Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-28268 on 4 May 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

As Covid-19 is a new virus, we do not know enough to have a precise incubation period. The World Health Organisation states most estimates of the incubation period for COVID-19 range from 1-14 days, most commonly around five days. These estimates will be updated as more data become available.

Further information can be found at NHS inform.

Health Protection Scotland (HPS) is taking forward Covid-19 surveillance through a range of measures with key partners to identify and monitor the spread of Covid-19 across the population.

These include:

Community testing through community pathways - This is new information on those people presenting with mild to moderate symptoms provides information about the population that we have not had before and widens our understanding Covid-19 within the community;

and

Antibody testing at a population level through participating health boards – This testing indicates if a person has, or has not, yet had the infection and looks at the antibodies people produce in response to infection, which help to fight the virus.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-28357 on 12 May 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

The Scottish Government has always been explicit that we are passing on every penny of the UK Government’s consequential funding that has come for business support to Scotland. We have delivered a package of financial support to help as many businesses as possible, while also reflecting that Scotland’s economy is different to the rest of the UK. For example, we have a higher share of non-domestic properties with low rateable values in Scotland than England, as well as a higher proportion of hospitality properties.

We have taken the right decisions for the Scottish economy and have sought to balance the needs of the broader economy with those of the retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) sectors.

The Scottish Government has provided a 100% non-domestic rates relief for airport properties, as well those in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. We have also introduced a 1.6% rates relief, effectively freezing the poundage, which is available for all non-domestic properties across Scotland.

In addition, we have provided the Small Business Grant Scheme and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) Grant Scheme, which are both being administered by local authorities. The grant scheme in Scotland will now provide a 75% grant for each subsequent eligible properties. We estimate that around 5,500 properties in the broader economy will benefit from a £7,500 grant in Scotland, but would receive nothing in England. Meanwhile, around 3,500 RHL properties would receive £7,500 in Scotland compared with £10,000 in England. These figures demonstrate that, on balance, more properties will gain more in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has also delivered a £100 million fund to help micro and SME businesses and the newly self-employed not eligible for other schemes and with immediate cash flow issues so they may be of relevance. Information about the fund can be found at the following link, https://www.gov.scot/news/lifeline-support-for-business-confirmed/ .

We continue to engage with businesses on a regular basis to understand their needs, and we remain in dialogue with the UK Government to consider where further support is needed.

a) To date the consequentials in respect of UK Government COVID-19 business support measures total £2,313 million and the estimated cost of the Scottish Government’s COVID-19 business support measures totals £2,341 million, which includes the doubling of the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund from £45 million to £90 million, which was announced by the First Minister on 8 May 2020.

The balance is met from other Scottish Government funding, which is being generated by budget management processes reflecting revised cost estimates and reprioritisation elsewhere in the Scottish Budget. Details will be presented to Parliament at the next budget revision.

The following table sets out the estimated cost of each business support measure:

The Scottish Government published its Coronavirus (COVID-19): business and social distancing guidance on 21 April 2020. This was updated from original guidance published on 23 March.

The Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health Scotland and Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards Scotland in local authorities have established an Expert Group, working with Police Scotland to support a consistent approach to enforcement of the emergency regulations.

Yes. It is critical that we prevent the spread of coronavirus and save lives, and therefore adherence to the restrictions in the emergency regulations is an important component in achieving this.

There is currently no NHS approved testing for COVID-19 available for purchase on a commercial basis.

Health and social care workers in Scotland continue to be the top priority for testing and will continue to access testing through the NHS and through the UK programme if necessary.

Through the UK wide testing programme announced on 25 April eligible employers in these additional sectors will be able to register their employees for a test and key workers will then be able to book a test for themselves or members of their household if they are symptomatic.

The additional key workers eligible for testing include those in critical national infrastructure which is fundamental for safety and security and lifeline services, staff in other essential services, and volunteers in areas important to economic sustainability and growth.