Third Report: Flying Home: The FCO’s consular response to the COVID-19 pandemic

The government acknowledges the report's observations, highlighting the positive feedback on staff efforts and recognising concerns regarding areas where efforts fell short, stating the FCDO has reviewed its performance and established a Repatriation Taskforce.

The government rejected the premise that unspent funds meant insufficient support, stating they will find funds if needed for further repatriations. They also clarified that they have not supported the repatriation of British nationals who permanently reside overseas, except for acutely vulnerable individuals on planned flights.

The government defends its reliance on commercial carriers, explaining that it was necessary due to overwhelming demand, to avoid undercutting airlines, and to leverage existing air links, rather than being solely driven by cost-saving.

The government rejected the idea of parallel chartered repatriation flights for vulnerable travellers, explaining that a dual approach with commercial routes was necessary to handle demand, avoid undermining airlines, and that financial assistance was provided to those in need.

The government defends its approach to commercial flights and highlights its provision of emergency loans to cover flight tickets, food, and accommodation. However, it does not specifically address the recommendations to provide more advice for remote areas, options for airport travel, or the inclusion of specific advice points on Gov.uk for future crises.

The government agreed to remove crowdfunding advice, stating that the reference has been removed from all guidance. They also confirmed that the availability of repatriation loans was widely publicized on gov.uk, social media, and through marketing.

The government describes the availability and publicity of emergency repatriation loans, and confirms the removal of advice to seek crowdfunding. However, it does not directly commit to offering loan extensions for those in financial difficulty or explicitly communicate greater flexibility in repayment terms.

The government's response details emergency repatriation and subsistence loans, including repayment terms and debt management, but does not address the committee's recommendation to develop contingency plans for scaling up communication or exploring new platforms like WhatsApp Business.

The government did not address the recommendation to look into establishing a logging system for UK citizens abroad, instead detailing improvements to their communication systems, including increased staffing, training, and expanded channels like webforms and social media.

The government explained they discontinued the LOCATE system and described the three main mechanisms used during COVID-19 to record British nationals' locations. They are exploring ways for British nationals to request more granular information and updates, including via text for those without internet access.

The government acknowledges initial difficulties but states it already provides extensive advice and individualised support through social media, general travel advice pages, and consular staff, which address the concerns of returning travellers.

The government discusses general communication efforts for foreign travel and information on arrival in the UK, but does not address the specific recommendation about centrally controlling embassy answerphone messages.

The government acknowledged past shortcomings in adapting quickly, committing to implement a 'pre-agreed' process with its telephony supplier by the end of October 2020 for a swifter response in future emergencies, and is investigating cloud-based telephony solutions.