Matt Hancock has said he is more optimistic than ever for a “great British summer”.
The Health Secretary said he is confident that coronavirus restrictions will be lifted to allow leisure travel this summer because of the rollout of coronavirus vaccines.
Mr Hancock has already booked a summer holiday in Cornwall.
The Government’s road map for easing England’s lockdown rules includes self-contained accommodation such as holiday lets potentially reopening from April 12, while hotel stays and foreign travel could be permitted from May 17.
I'm now more optimistic about having a great British summer than I have been at any time
Health Secretary Matt Hancock
On a visit to a laboratory in Glasgow Mr Hancock said: “I very much hope that as we are able to lift restrictions, then we are all able to travel across the UK.
“I’m confident, because of the vaccine, we will be able to make that progress and then be able to, all of us, to travel freely wherever we are within these islands.
“One of the factors that we have to be vigilant about in that road map is the emergence of new variants, in case the current vaccines are not as effective.
“I’ve said before that I’m optimistic for a great British summer and I’m now more optimistic about having a great British summer than I have been at any time, thanks to the speed and the effectiveness of the vaccine rollout.
“By great British summer, I absolutely mean people being able to enjoy travel across the whole of the UK.”
Travel restrictions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are determined by the devolved administrations.
