “essential state business” means activity which has been designated as essential to the United Kingdom or Her Majesty’s Government by the relevant Department, and includes, in particular, bilateral or multilateral discussions with another state or international organisation and visits to another state on behalf of the United Kingdom or Her Majesty’s Government,

(f) “government contractor” has the meaning given in section 12(2) of the Official Secrets Act 1989.

13A.— (1) A person returning from undertaking essential or emergency work outside of the United Kingdom, which has been certified by the relevant Department as necessary to facilitate essential government work or essential state business.

(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) “essential government work” and “essential state business” have the same meaning as in paragraph 13.”.

(4) In paragraph 36(a)(i) of Part 2 of Schedule 2 omit “(including such work relating to maintenance and repair of submarine cables connecting the United Kingdom with other countries)”.

(5) After paragraph 36 of Part 2 of Schedule 2, insert—

“36A.   A person—

(a) who is engaged in the installation, maintenance or repair of subsea fibre optic telecommunications infrastructure,

(b) whose role directly supports the installation, maintenance or repair of subsea fibre optic telecommunications infrastructure,

where they have travelled to the United Kingdom in the course of their work.”.

(6) In Schedule 3—

(a) omit the following entries—

(i) “Matchroom – Champion of Champions Snooker Tournament”

(ii) “The Showcase meeting Cheltenham horse-racing”

(iii) “World Snooker Tour - German Masters Qualifiers”

(iv) “British Touring Car Championships”

(v) “British GT Championship & BRDC F3 Championship”

(vi) “Formula Ford Festival Brands Hatch”

(vii) “Allam British Open 2020 Squash Championships”

(viii) “The November meeting (Cheltenham) horse-racing”

(ix) “Churchill Stakes horse-racing”

(x) “Motorsport UK – Walter Hayes Trophy”

(xi) “BTRA Truck Racing Championship”

(xii) “Porsche Challenge GB”.

(b) at the end insert—

• “British Swimming International Meet

• Motorsport UK - British Rallycross Championship and Support Championship

• Professional Darts Corporation - Ladbrokes Masters

• Professional Darts Corporation - Unibet Premier League

• World Snooker Tour - German Masters

• World Snooker Tour - The Masters

• World Snooker Tour - Players Championship

• World Snooker Tour - Welsh Open”.

Transition and saving provision

3.  In relation to any person who arrived in England on or after 10th July but before 4.00 a.m. on 21st November 2020, the International Travel Regulations apply as if the amendments made by regulation 2(2) had not been made.

Grant Shapps

Secretary of State

Department for Transport

19th November 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (England) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/568) (“the International Travel Regulations”) to—

(a) add Bonaire, Sint Eustatius & Saba, Israel, Jerusalem, Namibia, Northern Mariana Islands, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Uruguay and The United States Virgin Islands to the list of exempt countries and territories at Schedule A1, from which passengers arriving in England are not required to self-isolate;

(b) amend the list of exemptions in Schedule 2 which specifies persons who are exempt from the requirement to self-isolate;

(c) amend the list of specified competitions in Schedule 3 which is relevant to the exemption from the requirement to self-isolate for elite sportspersons.

Passengers are not required to self-isolate on arrival in England if, during the 14 days preceding their arrival, they have only been in or transited through exempt countries or territories, or exempt parts of countries or territories. Passengers who have been in or transited through a non-exempt country or territory, or a non-exempt part of a country or territory, must self-isolate until 14 days have elapsed since the day after they last left a non-exempt country or territory, or a non-exempt part of a country or territory. The changes to Schedule A1 will not affect passengers who arrive in England before 4.00 a.m. on 21st November 2020.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument. An explanatory memorandum has been published alongside this instrument at www.legislation.gov.uk.

(1)

1984 c. 22. Part 2A was inserted by section 129 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (c. 14).

(2)

S.I. 2020/568, amended by S.I. 2020/691, 724, 799, 805, 813, 819, 841, 866, 890, 913, 959, 980, 1013, 1039, 1070, 1076, 1094, 1129, 1161, 1190, 1227, 1238, 1277 and 1292.