A YORK MP has described a possible ban on summer holidays abroad as 'very draconian' and 'unwise.'

York Outer Tory MP Julian Sturdy said he had lobbied Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng for travel businesses to be given Government support 'in the terrible event they are clobbered with the cancellation of the summer overseas travel season.'

He said that in recent days, Ministers had refused to rule out retaining travel restrictions, despite the success of the vaccination programme, with half of all adults now given a first dose, and vaccination on track be offered to all groups accounting for 99 per cent of preventable deaths by April 15.

At Questions to the Secretary of State for Business, he asked:“Can the Secretary of State assure me that if the government takes the very draconian decision to ban summer holidays abroad this year, they will provide targeted support to compensate the travel sector, that will be decimated by this decision?”

Mr Kwarteng replied by saying one of the biggest requests from the travel and hospitality sector had been a roadmap for relaxing restrictions, which the government published in February, and the Government had provided £407 billion to support the economy through the pandemic.

He also said he was very happy to meet Mr Sturdy to discuss what further actions he wanted to see to assist the travel sector.

The MP said later: “ I am glad Kwasi Kwarteng is ready to meet and listen to my suggestions for compensating travel businesses in York and elsewhere, in the terrible event they are clobbered with the cancellation of the summer overseas travel season.

"I will certainly follow this up, but will also continue to push for the government to avoid this unwise decision altogether, which the ongoing vaccination programme should render unnecessary.”