The Disability Unit in the Cabinet Office is working with government colleagues, disabled people, disabled people’s organisations, charities and businesses to develop and deliver a National Strategy for Disabled People. We intend to publish the Strategy in spring 2021.

Despite the unprecedented challenge we face as a nation, this government is committed to delivering an ambitious National Strategy for Disabled People with expert advice and the lived experience of disabled people at its heart.

The Strategy will make practical changes to policies which strengthen disabled people’s ability to participate fully in society and will place fairness at the heart of government work on disability, to level up opportunity so everyone can reach their potential and participate in life in this country.

We want to place the lived experiences of disabled people at the centre of our approach , as well as views from people across the country including those caring for and related to disabled people, as well as the general public.

Today, we are launching a public survey to gather views. This survey continues the engagement that was carried out across government throughout 2020, and continues to be this year. It includes engagement nationally and across the regions with a diverse network of stakeholders, including leading charities, disabled people’s organisations and individuals from all parts of society that are affected by disability.

The survey is hosted on Citizen Space. If you share your views by 13th February, your views will inform the development of the National Strategy for Disabled People, but thereafter we will continue to listen. The survey will remain open until 23rd April, and your views will be used to inform the delivery of the plans we set out.

The survey, hosted on Citizen Space, is fully accessible to ensure as many people as possible have their voices heard. It is available in Easy Read, BSL and written responses can be sent to: DUCitizenspace@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

Read our privacy notice.

If you would like to know more about the National Strategy for Disabled People, follow the Disability Unit on Twitter and sign up to the mailing list.

Aruba, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, and Qatar have been removed from England’s list of travel corridors, following a significant increase in confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in these countries.

Chile, Madeira and the Azores will also be removed from the travel corridors list as part of the government’s response to the Brazilian strain of the virus. This comes alongside the urgent decision to ban travel to the UK from several South American destinations, Portugal, Panama and Cape Verde in order to prevent the spread of the new strain into the UK.

From 4am on Friday 15 January 2021, only British and Irish nationals, and third country nationals with residence rights traveling to the UK from Chile, Madeira and the Azores will be allowed entry. They will still need to self-isolate for 10 days along with their households.

From 4am on Saturday 16 January 2021, people returning to the UK from Aruba, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, and Qatar will also need to self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival.

People currently in Aruba, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, Chile, Qatar, Madeira and the Azores are encouraged to follow the local rules, return home as normal and check FCDO travel advice for further information.

At the same time, the FCDO has updated its travel advice to advise against all but essential travel to Aruba, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, Chile, Qatar, the Azores and Madeira.

The government has always said it will take decisive action, if necessary, to contain the virus, including if the public health risk of people returning from a particular country without self-isolating becomes too high.

National restrictions for England introduced on 6 January 2021 remain in place, meaning everyone must stay at home unless travelling for a very limited set of reasons, including for work. This means people can no longer travel to take holidays or travel internationally unless for work or other legally permitted reasons. Those in breach of the rules face penalties starting at £200, rising to a maximum of £6,400.

From 4am on Monday 18 January 2021, passengers from all destinations will also be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result before travelling to England to help protect against new strains of coronavirus circulating internationally and to identify those that may currently be infectious.

Thank you, Mr President, and thank you to Special Envoy Griffiths, Mark Lowcock, and David Beasley for their compelling briefings.

I want to be clear that the United Kingdom strongly condemns the appalling attack in Aden on the 30th of December. The deaths and wounding of so many civilians and the targeting of the newly formed cabinet is unacceptable. Amongst the dead was a deputy minister, three members of the International Red Cross and a journalist who was there to document a positive moment. Our condolences to all of their families.

The UK assesses that it is highly likely that the Houthis were responsible for this cowardly and craven attack. Only they had the means, the motive, and the opportunity for this clear and deplorable attempt to destabilise the newly formed Yemeni government. We welcome the UN Panel of Experts’ investigation into this incident, and we hope that the panel’s results will be published swiftly.

The Houthi attack casts a dark shadow over a group who claims to be committed to pursuing peace in Yemen. The UK reiterates its firm support and its gratitude for the efforts of Special Envoy Martin Griffiths and urges all parties to engage in the UN-led negotiations rather than resorting to violent methods.

As the Special Envoy said, this attack mars what is otherwise an extremely positive development: the formation of a new cabinet. It includes members from across the political spectrum under the auspices of the Saudi-mediated Riyadh agreement, although the lack of women is notable.

The UK wholeheartedly welcomes the cabinet’s courageous return to Aden to restore services and supports the efforts of the Prime Minister to bring about the security, and the economic stability that the Yemenis need. We condemn, too, the ongoing Houthi cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia and share US concerns about the Houthi commitment to peace.

We’ve taken note of the US decision to designate the Houthis and welcome the US commitment to work with the UN, with NGOs, and donors on implementation. It will be critical, as we heard from Mark Lowcock, that there are exemptions immediately put in place to ensure humanitarian activity and commercial imports can continue unimpeded, and for the peace process to continue unhindered.

As Mark Lowcock said, we enter 2021 facing a humanitarian emergency with Yemen. And as we heard from David Beasley, Yemen is in imminent danger of the worst famine in decades. 16,500 Yemenis are already living in famine conditions, which is set to triple by June 2021 and with more numbers in the pipeline. Despite this, 2020 closed with a UN appeal that was only half funded – having a drastic impact, as we’ve heard, on the humanitarian response and its ability to save lives.

As we’ve heard, too, rapid economic decline is driving this crisis, compounded by severe humanitarian access constraints, particularly in the Houthi-controlled north. Aid and humanitarian workers must be able to reach those in need and do so safely.

Swift action is needed now – before it’s too late – on the economy, humanitarian funding, and humanitarian access in order to avert catastrophe in 2021.

While the Yemeni Rial’s value temporarily stabilised after the formation of the new government, it is now depreciating again. Food security is already getting worse in the absence of external financial assistance to the Central Bank of Yemen to support food importers.

The new government has the opportunity now to demonstrate the leadership required to stabilise the economy and seek financial assistance. We urge the new government and agencies to swiftly build relationships with the UN and the wider humanitarian community. We will call on the government to urgently set out plans for how it will pay salaries and support currency stability, working with key donors on setting out a financing plan for the Central Bank and for a package of reform measures.

Thank you, Mr President.

• Entrada no Reino Unido suspensa para passageiros que chegam da América do Sul e América Central, Portugal, Panamá e Cabo Verde a partir de sexta-feira, 15 de janeiro, às 04h (Horário de Londres).
• Os cidadãos britânicos, irlandeses e de outros países que tenham residência permanente no Reino Unido e que tenham viajado ou transitado por estes destinos deverão fazer quarentena em casa pelo período de 10 dias, junto com suas famílias.
• Decisão responde a evidências que destacam o espalhamento de novas variantes do coronavírus na América do Sul e em países com fortes elos de viagens com o Brasil.

O Governo Britânico tomou a decisão urgente de proibir viagens para o Reino Unido a partir de vários destinos sul-americanos, além de Portugal, Panamá e Cabo Verde, para evitar a propagação de uma nova variante de coronavírus.

A partir das 4 da manhã de sexta-feira, 15 de Janeiro (Horário de Londres), os passageiros que tenham estado na Argentina, Brasil, Bolívia, Chile, Cabo Verde, Colômbia, Equador, Guiana Francesa, Guiana, Paraguai, Panamá, Portugal (incluindo Madeira e Açores), Peru, Suriname, Uruguai e Venezuela nos últimos 10 dias já não terão entrada permitida no Reino Unido.

Isto não inclui nacionais britânicos e irlandeses ou cidadãos de outros países com residência permanente no Reino Unido, que poderão entrar no país, mas devem permanecer em quarentena durante 10 dias junto com seu grupo familiar.

A decisão inclui também a suspensão de todos os voos vindos da Argentina, Brasil, Cabo Verde e Portugal, incluindo Madeira e Açores. Voos de carga e carga sem passageiros estão excluídos desta proibição.

A suspensão está relacionada à descoberta de novas variantes do coronavirus identificadas pela primeira vez no Brasil, que podem ter se espalhado por destinos de viagem com ligação direta com o país.

Atualmente, países como Argentina, Brasil. Bolívia, Cabo Verde, Colômbia, Equador, Guiana Francesa, Guiana, Guiana, Panamá, Paraguai, Peru, Portugal, Suriname, Uruguai e Venezuela não fazem parte dos corredores de viagem para o Reino Unido. O Chile será excluído da lista de corredores de viagem. Todos os passageiros vindos desses destinos precisam se auto-isolar por dez dias.

Todas as exceções atualmente em vigor estão suspensas, incluindo aquelas relacionadas a profissões e ocupações. Somente transportadores vindos de Portugal nos últimos dez dias transportando mercadorias essenciais estão isentos das proibições.

O sistema test to release não se aplicará a passageiros vindos de Argentina, Brasil, Bolívia, Chile, Cabo Verde, Colômbia, Equador, Guiana Francesa, Guiana, Guiana, Paraguai, Panamá, Portugal, Peru, Suriname, Uruguai e Venezuela após as 4 da manhã do dia 15 de Janeiro.

A recomendação de auto-isolamento por dez dias se estende para pessoas que moram com passageiros recém-chegados de Argentina, Brasil, Bolívia, Chile, Cabo Verde, Colômbia, Equador, Guiana Francesa, Guiana, Paraguai, Panamá, Portugal, Peru, Suriname, Uruguai e Venezuela.

A partir de sexta-feira, 15 de Janeiro, às 4 da manhã, os passageiros de todos os destinos terão também de apresentar um resultado negativo de testes de COVID-19 antes de viajarem para a Inglaterra, para ajudar a proteger contra novas variantes de coronavírus que circulam internacionalmente e para identificar as que podem ser infecciosas.

As restrições nacionais para a Inglaterra aplicadas no último dia 6 de janeiro continuam em vigor: todos devem permanecer em casa, exceto para motivos específicos, como trabalho. Isso significa que as pessoas não podem fazer viagens de férias ou viagens internacionais, exceto para trabalho ou outras razões essenciais. A violação das regras de quarentena pode ser punida com multas entre £200 e £6400 .

O Governo Britânico trabalha em colaboração direta com parceiros internacionais para compreender as mudanças no vírus que têm sido relatadas nestes países. Estamos, também, realizando investigações adicionais no Reino Unido para garantir nossa avaliação de risco.