The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2021

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/574 (W. 132)) (the “International Travel Regulations”).

The International Travel Regulations impose requirements on persons entering Wales after having been abroad. They include a requirement for persons arriving in Wales to isolate for a period determined in accordance with those Regulations.

Regulation 3 of these Regulations amends regulation 10 of the International Travel Regulations to provide that a person who is required to isolate may leave their isolation premises if required to do so by a constable.

Regulation 4 of these Regulations make provision in relation to non-exempt persons entering Wales after being in a country or territory listed in Schedule 3A to the International Travel Regulations within the last 10 days of arrival. Such persons are prohibited from entering Wales. A person who contravenes this prohibition is liable to a £10,000 fixed penalty notice. Regulation 4 makes provision relating to the isolation requirements on such persons and any member of their household. It also makes provision to exempt certain aviation and maritime personnel from the prohibition on entry to Wales.

Regulation 5 of these Regulations amends the enforcement powers available under the International Travel Regulations in relation to requirements to self-isolate. It allows police officers to direct or remove persons to a place where they are isolating if they reasonably suspect that the person is in breach of a requirement to isolate. It also provides powers to authorised persons including the police, immigration officers, and other persons designated by the Welsh Ministers in relation to non-exempt persons suspected to be entering Wales having been in a country or territory listed in Schedule 3A. These powers include powers to direct, detain and search.

Regulation 6 of these Regulations amends Schedule 3A to the International Travel Regulations, which contains the list of countries and territories subject to additional measures. Non-exempt persons are prohibited from entering Wales where they have been in a listed country or territory within the last 10 days of arrival pursuant to regulation 12E of the International Travel Regulations. Regulation 6 removes Portugal and the Republic of Mauritius from the list in Schedule 3A, and adds Ethiopia, Oman, Qatar and Somalia to it.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has not been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.