Health and Sport Committee

Meeting date: Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Official Report 614KB pdf

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Subordinate Legislation

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Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Amendment (No 13) Regulations 2020 (SSI 2020/274)

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Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Amendment (No 14) Regulations 2020 (SSI 2020/280)

Agenda item 2 is consideration of two made affirmative instruments. As in previous meetings, these instruments relate to the coronavirus and international travel and are laid under section 94(1) of the Public Health etc (Scotland) Act 2008, which concerns international travel.

Such regulations should be subject to affirmative procedure. When such regulations must be made urgently, they can be made by the Scottish ministers but must then be brought before the Scottish Parliament within a period of 28 days, beginning with the day on which the regulations were made. It is for the Health and Sport Committee to consider the instruments and to report to Parliament accordingly, within that 28-day window.

I welcome to the committee Humza Yousaf, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, and accompanying Scottish Government officials Rachel Sunderland, who is deputy director in the population and migration division; Jamie MacDougall, who is deputy director in the test and protect portfolio; and Anita Popplestone, who is head of police complaints and scrutiny.

I propose that, with the agreement of the cabinet secretary and members, we take the two sets of regulations as one item. Any questions to the cabinet secretary may deal with both and we will hold the formal debate on both together.

I will start and will then invite other members to speak. When the cabinet secretary last appeared before the committee, we discussed the publication of numbers and increasing transparency about the quarantine regulations and their application. Does the cabinet secretary have anything additional that he wishes to draw to the committee’s attention on that?

Good morning. I hope that members are keeping well and safe.

I thank the convener for his question. If he had not asked, I would have proactively mentioned that, in previous committee sessions, I referenced the fact that the number of people who have tested positive and have a link to international travel would be published by Public Health Scotland on 23 September. I have been given a note today, and I am more than happy to expand on it in writing, saying that the publication of that has been delayed. It should not be a long delay, but Public Health Scotland has concerns about the quality of the data and it needs to do some assurance work on it. I have been told that it is working to resolve the issue so that the numbers can be published. There will be a call between officials and Public Health Scotland to discuss the detail.

At the moment, the intention is to publish the figures. As I previously indicated, they will not be published on 23 September, but I have been told that the delay will not be a long one. I apologise for that. I would have liked to have the figures to hand on 23 September, but they will be delayed.

Thank you. It is clearly disappointing that there is a delay, but it is good to have the cabinet secretary’s assurance.

Constituents have asked me whether people travelling into Scotland should be accessing or downloading the Protect Scotland app? Could the Scottish Government shed light on whether we are encouraging people to download that app?

The short answer is yes. If you download the app and turn on the Bluetooth and location functions, it will let you know about contact. Even if you are in the country for a few days or a few weeks on holiday, it is still absolutely advisable.

Emma Harper makes a good point. With my health colleagues, I will look to see whether we can do more at the ports of entry to ensure that people know to download the app. I know that there is an advertising campaign on the test and protect app, but I will double check with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport and the Cabinet Secretary for Transport whether we need to do more at the points of entry.

Members have no further questions, so we will move on to the next agenda item, which is the formal debate on the instruments. As I have said, I propose to take the two instruments together. Are members agreed?

I see agreement that we should do so. In that case, I remind members that this is a formal debate, so there will no longer be questions, but there may of course be contributions.

I invite the cabinet secretary to speak to and move motions S5M-22634 and S5M-22705, in his name.

I know how packed your agenda is so, as in previous weeks, I am happy to waive my right to speak on the motions.

Motions moved,

That the Health and Sport Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 13) Regulations 2020 (SSI 2020/274) be approved.

That the Health and Sport Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 14) Regulations 2020 (SSI 2020/280) be approved.—[Humza Yousaf]

Motions agreed to.

We will report to Parliament accordingly. I thank the cabinet secretary and his officials for attending and for once again being available to answer questions on the regulations. I have no doubt that we will see you all again before too long, as this is an ever-changing scene. No doubt we will hear more as we go forward.