Lindsay Garvey-Jones, Holiday Extras’ national retail manager, wrote to her local MP and House of Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle to “ask for your support in urgently requesting the government to reconsider this position”.

“I’m sure you’re aware of the many additional travel businesses that are now on the brink of collapse due to the Covid-19 crisis and face a second consecutive year of no income with the UK’s borders now effectively closed for summer,” wrote Garvey-Jones.

Hoyle passed on Garvey-Jones’ correspondence to Sunak who has responded in a letter in which he reiterates the government’s current policy and support schemes, such as Restart Grants, which have now closed for new applications.

“I am sorry to hear of the difficulties your constituent is facing,” wrote Sunak.

“Support for the travel industry is a devolved policy area, and the UK government has decided in England it is preferable to provide local authorities with funding at a scale, and with the flexibility they need to best support their local economy, rather than create several dedicated grant funds such as one for the travel sector, to be administered from Whitehall.”

He then goes on to list the Restart Grants schemes of up to £6,000 for travel agencies and the discretionary Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG), administered by local councils.

Sunak also mentions how decisions are made within the traffic light system and by the Foreign Office (FCDO).

He closes his letter by writing: “I would like to thank you and your constituent for drawing this to my attention.”