Government Response

The Government responded to this petition on Friday 16th July 2021

As restrictions are eased and international travel reopens, the current approach to CJRS strikes a balance between encouraging employees back to work, supporting the economy and protecting incomes.

The Government recognises the challenges which the aviation industry has faced as a result of Covid-19 and firms experiencing difficulties have been able to draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor, including schemes to raise capital, flexibilities with tax bills and the extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). The aviation and aerospace sectors are being supported with over £11 billion made available through loan guarantees, support for exporters, the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) and grants for research and development.

The Global Travel Taskforce (GTT) report sets out a clear framework for the Government’s objective of enabling a safe, sustainable and robust return to international travel, which is key to enabling the sector’s recovery. In line with this framework, travel measures are continuing to be reviewed through a series of checkpoints, considering the latest domestic and international data.

Following the recent checkpoint review of the GTT, arrivals into England from amber list countries who have been fully vaccinated by an NHS administered vaccine will soon be exempt from self-isolation and day 8 testing requirements. These changes are a vital step in enabling the recovery of travel operators and those whose jobs rely on the travel industry. Industry bodies, media and airline groups have responded positively to this announcement, with many travel operators adding additional flights and holidays to new destinations.

The CJRS was designed as a temporary, economy-wide measure to support businesses while widespread restrictions were in place. It is right that we ask employers across the economy to contribute more as Covid-19 related restrictions are lifted, in order to strike a balance between encouraging employers to bring employees back to work and continuing to support the economy and protect incomes.

Of course, the Government has shown throughout the pandemic that it is prepared to adapt support if the path of the virus changes. We continue to engage closely with sectors across the economy, including the travel industry, to understand their recovery horizons as the vaccine is rolled out and restrictions ease.

HM Treasury