Nicola Sturgeon demands England quarantines ALL international arrivals heading on to Scotland

Nicola Sturgeon demands England quarantines ALL international arrivals heading on to Scotland as SNP attacks Boris Johnson’s ‘insufficient’ plan to make travellers from Red List nations stay in hotels for 10 days

  • Only arrivals from 33 Red List nations face quarantine in England in border plan 
  • But Holyrood wants all those destined for Scotland to be locked up for 10 days
  • Such a move would effectively partially impose the Scottish policy on England 
  • It is not clear how it would be enforceable at English ports and airports

Nicola Sturgeon‘s government has demanded that all international arrivals landing in England before travelling to Scotland be forced to quarantine in line with its own border policy.

Under plans unveiled by Health Secretary Matt Hancock last night, only arrivals from 33 Red List nations would be required to stay locked in a hotel for 10 days.

Scotland however, is forcing all international arrivals into its airports to undergo the stay at a cost of £1,750.

Scots Transport Secretary Michael Matheson last night confirmed the SNP government in Edinburgh wants Boris Johnson to adhere to Scotland’s policy for travellers heading north of the border via England.

Such a move would effectively partially impose the Scottish policy on England, and it is not clear how it would be enforceable at English ports and airports.  

Addressing the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood yesterday, Mr Matheson said: ‘Passengers entering England from the red-list countries who then seek to travel onto Scotland will have to isolate in a hotel in England. Last week, that was 130 people.

‘We continue to press the UK Government to adopt what we believe is a more comprehensive approach, and require all arrivals to go into a quarantine hotel.

‘We ask the UK Government to work with us to identify international travellers not caught by this approach so that arrangements can be made for them to isolate in a quarantine hotel, in line with the policy in Scotland.’

Scots Transport Secretary Michael Matheson last night confirmed the SNP government in Edinburgh wants Boris Johnson to adhere to Scotland’s policy for travellers heading north of the border

Under plans unveiled by Health Secretary Matt Hancock last night, only arrivals from 33 Red List nations would be required to stay locked in a hotel for 10 days

Under plans unveiled by Health Secretary Matt Hancock last night, only arrivals from 33 Red List nations would be required to stay locked in a hotel for 10 days

Such a move by the PM would effectively partially impose the Scottish policy on England, and it is not clear how it would be enforceable at ports and airports

Such a move by the PM would effectively partially impose the Scottish policy on England, and it is not clear how it would be enforceable at ports and airports

Mr Matheson told MSPs the UK’s strategy on international travel was ‘no longer sufficient to provide the protection necessary’.

Given the lack of investigation globally into new strains of the virus, Mr Matheson said it was ‘very hard to say with confidence where the high-risk countries are’.

‘That is why the Scottish Government wants a comprehensive approach to managed isolation,’ he added.

Last night Mr Hancock announced people returning to England from Red List destinations would have to pay £1,750 to quarantine for 10 days in Government-designated hotels.

Those caught lying about their movements could be fined £10,000 or jailed for 10 years.

He indicated the quarantine measures might be in place until the autumn if vaccine booster jabs are needed in response to coronavirus variants.

He told MPs that 16 hotels have been contracted to provide 4,600 rooms for the quarantine programme, which begins on Monday.

The Scottish Government said that it would go further and require all international travellers arriving into Scotland to stay in a quarantine hotel.

No international flights are currently operating to Wales or Northern Ireland.

Mr Matheson told MSPs that six hotels have been block-booked in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, with up to 1,300 rooms available. 

A Welsh Government spokesman said Wales will be adopting the new border measures announced for England.

The spokesperson said: ‘This will include all people returning to Wales from 15 February being required to book and pay for tests before they travel. This will be done through the UK portal, whether a person has been in a Red List country or not.

‘People returning to Wales from Red List countries are doing so through other ports in the UK, primarily via England. From 15 February, all arrivals in England will be required to isolate in designated hotels.

‘This includes anyone planning to travel on to Wales, and they will need to enter a designated hotel for quarantine in England. This will need to be booked before travel.’

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