JOANNA Cherry has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel for the third time asking her to introduce a plan that would see people arriving at UK airports quarantining for 14 days.
According to The Sunday Telegraph and The Mail on Sunday last month, Westminster government officials are drawing up a Singapore-style plan. The papers said those measures could be introduced by May at the earliest.
But Cherry, the SNP's shadow home secretary said "we are yet to see any firm plans or timetables".
The matter is controlled by the UK Government under the devolution settlement, meaning Scottish authorities must defer to the Home Office.
Travellers entering the UK via airports and ports will have to quarantine for two weeks under the proposals.
Currently those landing in UK airports, including citizens being repatriated during the pandemic, are not tested for the virus before heading home.
Cherry tweeted: "I’ve written again to Priti Patel asking her to introduce quarantining at British airports & ports without further delay. The international evidence base suggests such measures are important & the U.K. is out of step in not having anything in place #COVID-19"
I’ve written again to Priti Patel asking her to introduce quarantining at British airports & ports without further delay. The international evidence base suggests such measures are important & the U.K. is out of step in not having anything in place #COVIDー19 pic.twitter.com/J0FXis87W7
— Joanna Cherry QC (@joannaccherry) May 4, 2020
Her letter to Patel said:
Dear Priti,
On 20 April I wrote to you about the failure to have health checks or quarantine measures for people entering the UK from abroad at airports and other ports of entry during the COVID19 crisis. I had previously raised this issue with you at the only briefing you have afforded me during the crisis, which took place before Easter. I appreciate that you are busy, but I have yet to have a reply to my concrete proposal that such measures should be introduced.
In the meantime, the evidence that such measures have assisted other countries in their fight against the crisis is growing. In particular, in recent days we have seen that in South Korea the only new cases of the virus have been diagnosed at airports.
When you gave evidence to the Home Affairs Committee last week it was pointed out to you that Germany, New Zealand, Italy, Singapore and South Korea all ask arrivals from abroad to self-isolate for 14 days. To that list, I would add our near neighbours in Ireland who have had these measures in place throughout the crisis. Each of these countries are at different stages from each other and the UK in the progress of the crisis but yet have pursued this simple measure to protect their citizens. As I said in my previous letter, it is quite clear from the evidence presented to you by the Home Affairs Committee that the UK is an outlier.
130 countries have more restrictions in place than the UK in this area
You said during our call that this is a matter for SAGE but you have yet to publish the SAGE evidence on which you are proceeding. I note that some mention of introducing these measures has been made by your cabinet colleagues in press interviews, but we are yet to see any firm plans or timetables.
Given that Border control is the responsibility of the Home Secretary, I would be grateful if you could reply to this letter indicating when you anticipate being in a position to make a statement about this to the parliament. It would be helpful if you could also publish the SAGE evidence on which the UK approach to date has proceeded.
This is a matter which is troubling significant numbers of the British public and clarity is essential.
Yours sincerely,
Joanna Cherry QC
More than 260,000 people continue to arrive in the UK each week.
As many as 8000 of these passengers touch down in Scottish airports.
Cherry initially flagged up the issue with Home Secretary Priti Patel on April 11. She wrote to the Tory minister again on April 20.
READ MORE: Joanna Cherry urges Priti Patel to start testing at airports
Travel hubs in countries including Italy, Japan and more introduced temperature checks and other forms of screening weeks ago, with quarantine restrictions in place for new arrivals.
According to The Sunday Telegraph and The Mail on Sunday, the new measures could be rolled out as the UK Government roles out its "track and trace" scheme to identify and isolate new infections.
Those caught breaching the quarantine rules will reportedly be handed large fines.
The Home Office has been contacted for comment but has yet to respond
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel