Express & Star

Call for inquiry into repatriation plan

MPs have called for an inquiry into the Government's efforts to repatriate people stranded abroad due to the coronavirus crisis.

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The Government is battling to get stranded Brits home from abroad

The Foreign Office says it has returned 1.3 million people to the UK since the start of the outbreak, but many more remain stranded, with thousands of people from the West Midlands believed to be stuck in the Punjab region of northern India.

Speaking at the Downing Street coronavirus press conference, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said 28 new charter flights running up to May 7 would repatriate 7,000 Brits, with 14 flights due to depart India as well as nine from Pakistan and five from Bangladesh.

He told the Star: "We are doing everything we can to get stranded Brits from the West Midlands – and right across the country – home.

"The job is not yet done, and as long as there are people who are in a predicament we will want to see what more we can do."

The CTM Charter Team, which is assisting the Government's repatriation efforts, said this week that more than 20,000 people had registered for flights, but that only one flight every couple of days with a maximum capacity of 300 was leaving the Punjab city of Amritsar.

Warley MP John Spellar accused the Foreign Office of "patting themselves on the back while our people are stranded and suffering".

The Labour MP said: "Ministers need to urgently get a grip of this shambles. As time goes on, I receive more heartbreaking cases of families worried about their relatives stranded abroad – often running out of money and medication.

"On 25 March I warned the Prime Minister to get a grip and organise charter flights to get our people home.

"We need to see many more flights being organised – and with much greater urgency."

MPs urged the Government to “learn lessons” from the process and proposed an inquiry into the Foreign Office’s repatriation efforts.

SNP MP Alyn Smith called for an inquiry into the Foreign Office's handling of the issue "so that we can learn lessons for the future".

Meanwhile, Public Health England’s Prof Yvonne Doyle said the number of people going to hospital with coronavirus was falling in all regions, but the UK was still "passing through the peak".

Mr Raab said that 52,429 tests had taken place on Tuesday, with the Government having pledged to hit 100,000 tests each day by today.

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