Top advisors on Wednesday (15 December) told the transport select committee the final decisions about testing and border controls were left to ministers.

MP Ben Bradshaw asked whether factors like the impact on the travel industry were taken into account.

Dr Jenny Harries, UK Health Security Agency chief executive, said broader considerations were not part of the agency’s remit. "The overall economic impact, or broader impact, is not one we would do; that is for the government," she said.

Asked whether advisors were present when final decisions were made, she said: "There will usually be some representative to give factual representation. The decision-making is with ministers. Senior professionals will be asked simply to comment on observations."

Edward Wynne-Evans, the agency’s director of all-hazards intelligence, added: "We don’t recommend the red list to ministers, ministers make that decision."

The committee was also told information not publicly available, such as that from foreign governments, was used to advise ministers, and that government had contacted airport chiefs directly to discuss testing.

Transport committee chair Huw Merriman asked if red list additions were "closing the stable door".

Harries said there was an immediate need for restrictions to assess the threat, but added: "It is quite right that when that is no longer beneficial, no harm is done to these countries."

The experts were asked why, last summer, France had been singled out for special treatment when Spain had a higher infection rate.

Harries said that while overall numbers were important, "it is also important to understand the context". "Spain had a very localised outbreak that was contained," she said.