Matt Hancock says he's 'doing everything he can' to allow summer holidays - but official advice is conflicting

Summer holidays being able to go ahead this year is something which many people are currently wondering about (Photo: Getty Images)Summer holidays being able to go ahead this year is something which many people are currently wondering about (Photo: Getty Images)
Summer holidays being able to go ahead this year is something which many people are currently wondering about (Photo: Getty Images)

The question regarding if summer holidays will be able to go ahead this year is something which many people are currently wondering about, with travel bans in place and certain countries on the “red list” due to new Covid variants.

It’s not currently clear whether or not summer holidays will be given the green light - both abroad and in the UK - but Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told Sky News that the Government is "doing everything we can" to allow travel this summer.

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Mr Hancock told Sky News: "We are doing everything we can to make sure people can have their holiday in the summer.

"And, even before then, to be able to see their loved ones.

"Even before we get to whether we're going on holiday, or where we're going on holiday, how soon we can see and hug our loved ones is important.

"Thankfully, because the vaccine rollout is going so well... that will all help us to get out of this and get back to normal."

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The Health Secretary also revealed that he has booked a holiday to Cornwall this summer, but he is not yet sure if this will go ahead.

‘Nobody can tell from the point where we sit right now’

The Health Secretary’s comments come after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps earlier this week said he could not give a definitive answer in regards to summer holidays - and that people shouldn't be booking them yet.

Mr Shapps said: "I'm afraid I can't give you a definitive 'will there or will there not be' the opportunity to take holidays this next year, either at home or abroad.”

Although the Transport Secretary said that Covid levels are starting to reduce “thanks to people adhering to the lockdown and thanks to the enormous vaccination programme,” he added that he doesn’t know “what the situation will be by the middle of the summer. Nobody can tell from the point where we sit right now."

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Mr Shapps also said that it is too soon for people to be booking holidays.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “People shouldn’t be booking holidays right now – not domestically or internationally.”

At the coronavirus press conference on Wednesday (10 Feb), Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said that “it is just too early for people to be certain about what we'll be able to do this summer."

However, on Monday February 22 the Prime Minister is set to announce the Government’s plan for the roadmap out of lockdown, with details regarding summer holidays expected to be included in this.