Shapps confirms international travel could restart from 17 May

But Shapps told ITV’s Peston programme that reopening up travel abroad “depends on lots of factors – many of which are not in our control”.

Shapps stressed that international travel would not be “unlocked” before 17 May “at the earliest”, as part of the government’s phased schedule to end current Covid-19 restrictions.

The transport secretary said that the Global Travel Taskforce would set out plans of how to reopen international when it reports to prime minister Boris Johnson by 12 April.

Shapps raised a number of potential issues around reopening foreign travel including the rate of vaccinations in other countries.