Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the Government hopes to switch from PCR tests and speed up the process within weeks. Airports are working to have the tests ready on arrival so travellers can be "done and dusted" before they even get home.

       Mr Shapps said October 22 is the goal. He said: "I've spoken to the airports, including Heathrow, and they even have tests available as you walk through the airport.

       "So you could be done and dusted before you even get home with these things, which will be a massive improvement to having to send off PCR tests to labs and waiting for the results and all the costs involved.

       People arriving in the UK who take a lateral flow test to check their Covid status will have to take a photograph of it to prove the result.

       Mr Shapps admitted the process is open to abuse but insisted most people want to "do the right thing".

       Anyone who tests positive will automatically be sent a PCR test and be asked to isolate.

       He added: "If it's negative, that's it, you're free to go.

       "And the good thing is that can be done as soon as coming through the gates, potentially, at some airports. Or you may have ordered a test to be at your home.

       "You carry out that test, we're going to ask people to take a photograph of it so that it's actually your test. And that's it, the job is done, there's nothing further to do.

       "So it's going to be a much simplified, much cheaper system."

       Mr Shapps said the US has indicated travel will reopen fully to Britons from "early November".

       He added: "I'm very keen for it to be reopened. It's very important to the airlines."