Asylum seekers arriving from any of the UK's Covid-19 'red list' countries will be sent back, Matt Hancock said today. The Health Secretary was asked how new hotel quarantine rules will affect people who enter the country seeking asylum.
From Monday, UK or Irish residents who have been in one of 33 'red list' countries in the last 10 days will have to quarantine in an "assigned hotel room" for 10 days at least.
They must book this before travel, with a portal and guidance opening this Thursday, at a cost of £1,750 for an individual travelling alone.
This includes the hotel, transport and testing. SNP MP Patrick Grady asked how the announcements "will be applied to people seeking asylum, who probably don't have £1,750 in their back pocket.