The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel, Operator Liability and Public Health Information to Travellers) (Wales) (Miscellaneous Amendments) 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 Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel, Pre-Departure Testing and Operator Liability) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/40 (W. 11)) (“the Operator Liability Regulations”) and the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Public Health Information for Persons Travelling to Wales etc.) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/574 (W. 132) (the “Public Health Information Regulations”).

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

Part 2 of these Regulations amends the International Travel Regulations. Regulations 3 to 8 make provision in relation to booking and undertaking tests for persons arriving into Wales having travelled outside the common travel area in the previous 10 days. Persons travelling into Wales having been in an exempt country or territory listed in Schedule 3 to the International Travel Regulations are required to book and undertake a day 2 test, whereas persons travelling from a non-exempt country or territory must book and undertake a day 2 and day 8 test. Provision is also made relating to failure to take tests and the consequences of test results. Regulations 9 to 14 make consequential amendments in light of the provisions in regulations 3 to 8.

Regulation 15 adds countries and territories to the list of exempt countries and territories in Schedule 3 to the International Travel Regulations.

The Operator Liability Regulations impose requirements on persons operating international passenger services (“operators”) arriving into Wales from outside the common travel area. In accordance with those requirements operators must, for example, ensure that passengers travelling on such services possess notification of a negative test result and have made arrangements to take further tests following their arrival.

In consequence of the amendments made to the International Travel Regulations by these Regulations, Part 3 of these Regulations makes minor amendments to the Operator Liability Regulations to reflect the easing of the restrictions on international travel.

The Public Health Information Regulations impose requirements on operators of international passenger services coming from outside the common travel area to an airport, heliport or seaport in Wales to provide passengers with specified public health information.

In consequence of the amendments made to the International Travel Regulations by these Regulations, Part 4 of these Regulations amends the specified public health information that operators must provide to passengers prior to and during travel into Wales.

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.