Downing Street Says » Statement on help for stranded British nationals

Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s statement on the latest situation on the volcanic ash cloud and help for British nationals stranded abroad.

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We’ve just come from a meeting of the Civil Contingencies Committee at which Andrew Adonis reported on transport developments and David Miliband reported on consular developments and how we can help British citizens who are stranded abroad.

I think the first thing weve got to say is the safety of air passengers is of paramount importance and so today we’re looking at the result of test flights that have been up in the air yesterday and today, and looking also at the manufacturers recommendations.

That will be dealt with at the European Council meeting of transport ministers which will be held by videophone later this afternoon, and further decisions about when flights can go and whether flights cannot go will have to be made as a result of the conclusions of these meetings.

In the meantime, we’re seeing the spirit and resilience of the British people shown at its best and I’m very proud of what British people have done dealing with the most difficult of circumstances, often stranded in very difficult areas, and we are determined to do everything that we can to help.

We have put on extra capacity. Ferries will run at more than 40,000 passengers across the Channel, Eurostar will be more than 20,000, the Channel Tunnel itself will take more than 20,000, so these are big increases in capacity. Domestic links by train and by coaches to replace airlines have gone up in number as well and Im pleased that the railway companies have responded in the way that they have done.

But obviously were going to need more capacity over the next few days. Ark Royal will be sent to the Channel; equally HMS Ocean will be available at Channel ports as soon as possible to help people come to Britain, and we are sending Albion via Spain to look at what we might do in addition to it bringing the 3 Rifles home to add to its numbers as it travels back from Spain. So all these things are being looked at.

I think the other development is the co-operation we’re receiving from the Spanish government. We have large numbers of travellers who are caught in Asia and in America and the main route home that is available at the moment is through the airports that are open in Europe and that is in Spain. I’ve talked to Prime Minister Zapatero, he has offered in principle the use of Spanish airports as a hub for bringing people back to Britain, and we are now looking at whether we can make the arrangements that are necessary, to get people from either Madrid or a Spanish airport back to Britain.

These arrangements will be looked at in more detail today, the capacity has obviously got to be available, but if thousands of people need to get home from America and from Asia, and the only way through by plane is to get to Spain and then use other forms of travel to get to Britain, then we will make it possible. These discussions with Prime Minister Zapatero will continue during the course of today. I believe that we will get a resolution of this by offering particularly coach capacity for people to come from Madrid to London. Obviously we will make arrangements for people to get across the Channel as well and that will mean additional capacity.

Now I’m obviously worried about the inconvenience that is caused to Britons abroad. Some are holidaymakers wanting to get the children back to school, some are business people who need to be back for the important work that they do, some are travellers where there may be health problems that we have got to deal with. So our consular and diplomatic officials will be available at the service of people, to help where its necessary, to deal with health needs where there are problems, to give advice on the forms of transport that we can make available, to make sure that everything possible is done, and David Miliband will be leading this with Tessa Jowell to make sure that all the information that is available can be made available to all those who need help.

I believe that this is one of the most serious transport disruptions that we have faced, its got financial consequences of course as well as human consequences, and we will do everything in our power to make sure that all the arrangements are in place to help people, where possible, to get back home. We will meet as a Civil Contingencies Committee again later today we will keep this under constant review. Over the last few days Andrew Adonis and I have been in constant touch about what needs to be done, and I believe that the arrangements that we’re making, the discussions with the airlines, the discussions with our embassies as well, and the support that we’re already giving individual people, will be stepped up in the next day or two.

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» Thursday, March 20, 0110

Statement on help for stranded British nationals

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