Would you pay £120 per person on top of your holiday costs if it meant getting a break abroad?

He said the Government will give more information on when foreign holidays could be allowed before May 17, which is the earliest possible date in the road map for international travel to resume.

"What we've got today is a framework for doing that, so there's a traffic light system you have been talking about - red, amber, green," he told Sky News.

"And in the green category, we'll try to make it as affordable as possible to travel.

"But taking an abundance of caution as we go, because we don't want to throw away all the good work of these lockdowns and people coming forward for vaccines by picking up variants of concern or anything else.

"So it's a cautious move but at least it provides that framework for people."

They will have to take only one test after flying home, rather than the current two. And ministers are said to be considering giving travellers free Covid tests to take abroad to save the hassle and cost of arranging one before flying home.

But under the 'traffic light' system for re-starting foreign travel on May 17, it is expected the vast majority of returning holidaymakers will be required to take PCR tests – which cost around £120 - a move that risks pricing families out of a summer break.

It would cost the average family of four an extra £600 on top of flights and accommodation. Mr Shapps said: 'I am undertaking today to drive down the costs of tests for travel and we're looking at what innovative steps we can do around this. We're trying to do everything we can.'