Priti Patel challenged over failure to ensure travellers from coronavirus hotspots self-isolate after arriving in UK

Official guidance for travellers from Wuhan, Italy and Iran was lifted last month

Home Secretary Priti Patel has been challenged to explain why travellers from coronavirus hotspots like New York are not being made to self-isolate after arriving in the UK.

Self-isolation guidance for people arriving from the Chinese city of Wuhan and Hubei province, Italy, Iran or hard-hit parts of South Korea was withdrawn by the government on 13 March and has not been replaced.

Now the chair of the influential House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, Labour MP Yvette Cooper, has written to Ms Patel warning that the approach could help spread Covid-19 and demanding an explanation.

Countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland and New Zealand are now recommending or requiring quarantine or self-isolation for new arrivals.

But the UK has not activated powers contained in emergency coronavirus laws which would allow police and immigration officers to require those arriving from affected areas to self-isolate.

Speaking in the Commons on 23 March, shortly before parliament broke up early to cut down the risk of spreading coronavirus, Ms Cooper said it was “hard to understand why there is no guidance on self-isolation on a precautionary basis for travellers coming from high-risk countries”

Home Office minister Chris Philp told her then that he and Ms Patel were monitoring the latest scientific advice on the issue on an “almost daily” basis.

And he said: “If the scientific advice says that the safety of our country requires a further change in policy, we will certainly do that in response”

In today’s letter, Ms Cooper said that there had been “no further public advice” from the Home Office since Mr Philp spoke. She asked for a copy of the scientific analysis referred to by the minister in parliament.

“What is the rationale behind the government’s decision not to require quarantining or self-isolation on arrival?” asked Ms Cooper.

“For example, given that people are continuing to arrive from New York, where the number of cases in the state reached 75,000 this week and continues to rise, why were none of them asked to self-isolate for seven to 14 days?

“What assessment has the Government made of the number of people arriving in the UK each week who are likely to be carrying Covid-19 on arrival?”

She warned: “Even if everyone arriving in the UK follows Government guidance on social distancing, many may still be returning to families, households with other residents, jobs as key workers or in other ongoing businesses, travel by public transport, volunteering or shopping for essentials all within the rules. Is the Government’s decision not to ask people arriving in the UK to self-isolate consistent with a precautionary approach?”

Despite a massive reduction in international air travel, flights from coronavirus hotspots like New York City, Madrid and Rome are still arriving daily at UK airports.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Public Health England have set out clear advice. Anyone in the UK, whether or not they have been abroad recently, should be following the latest guidance to stay at home, avoid unnecessary contact with others and self-isolate should they or anyone they live with show symptoms.

“We are providing passengers at UK airports with information on symptoms and the social distancing processes.

“Border Force is strictly following Public Health England advice and has robust contingency plans in place to respond to coronavirus.”