Holiday boost as Grant Shapps says NHS app will be used for travel passport

Holidays to the Algarve and Costa del Sol could be back within weeks as it was revealed the UK Government is transforming the NHS app for use as a travel passport.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he would announce at the beginning of May what category each country falls into under the watch list - with gradings from green to red in terms of covid risk.

It comes as the Portuguese Ambassador to the UK Manuel Lobo Antunes said holidaymakers would be able to visit the country from the “middle of May”.

Meanwhile, Spain’s tourism minister Fernando Valdes Verelst told an international summit they will welcome back tourists - including Brits - in June.

Boosting hopes for holidays, Mr Shapps said the UK’s domestic covid figures “look good” to enable foreign holidays to start again next month.

The Secretary of State told Sky News: “I can confirm we are working on an NHS application. Actually, it will be the NHS app that is used for people when they book appointments for the NHS and so on - to be able to show that you’ve had a vaccine or that you had testing.

“I’m working internationally with partners across the world to make sure that system can be internationally recognised, as that’s the way forward.

“I’m chairing a meeting of the G7 secretaries of state for transport, my equivalents from America and Canada and all the G7 countries, next week on exactly this subject.”

Mr Shapps said the data “continue to look good” domestically to allow limited international travel but stressed it would be May 17 at the “earliest”.

He added: “We won’t have international travel before that.”

Pressed on what category Spain would be in – the most popular holiday destination for Brits – the minister was reluctant to be pinned down.