This report sets out the COVID-19 Recovery Committee's consideration of a Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) at its meeting on 16 September 2021. The minutes of the meeting have been published on the Committee's webpages. The Official Report of the meeting will be published on the Committee's webpages in due course.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/299) were laid on 2 September 2021. The instrument was made in exercise of the power conferred by paragraph 1(1) of schedule 19 of the Coronavirus Act 2020. The instrument is subject to made affirmative procedure by virtue of paragraph 6(3) of schedule 19 of the Act.

The policy note states that—

These Regulations make a minor amendment to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (“the principal Regulations”) to enable performers to perform or rehearse for a performance without face coverings in situations where distancing or partitioning is not possible. The exemption will apply as long as there is either a partition or a distance of at least one metre between performers and other people (including the audience) but that does not include people who are performing or rehearsing with the performers or assisting with the performance or rehearsal.

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform (DPLR) Committee considered SSI 2021/299 at its meeting on 14 September 2021 and had no points to raise.

At the COVID-19 Recovery Committee's meeting on 16 September 2021, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for COVID Recovery, John Swinney MSP, moved Motion S6M-01048 in his name—That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/299) be approved.