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Why Do British Passport Holders Have to Take a PCR Test as a Condition of Entry to the U.K. But Not Illegal Migrants?

by Toby Young
3 September 2021 2:40 PM

A member of the House of Lords has written to us, pointing out an anomaly in the British Government’s testing rules for people travelling to the U.K. which he uncovered via a Parliamentary Question to a Home Office minister.

You may be interested in the written Parliamentary Question below. During Covid I have been travelling regularly to Brussels for business meetings. Despite being double vaccinated, every time I return to the U.K., even if I have only been abroad for two days, I must take a PCR test before returning as I am told that the lateral flow test is unsatisfactory.

Yet here is HMG giving illegal migrants who almost certainly are unvaccinated no PCR tests at all. Also, HMG is quoting as its source for advice Public Health England – the same people quoted by HMG as advising business people and holidaymakers that lateral flow tests are not a satisfactory safeguard.

Next week when the House returns I will put down some follow-up questions.

Best wishes,

Richard Balfe

Baroness Williams of Trafford, the Home Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL2330):

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of COVID-19 PCR tests on illegal immigrants to the U.K. have returned a positive result; and of these positive samples, what percentage have now been genomically sequenced. (HL2330)

Tabled on: August 18th, 2021

This question was grouped with the following question(s) for answer:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether immigrants entering the U.K. from France illegally are required to have a COVID-19 PCR test upon detection by police or immigration officers. (HL2329)

Answer: Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office is following guidance published by Public Health England, Health Protection Scotland and the NHS with regards to Covid testing for migrant arrivals.

All migrants are tested on arrival with a lateral flow test, any refusing are treated as if infectious and isolated. Lateral flow testing is a fast and simple way to test people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19, but who may still be spreading the virus. Arrivals who present as symptomatic or who provide a positive lateral flow test are allocated to an approved quarantine site.

Due to the small possibility of false positives associated with lateral flow tests, any individual who receives a positive result at a residential short-term holding facility in England or an Immigration Removal Centre, will be offered a PRC test to confirm the result. Any detained individual with symptoms of COVID-19, or testing positive for COVID-19 will be placed in protective isolation for at least 10 days and Public Health England informed.

We do not hold information regarding the percentage which have been genomically sequenced as this is the responsibility of Public Health England.

Date and time of answer: September 2nd, 2021, at 15:55.

If any readers have suggestions for follow-up questions, please email us here and we will pass them on.

Tags: Illegal MigrantsPCR Test

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30 Comments
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Julian
Julian
3 years ago

Wrong question.

Correct question is “Why does anyone have to take a covid test as a condition of doing anything, anywhere?”

71
0
Marmalade
Marmalade
3 years ago
Reply to  Julian

Does anyone have to take a covid test though or is there an assumption that it has to be done because that’s what we’re told?

A bit like ‘you have to wear a mask’ when the truth is that no one has to wear one.

What happens if you say that you cannot be tested for covid?

16
0
Julian
Julian
3 years ago
Reply to  Marmalade

Not sure. Don’t think you’d get far. I doubt you’d be allowed on a plane without one. Lots of jobs mandate it now, though you could probably cheat if you wanted to, but I suspect if you refused you’d get sacked.

4
0
Emerald Fox
Emerald Fox
3 years ago
Reply to  Julian

Yep – trying saying you’re ‘exempt’ at an airport and they will laugh all the way to the door as they escort you out and throw you onto the street.
Everyone is a prisoner in their own country now, unless they pay a lot of money for PCR tests that are not fit for purpose, unless that purpose is to fleece passengers.

12
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snoozle
snoozle
3 years ago
Reply to  Marmalade

There is apparently a £1000 FPN for failing to take your Day 2 or Day 8 tests. I’m not sure if it’s being enforced.

1
0
Emerald Fox
Emerald Fox
3 years ago
Reply to  snoozle

But no fine for Faisal’s or Abdul’s PCR testing company who don’t even send your cotton bud to a laboratory and who never send you any results. They’ve got your money, have given the backhander to the people who gave them their operating (scamming) licence, and give you their middle finger.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/halifax-covid-test-firm-furious-21092153

5
0
Emerald Fox
Emerald Fox
3 years ago
Reply to  Marmalade

PCR test demanded for travel to the UK from Finland, and another PCR test must be pre-paid and done within 2 days of entry into the UK.
Try going abroad yourself and re-entering the UK, don’t just take my word for it.

If you say you cannot be tested for Covid they will say “Oh dear, sorry to hear that” but you won’t be getting on that plane.

Last edited 3 years ago by Emerald Fox
1
0
Mark
Mark
3 years ago

“Why Do British Passport Holders Have to Take a PCR Test as a Condition of Entry to the U.K. But Not Illegal Migrants?”
Primarily, because the whole nonsense about controlling international movement in relation to covid is and was always a performative farce. It made no sense when it was first introduced, and it makes no sense now.

All such restrictions and testing nonsense should be scrapped immediately. Every day they are kept in place costs billions and directs billions to the very worst kinds of people – profiteers and cronies – and further damages decent businesses here and abroad, and helps the regime to keep up pressure to comply with its “vaccination” nonsense.

Secondarily because the “Conservatives” are as in favour of mass immigration as the “Labour” Party wing of the leftist globalist uniparty, and only pretend to restrict it where they feel it is necessary to do so, to keep conservative voters jumping through the right electoral hoops.

46
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Norman
Norman
3 years ago

They “will be offered a PRC test” What is one of them?

2
0
iane
iane
3 years ago
Reply to  Norman

Don’t you want to join the People’s Republic of China?

3
0
Dodgy Geezer
Dodgy Geezer
3 years ago

I have a comment – based on many years experience. It is this:

There is no point asking a PQ about anything. They are not treated as opportunities to provide information – they are treated as opportunities for self-justification.

When the answer would cause embarrassment to the government they will simply not answer the question. If pressed, they may lie – secure in the knowledge that no one is allowed to accuse them of lying, and that further questions aimed at revealing the lie will just cause the circle of misinformation to start all over again…

12
0
concrete68
concrete68
3 years ago
Reply to  Dodgy Geezer

As someone who writes the answers to PQs I concur. It’s used to put a positive spin on whatever the issue raised is. Also most MPs or their assistants couldn’t score an open goal mostly asking the wrong and easily answered one.

8
0
TheGreenAcres
TheGreenAcres
3 years ago

We are second class citizens in our own country. Soon to be third class if you have not had two jabs

Keep clapping, keep voting LibLabCon.

31
0
iane
iane
3 years ago
Reply to  TheGreenAcres

Third class? No – we are now cattle-truck grade!

13
0
Emerald Fox
Emerald Fox
3 years ago
Reply to  iane

welcome to europe.jpg
7
0
PatrickF
PatrickF
3 years ago

A lateral flow test using water tests negative. I know, I’ve done it. I don’t know what result your get testing sea water.

4
0
steve_z
steve_z
3 years ago

since I have been stripped of my ‘inalienable’ rights this past 18 months, I am less sympathetic to the rights of others

20
0
Paul B
Paul B
3 years ago

Some good news?

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/covid-19-vaccines-will-not-be-recommended-for-healthy-children-aged-12-to-15/ar-AAO4c3X

3
0
steve_z
steve_z
3 years ago
Reply to  Paul B

its an admittance that the vaccines aren’t 100% safe. devi sridhar might take issue with it

6
0
snoozle
snoozle
3 years ago
Reply to  Paul B

JCVI are passing on the decision:

But on Friday, the JCVI advised that the health benefits from vaccination are marginally greater than the potential known harms for those in the age 12 to 15 category and advised the government to seek further input from the chief medical officers on the wider impacts.

That’s not saying no, that’s saying, Go ahead, but with advice other than ours so we can’t be blamed one way or the other…”

4
0
steve_z
steve_z
3 years ago

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58438669

JCVI aren’t going to get their Pfizer bonuses at this rate

3
0
steve_z
steve_z
3 years ago
Reply to  steve_z

“Doctors identified that children with chronic heart, lung and liver conditions were at much higher risk of Covid than healthy children.”

“This means around 350,000 12-15 year olds with certain health problems will now be eligible for vaccines, out of a total of three million children in the UK.”

over 10% of 12-15 year olds have chronic heart, lung or liver conditions? I don’t believe it. they are going to jab all the kids by widening the scope of ‘certain health problems’. ie allergies or mild asthma

13
0
Mark
Mark
3 years ago
Reply to  steve_z

Brings us back to the piece earlier highlighting the kinship of the vax obsession with religious mania:

https://dailysceptic.org/2021/09/03/the-push-for-vaccination-of-children-and-vaccine-boosters-despite-the-lack-of-evidence-they-prevent-infection-or-transmission-is-approaching-a-religious-mania/

0
0
A Heretic
A Heretic
3 years ago

the short answer is they want more migrants and they want to stop the plebs travelling.

15
0
Emerald Fox
Emerald Fox
3 years ago
Reply to  A Heretic

Cheap labour for care homes and the NHS.

3
0
J4mes
J4mes
3 years ago

Thank god, looks like we have a new wave of doctors and scientists to help out the covid crisis!

//sarcasm

16
0
JayBee
JayBee
3 years ago

All Covid tests are medically useless.
All invasive test mandates are illegal in the UK.
It is high time they are ditched or sued.

10
0
stewart
stewart
3 years ago

Why? Because no one has challenged this properly.

As a Brit trying to re-enter the UK, if I refuse to do a PCR test do I instantly become an exile? A British refugee?

We just allow it. But these people simply don’t have the right to do this.

Here is a video of an Ibiza based, Spanish doctor refusing to present anything on arrival back in Ibiza. (Balearic Islands regulations require a test or vaccine proof, but these requirements are actually against the constitution.) He just politely walked past the people demanding QR codes and such like. When finally confronted by the police, armed with knowledge of the law, he challenged them as to whether he was breaking any law and they clearly acknowledged he wasn’t and he went on his way.

The laws in the UK are perhaps not as clear. But are these regulations open to challenge? Almost certainly they are. But of course, it takes time to find out how and then balls to do it.

13
0
Norman
Norman
3 years ago

They look like a nice bunch of young Jihadis

1
0
JohnnyDollar
JohnnyDollar
3 years ago

If one can’t smell it , one must be wearing a mask on the brains

1
0

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