Further memorandum from the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office
TRAVEL ADVICE: GUIDANCE FOR POSTS AND DEPARTMENTS[25].
INTRODUCTION
1. Travel Advice is one of the principal
"shop windows" of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Ministers, MPs and the media all take a very close interest in
it. It is the responsibility of the geographical department to
make sure it remains up-to-date, clear and consistent
— Up-to-date: Posts must look at their
Travel Advice whenever there are significant changes in the situation
and at least once a month to check that it remains accurate. Every
three months they should confirm to geographical departments that
no changes are needed. Geographical desk officers should have
it as one of their objectives to ensure that the Travel Advice
for their countries is kept up-to-date and under constant review.
They should keep in touch with posts, and, if necessary, consult
them about whether changes are needed.
— Clear: Travel Advice is not about
elegant but nuanced prose. It's about plain English, which helps
visitors and residents decide whether to visit, and how to behave.
Use short sentences and short paragraphs and avoid "in house"
language. Remember your audience is the general public.
— Consistent: Deputy Heads of geographical
departments should have it as a personal objective to ensure that
the Travel Advice given for countries across their department
is consistent. Travel Advice Section in Consular Crisis Group,
and CTPD, can help with advice on wording which is consistent
across the office. Posts must ensure that advice given to local
British communities, businesses, NGOs etc and advice to staff
is consistent with the Travel Advice as it appears on the FCO
website.
STYLE, FORMAT
AND CONTENT
2. The standard format is set out at Annex
A[26].
The only mandatory section is "Safety and Security",
of which the first sub-section must cover the terrorist threat.
The summary should contain a sentence on terrorism.
3. The style should be clear and easily
understood. To make the Travel Advice more accessible, the Plain
English Campaign recommends that we use shorter sentences and
active verbs. And they like sentences beginning with conjunctions.
They recommend that we make greater use of the second person;
to direct the text at the reader. Please avoid phrases like "we
see no risk of a terrorist incident", which sound complacent
and are potential hostages to fortune. And be careful of the phrase
"the vast majority of visits are trouble free"; it may
well be true but can detract from the key message. It should not
be used as the first sentence of the summary paragraph.
4. The Secretary of State wishes the "Safety
and Security" section of Travel Advice to focus primarily
on a factual description of the risks or dangers in the country
concerned, thus allowing readers to make up their own minds about
whether to travel. Where the Travel Advice recommends against
travel, it should include a description of the events or threats
that underlie this recommendation.
5. Annex B[27]
gives three ladders of standard, recommended language to cover
advice to British visitors and residents at increasing levels
of threat, and possible language on our instructions to staff
for inclusion in Travel Advice or Wardens' Notices. The horizontal
read-across is intended to give some indication of corresponding
levels of advice to visitors and residents, instructions to staff
and stage of Civil Contingency Plan (if any). This can only be
indicative. Much will depend on the nature and specificity of
the threat, location of British nationals, their familiarity with
local conditions etc. But it is intended to guide Posts and departments
as to what questions they should be asking themselves.
6. Annex C[28]
gives suggested language on terrorist threats, both for the summaries
and for the "Terrorism" section of the travel advice.
These are linked to the specific threat levels issued by the Joint
Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC). The language is illustrative
only. Travel Advice will vary even for countries at the same threat
level because:
(a) some countries will be at the high end
of a threat level;
(b) the security apparatus and therefore
risk will be different;
(c) the profile of some UK targets will also
differ; and
(d) the likely type of attack (eg car bombings,
kidnaps, CBRN) will differ from place to place and between different
terrorist groups.
We have given a number of alternative examples
for the sort of language you may want to use. There are some general
guidelines too:
— In the main paragraph on terrorism
you should refer to the "Risk of Terrorism" page and
also the "General and Security Tips" (found in the "While
You are There" section) on the website.
— Where there is a history of attacks
you should refer to them, including the type of attack, the targets,
etc.
— You should also comment on local
law enforcement capability if pertinent to the threat.
— Any change in Travel Advice as the
result of an intelligence report or change of threat level must
be authorised by the originators of the intelligence. This can
usually be done very quickly by JTAC, through CTPD if necessary.
7. The advice must be understandable to
the customer. The precise language used in the FCO Travel Advice
has implications for the travel and travel insurance industries
and their customers. For example, the travel industry wait until
we advise against nonessential (including holiday) travel before
agreeing to refund deposits or to re-book holidays without a cancellation
charge. The travel industry, who are the main institutional customers
for Travel Advice, have asked that it should fall into one of
three broad categories:
— Advise against non-essential (including
holiday) travel.
— Advise against all travel—We
won't always be able to meet such a wish for simple categories.
In many places, for example, we do not advise against travel,
but do stress that there is a high security risk.
THE PROCESS
FOR CHANGING
TRAVEL ADVICE
8. There are two basic routes by which a
decision may be taken to change Travel Advice.
When there are significant changes in the situation
in a country (violence, natural disaster, epidemic), the Post
should email the Travel Advice Section with proposed Travel Advice
changes (as tracked changes on the current TA), copied to the
geographical desk (with whom they will probably have liaised in
advance). The inbox is accessible by all staff in TAS. TAS will
prepare an amended text and send it to the geographical desk.
If the changes are simple factual ones, the geographical department
can authorise publication and they will be put on the website.
If the changes occur out of office hours and
need to be acted upon immediately, please send them to the Resident
Clerk (copied to TAS), with a request that s/he contact the geographical
department for authorisation before sending the change to the
e-Media duty officer (see below for contact details).
— Changes in the terrorist threat:
When a new threat assessment is received from
JTAC, CTPD (the initial FCO recipient) will ensure that it is
seen (usually electronically) by the geographical department.
They will then consult Post, SSU, Consular Crisis Group and, as
appropriate, PD-PM (for staff welfare issues), AMED and other
departments plus Press Office on possible changes to Travel Advice,
consulting Ministers as necessary. Annex D[29]
is a flowchart describing the processes of taking action on a
threat report.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS:
9. The Director General for Corporate Affairs
(DGCA) is the senior official responsible for Travel Advice. He
should be consulted on all but the most routine, factual changes.
The Secretary of State (or, in his absence,
the Duty Minister) should also be consulted where:
— It is proposed to change the level
of advice (eg to advise against non-essential travel);
— It is proposed not to change the
advice despite new intelligence;
— There is disagreement between London
and the Post;
— Where the Travel Advice has become
a particularly sensitive issue for the country concerned, or
— At times of heightened concern about
terrorist threats.
All submissions should go through the DGCA,
having first been cleared with Consular Crisis Group, CTPD and
SSU (if related to a terrorist threat), AMED (if shipping or air
services are affected), Press Office and PRDD. If in doubt about
procedure, geographical departments should consult the DGCA's
Office, Consular Crisis Group or CTPD. See Annex E[30]
for a model submission.
10. Departments should normally make an
immediate factual change to the Advice following any terrorist
incident, if necessary saying that the advice is under review
(eg "Following the explosion at "x" on "date",
this advice is being reviewed").
11. When considering a proposed change in
Travel Advice, the Secretary of State will want to know whether
other key governments are also changing their advice and whether
we shall be significantly out of line with them. The Travel section
of the FCO website has links into other government websites (currently,
Australian, Canadian, Dutch, French, German, New Zealand and US).
Travel Advice Section has daily telephone contact with their opposite
numbers in the US State Department and a regular weekly (Wednesday)
conference call with the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
to discuss Travel Advice. They also have regular contact with
the Quai d'Orsay. Please let them know if any significant changes
are being considered so that they can enquire whether these governments
are doing likewise and alert them to our position. The calls normally
take place at about 1430hrs over an open line.
12. Other government departments will occasionally
need to be consulted. For example, the Department of Transport
(Transec—via CTPD/AMED) when there are aviation/maritime
implications; the Home Office on major international football
matches; or the Department of Health (via the Department of Health
Travel Advice Section ) in the case of an epidemic such as the
SARS outbreak in April 2003. With particularly serious threats,
or when taking action has sensitive implications, the FCO (CTPD
will lead) should consider whether COBR (Cabinet Office meeting
of concerned departments) should meet, and discuss this with the
Cabinet Office (ODS). Such a COBR meeting will, if time allows,
be preceded by a review of information relevant to the threat
by CT analysts. Such co-ordinated action will be particularly
important to ensure that parallel and simultaneous actions are
taken by different government departments eg changes to Travel
Advice and instructions from the Department of Transport to British
Airlines not to fly.
13. If departments are going to recommend
that the level of Advice is raised to advise against non-essential
(including holiday) travel to a country where there is an important
airline "hub", they should consider whether the advice
should exclude direct transit through the airport (ie when the
passenger remains "airside" and does not enter the country).
14. There should be no "double standards"
between public warnings given through Travel Advice, and briefings
on terrorist threats given to staff. Unless a threat is specifically
directed at an overseas Post or related target, staff should not
have privileged access to classified threat material except as
needed to do their job. Heads of Mission and Post Security Officers
must ensure that the Post's reaction to the new threat intelligence
maintains consistency with Travel Advice and protects sensitive
information while ensuring that we fulfil our duty of care to
staff. In case of doubt, consult CTPD and SSU. Any additional
briefing to suitably cleared staff on the terrorist threat will
have to be agreed with JTAC to ensure that safeguards are in place
to protect intelligence. This clearance can be done rapidly.
IMPLEMENTATION
15. Once a change in Travel Advice has been
agreed, the geographical department should send the final text
to Travel Advice Section who will publish it on the FCO website.
Out of office hours (ie between 1730 and 0900), it should be sent
by either the geographical department or the Resident Clerk to
the e-Media Duty Officer and copied to TAS.
16. The geographical department should also
inform the Post(s) concerned and Press Office. Where it is decided
(by the geographical department/Press Office/Minister's Office)
to make a press announcement of the change (in London and/or the
Post), Press Office should consult Travel Advice Section (or,
out of hours, the e-Media Duty Office) so that the timing can
be co-ordinated with publication on the FCO website. The geographical
department and Press Office should also consider whether there
is a requirement for Q and As to supplement the change in Travel
Advice.
17. The geographical department should send
a COREU once a significant change (ie a change in the level of
the Advice) has been approved; it may be worth drafting this in
parallel with the submission. Include the acronyms COTER, COCON
and COACD in the subject line of the COREU, the last to ensure
that it goes to the acceding states. Heads of Mission may also
wish to inform their host government, and will want to let their
EU colleagues know as soon as change has been agreed.
AND FINALLY
18. Ministers regularly state in Parliament
and in correspondence that FCO Travel Advice is under constant
review and is checked at least once a month. Departments should
keep going back to the Travel Advice for their countries on a
regular basis, considering with Posts whether language needs up
dating or weeding. Changes should be made as circumstances dictate
and not necessarily saved for the monthly check. Travel Advice
Section will nag!
Consular Crisis Group
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
August 2003
Annex A
STYLE AND FORMAT OF TRAVEL ADVICE
The following headings and sub-headings should
be included, where possible.
(A) SUMMARY
Should be kept short and snappy. Ideally no
more that four sentences, capturing the risk of terrorism, the
assessment of the local risk and the main thrust of the advice.
(B) SAFETY
AND SECURITY
(NB THIS SECTION
IS MANDATORY)
Always the first sub-section of this first section.
This must appear in every Travel Advice.
These sub-sections should be used as appropriate.
(C) LOCAL
LAWS AND
CUSTOMS
Drugs, dress codes, is homosexuality legal?,
etc.
(D) ENTRY
REQUIREMENTS
If visas are required and where to obtain them,
etc.
(E) HEALTH
Always include a recommendation that the traveller
takes out comprehensive medical/travel insurance.
(F) NATURAL
DISASTERS
Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions,
etc.
(G) GENERAL
As appropriate.
(H) CONTACT
DETAILS
Particularly if there is no resident British
Mission. There is a hyperlink at the bottom of each Travel Advice
to the UK Missions Overseas page on the FCO website that gives
details of the British Embassy/High Commission and subsidiary
posts. It is important that these are kept up-to-date. (Amendments
should be sent direct to e-media unit).
Annex B
LADDERS OF LANGUAGE
| Increasing threat to British nationals
| Visitors | Residents
| Mission Staff and Dependants |
| | |
|
(a) Stage I of CCP* |
You should be vigilant, take security precautions (see Hints and Tips).
| You should be vigilant, take security precautions (see Hints and Tips).
| |
| (bi) Stage II of CCP* | We advise you to postpone non-essential travel (including holiday travel). If you are already visiting, you should consider leaving the country.
| You should review your security arrangements carefully
| We are reviewing carefully the security of our staff and dependants
|
| (bii) Stage II of CCP* | We advise you to postpone non-essential travel (including holiday travel). If you are already visiting, you should leave the country.
| [As above, plus] and consider whether to leave the country
| We have authorised the voluntary departure of dependants and non-essential staff
|
| (biii) Stage II of CCP* | We advise you to postpone non-essential travel (including holiday travel). If you are already visiting, you should leave (while commercial means are still available).
| You should leave the country (while commercial means are still available) unless you consider your presence essential
| We have ordered the departure of dependants and authorised the departure of non-essential staff
|
| (ci) Stage III of CCP* | We advise against all travel. If you are already visiting, you should leave (while commercial means are still available)
| You should leave the country (while commercial means are still available)
| We have ordered the departure of dependants and non-essential staff
|
| | |
|
Annex E
A sample submission from Geographical Department to
Minister
| From: | Geographical Dept Desk Officer
|
| cc: | PS/PUS |
| PS/Minister responsible for the region
|
| Director-General responsible for the region
|
| Director General Defence & Intelligence (if threat related)
|
| Director International Security (if threat related)
|
| Director, Consular Services
|
| Head of CTPD and SSU (if threat related)
|
| Head of AMED (if aviation or maritime implication)
|
| Press Office (for press enquiries or releases)
|
| PRDD (for Parliamentary implications)
|
| Head, Consular Crisis Group
|
| Head, Travel Advice Section, CCG
|
| WASHINGTON (if threat related)
|
| CTPD Threats Team Leader
|
| Other Posts as appropriate
|
Head of Geographical
Department |
|
Director General
Corporate Affairs
| |
| Private Secretary | |
| |
ISSUE
1. Whether to change our Travel Advice for [country].
TIMING
2. Immediate/priority/routine. [Should reflect urgency
of eg new information from post, new threat assessment, change
of partner's travel advice, etc].
PREFERRED OPTIONS
3. That we [do not] change our advice, to [explain briefly
the change].
Consular Crisis Group; Post; CTPD and SSU (if terrorist threat);
AMED (if shipping or air services are affected); PPRD and the
Press Office agree.
ARGUMENT AND
BACKGROUND
4. [Current advice]
The current Travel Advice is . . . (attach it)
5. [New information/intelligence] We need to consider
whether to change it because . . . (explain what new event/information
has prompted this eg. JTAC assessment, reference XX/03). Do not
refer to any nqmes, dates, places and above all sources when describing
intelligence to keep the submission capped at Confidential. [Credibility
of information/intelligence] Essential intelligence should be
sent in parallel—DGCA has Fortress, SofS will require a
hard copy.
6. [Recommendation for/against change in Travel Advice]
We recommend that we do/don't change the Travel Advice, in
the following way (make clear whether you are proposing a change
to the facts or to the advice, or both; and attach the draft new
travel advice in full as it will appear on the web site. The Secretary
of State likes to see tracked changes so that he can quickly identify
"before" and "after").
7. [Reasons]
The reason for this proposed change is . . . (explain the
pros and cons if there are any; and if there are divided opinions
inside or between FCO/post/OGDs—if so explain who thinks
what, citing the post's view in full).
8. [Our Allies (US, Australia, Canada) and EU partners
position]
The US/other key partners' travel advice is . . . (attach
texts and explain any differences with what we are proposing);
whether they have changes in mind and if so, what.
9. [Local authorities reaction]
The local authorities' reaction to this change is likely
to be . . . We [do not] recommend informing them in advance of
the change (as a general rule we should try to inform in advance,
unless there is a strong reason not to). The effect of the change
on the country concerned is likely to be . . . (eg damage to tourism,
halting of air services etc).
10. [Local authorities ability to deal with the situation]
Give details of the general [security] situation, previous [terrorist]
incidents and ability of the local authorities to deal with the
situation.
11. [Action at Post] If Ministers agree, Post will .
. . . (explain what they will do to promulgate the new advice
locally, eg briefing local community, NGOs etc; explain too any
new local security measures they may be putting in place; and
if necessary make a recommendation on whether the post should
evacuate non-essential staff and families. It may also be necessary
to recommend close protection for key staff or closure of visa
section).
12. [Action in London] We will . . . (explain if we are
going to be doing any briefing in London, eg of NGO head offices,
etc. and whether any other action (eg organising an evacuation)
is necessary. TAS are responsible for briefing the travel industry
and making the change on the website).
MEDIA AND
PARLIAMENTARY IMPLICATIONS
13. [Consulting the Press Office and PRDD, note any prior
and anticipated media coverage and parliamentary interest. Explain
whether we are recommending any proactive announcement of the
change, and set out the press line on why the advice has been
changed.]
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
14. None [Unless eg special action required to protect
Embassy staff and premises].
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
October 2003
25
Revised guidance on Travel Advice recently issued by the FCO to
FCO staff at home and overseas. Back
26
Ev 55. Back
27
Ev 56. Back
28
Not submitted as this relates to intelligence material. Back
29
Ev 57. Back
30
Ev 58. Back
| 
