Helping British travellers who need and want to return to the UK is one of the Government's highest priorities. Since the outbreak in Wuhan, we estimate that over 1.3 million people have returned to the UK via commercial routes globally - the majority supported by our work to keep vital routes open. Additionally we have brought home over 32,000 people on 155 flights organised by the Foreign Office from 29 countries and territories. The number of British travellers that may still require support to return home across the globe is now in the low tens of thousands. It is difficult to be more precise because there have been instances of multiple registrations by the same individual, people not reporting their return to the UK via other means, and long term residents registering for flights even though they were not eligible.<\/p>
Repatriating British travellers from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is a priority for the UK Government and we have been working closely with both airlines and the governments of each of those countries to ensure British travellers can return home. We have worked with international allies to lobby authorities to keep commercial air routes open and work together to return travellers globally. Where commercial flights have not been available, the UK Government has organised charter flights. As of 19 May we have arranged 64 charter flights from India and 21 from Pakistan which have repatriated more than 19,000 British travellers in total. 1,600 British travellers have been repatriated from Bangladesh.<\/p>
Our High Commissions are providing consular assistance to those who need it, including the most vulnerable, and are continuing to provide regular updates on social media. We encourage British travellers to subscribe to our travel service updates: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4057", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nigel Adams"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Selby and Ainsty"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nigel Adams"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-06-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-06-02T08:10:16.757Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "South Asia: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the covid-19 pandemic, how many UK nationals registered an interest with his Department by 19 April 2020 to return to the UK from (a) India, (b) Pakistan and (c) Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"} ], "uin" : "48251"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1196513", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1196513/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Repatriating British travellers from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is a priority for the UK Government and we have been working closely with the government of each country and airlines to ensure British travellers can return home. As of 19 May, we have arranged 64 charter flights from India and 21 from Pakistan which have repatriated more than 19,000 British travellers. Over 1,600 British travellers have been repatriated from Bangladesh. These have carried almost all of those who registered, are eligible, and took up the option of a flight when given the chance to do so. The small numbers who are unable to travel are being looked after by our consular teams in region.<\/p>
We reserve as many seats as possible on all flights for the most vulnerable British nationals - these are our top priority. It is difficult to be more precise because there have been instances of multiple registrations by the same individual, people not reporting their return to the UK via other means, and people registering for flights even though they were not eligible.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4057", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nigel Adams"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Selby and Ainsty"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nigel Adams"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-06-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-06-02T14:57:26.477Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "South Asia: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 May 2020 to Question 43580 on South Asia: Coronavirus, how many UK nationals who registered an interest by 19 April 2020 to return from (a) India, (b) Pakistan and (c) Bangladesh were categorised as vulnerable; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"} ], "uin" : "48252"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1196514", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1196514/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Helping British travellers who need and want to return to the UK is one of the Government's highest priorities. Since the outbreak in Wuhan, we estimate that over 1.3 million people have returned to the UK via commercial routes - the majority supported by our work to keep vital routes open. As of 19 May, we have brought back over 32,000 people on 155 flights organised by the Foreign Office from 29 countries and territories.<\/p>
Repatriating British travellers from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is a priority for the UK Government and we have been working closely with both airlines and the governments of each of those countries to ensure British travellers can return home. We have worked with international allies to lobby authorities to keep commercial air routes open and work together to return travellers globally.<\/p>
As of 19 May we have arranged 64 charter flights from India and 21 from Pakistan which have repatriated more than 19,000 British travellers. Over 1,600 British travellers have been repatriated from Bangladesh.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4057", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nigel Adams"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Selby and Ainsty"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nigel Adams"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-06-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-06-02T14:53:19.243Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "South Asia: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral contribution of 11 May 2020, Official Report, column 12 on repatriation, how many of the 30,000 British nationals who returned on the 141 flights chartered from 27 countries and territories were from (a) India, (b) Pakistan and (c) Bangladesh; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"} ], "uin" : "48253"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1194939", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1194939/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Helping British nationals who need and want to return to the UK is one of the Government's highest priorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working around the clock, through our Posts overseas and in London, to make sure all British people who need help are receiving the support and information they need. We have now brought home nearly 31,000 people on 146 flights organised by the Foreign Office from 27 countries and territories.<\/p>
A repatriation flight, with capacity for 150 British Nationals, departed DRC on 14 May with 102 British nationals registered on the manifest. The flight then continued on to Cameroon to collect more British Nationals. This is in addition to the 73 British nationals previously assisted to depart DRC on chartered commercial flights in conjunction with other Embassies.<\/p>
Our British Embassy in Kinshasa continues to provide support to British nationals who require assistance.<\/p>