Business needs urgent clarity on distancing and travel - Chamber

Business leaders in Greater Birmingham today called on the Prime Minister to give urgent clarification on the easing of social distancing and foreign travel restrictions.

"Businesses need clarity on what to expect and prepare for in just a few weeks' time, ” said Henrietta Brealey (pictured), chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC).

Boris Johnson has indicated there will be some "opening up" of foreign travel on 17 May - but said it was important to be cautious.

More details are expected this week to confirm when and how international travel will restart in England.

Mr Johnson said the government would be saying more “as soon as we can" but "we have got to be very, very tough". He also said there was a "good chance" of the one-metre plus social distancing rule being scrapped on 21 June.

He stressed any decision on changing the rules was dependent on the data.

Public Health England reported yesterday that there were 1,649 new cases alongside a single death within 28 days of a positive test across the UK.

The recorded number of daily deaths is often lower at weekends and on bank holidays due to delays in reporting.

Fifty million doses of coronavirus vaccine had now been administered across the UK, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed.

Ms Brealey added: "One meter plus or no social distancing at all represent very different propositions and business models for a significant volume of organisations from hospitality and events to offices and manufacturers. .

"There is much to feel positive about as the roadmap progresses and vaccination rollout continues at an incredible pace.

“However gaps remain in government support and guidance. The Chamber will continue to both celebrate businesses' emerging from restrictions and champion the needs of our members over the coming weeks and months."

Mr Johnson was speaking after a group of MPs called on the government to keep travel rules in place beyond mid-May.

The all-party parliamentary group on coronavirus said arrival halls in airports risked becoming a "breeding ground" for the virus.

The group of more than 60 MPs and peers said the government should discourage people from travelling abroad unless it was essential.

But Raj Kandola, head of policy at the GBCC, pointed out that the government had promised a traffic light system on which countries could be visited by 1 May at the latest.

He said: “The Government has taken tentative steps towards relaxing international travel restrictions as it attempts to find the right balance between stemming the flow of the virus whilst also supporting an industry that has been shaken to its core by the pandemic.

“We understand the rationale behind this cautious approach but once again, clarity seems to lacking at such a crucial juncture.

“For example, we were told that an announcement would be made by the 1 May at the latest as to which countries would be on certain tiers of the traffic light system and sadly we 're still waiting for that information.

“Clearly, the restart of international travel needs to both affordable and accessible and we would urge the Government to explore the possibility of travellers returning from a green list destination using a lateral flow test as opposed to the more costly PCR tests - especially if the associated costs prove to be prohibitive and has a knock on impact on demand. ”

To read the Chamber's Keep Business Moving II report, click here